Playboy and the First Amendment

This week I found myself on the 7th floor of the D.C. Newseum, eating shrimp, crab cakes, and strawberry shortcake at a party hosted by the Playboy Foundation.

Attending the Playboy event was an unexpected work assignment. Along with three of my co-workers from the National Whistleblower Center and an attorney from the law firm Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto, I joined a crowd of journalists, elected officials, and civil rights activists at the 2008 Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Awards.

Minus the alcohol and cuisine catered by Wolfgang Puck, the event was nothing like an episode of The Girls Next Door. There were no bunny suits or bikinis. The only Hefner at the ceremony was Christie, Hugh's daughter and the CEO of Playboy Enterprises. Christie Hefner created the First Amendment Awards in 1979 to recognize individuals who fight to protect our First Amendment freedoms. The bold filmmaker Michael Moore received the Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award in 1999.

Classy in a tan dress and matching shoes, Christie began the evening by introducing this year's award winners, three individuals selected out of a pool of 60 nominees. Christie said, "These winners have shown extraordinary commitment to preserving the First Amendment rights of all Americans . . . Their example is an inspiration to everyone who cares about the fundamental civil rights on which our democracy is based." She ended her introduction with a wink, saying, "First Amendment rights . . . Use 'em or lose 'em."

Here are the three recipients of the 2008 Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award:

• A whistleblower! Mark Klein discovered a secret room at AT&T's office in San Francisco and unraveled the ploy between AT&T and the National Security Agency to intercept billions of Internet communications. Klein spoke out against this illegal government spying operation. His information was featured on PBS/Frontline, ABC Nightline, the New York Times, and the Washington Post. In his acceptance speech, Klein emphasized the complete lack of support that he received from the U.S. Congress.
• A high school student! With the help of the ACLU, senior Heather Gillman sued her high school principal for prohibiting students to wear or display symbols supporting gay and lesbian rights.
• A public advocate and college campus lecturer! Greg Lukianoff received the very first $25,000 Freedom of Expression Award. He is the president of FIRE (the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education- What an acronym).

Fun Fact: In 1986, the American Council of the Blind went to court claiming that the Library of Congress violated the First Amendment rights of blind people by eliminating Braille editions of the Playboy magazine. The Council argued that withholding $103,000 in library funds, the exact amount of money needed to produce 1,000 copies of the Playboy magazine in Braille, was unconstitutional. What a scandal for a Playboy magazine without pictures . . .

The Rest of the Week at a Glance:

• Went salsa dancing with a group of Washington Center Students from Mexico at the hip Latin club Café Citron
  
• Sipped a café au lait and sampled a caramel apple plate at Tryst, a crowded coffee shop in Adams Morgan with excellent desserts
• Learned to make mushroom risotto!