Washington Free Beacon managing editor Sonny Bunch has been selected by the Southern Poverty Law Center for inclusion on the Wall of Tolerance in Montgomery, Alabama, according to documents obtained earlier this week. The SPLC and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Toni Morrison notified Bunch by mail with a "Certificate of Appreciation," signed by SPLC founder Morris Dees, for "taking a stand" against hatred and intolerance in America. In a prepared statement, Bunch expressed gratitude for the award:
I’m deeply honored to be recognized by the Southern Poverty Law Center for my efforts in the war on hatred and intolerance. We at the Free Beacon are committed enemies of oppression.
Bunch’s honor comes at an important time in the history of political media, in the midst of accusations that Washington think tanks and advocacy groups have contributed to regressive rhetoric that moves our national conversation backward. In particular, employees of the Center for American Progress Action Fund recently were accused of making anti-Semitic statements.
Free Beacon editor-in-chief Matthew Continetti released a statement Friday morning praising Bunch’s accomplishment. "When Sonny told me he had been nominated for inclusion on the Wall of Tolerance, I was not surprised," Continetti said. "He has committed his life to fighting injustice and poverty by advocating freedom and equality of opportunity. He has spoken to me many times of his love of the novels of Toni Morrison, 'Sula' and 'Jazz' in particular. It is also gratifying to know that the Southern Poverty Law Center is reading and following the WFB."
