"Free Speech Zone" -- Did they exist before shrub?

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

The areas that protesters are restricted to, so that his imperial shrubness does not have to look upon the unwashed masses, and, more importantly, so that news coverage of shrub doesn't show any untidy dissent rather than the clapping robot soldiers and Orwellian phrases printed on the background at the American Enterprise Institute ("Job Creation." "Ignorance is Strength.") Were these in use by any other American presidents?

[dogman]

1. Unfortunately yes.

They had them in Chicago for the Democratic Convention. They used the '68 Convention as an excuse and wanted the City beautified for the Convention.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

2. Thanks, Dogman

I will have to read some very good books about the infamous 68 Chicago Dem convention... Any good documentaries (or fictional movies or books for that matter) on the subject?

[dogman]

5. Movies and books

The trials of the protesters. I believe "The Chicago Eight" and then reduced to "The Chicago Seven". Abby(sp) Hoffman and other activists were tried for disrupting the convention. A former IL. Governor did a study called the Kerner Report which described the problems as a police riot. People I knew who were there said it was rough. When Clinton came for the convention, protesters were restricted to areas away from the United Center which was the site of the "96 Convention. The first was under Mayor Daley and the second was under his son Mayor Daley, both Dems.

[G_j]

24. The Democratic Convention 2000

would have had them if not for ONE judge: U.S. District Judge Gary Feess, struck down L.A.'s attempt to restrict free speech to designated zones for the 2000 Democratic convention.


edit to add: they did have them at the 2000 Republican convention in Philly and at all the 2000 presidential debates (though the debates were held on private university properties so it wasn't technically a first amendment issue.)

[plurality]

3. yes, my university had one

The University of North Texas in Denton.

There was a small clearing near the University Union with a small marker denoting it as a "Free Speech Zone". This was the only area where one could hold rallys or protests. You also had to registir with the administration before you could use it.

[efhmc]

8. Hi, fellow Eagle. That was not there when I was there but that was some

time ago. How did that work? Was it used?

[plurality]

10. All the time...

unfortunately it was mostly used by abortion protestors and this one jack ass preacher that would show up every week to tell everyone they were going to hell. I got him good though as one day he was screaming that he'd give a dollar to anyone that could name one of the ten commandments. I went up and said, "Commandment #1, Thou shalt have no God before me. Where's my dollar" I then tore it up and said, "You're breaking the first commandment, by encourageing the worship of money."

Last I heard they took it out the year after I graduated, 2k2. God, those were the days :smoke:

When were you there?

[efhmc]

13. I refuse to answer that question on age discrimination possibilities.

Let's just say that I was a 60's gal. My group was really very liberal considering where most of us were from (small town Texas). We were on the cutting edge at that time. I am amazed at how far ahead we were than many of the young people I listen to today. Jim Hightower was there with me and I remember vaguely working on his campaign for some office as a freshman. I think he won but I was a science major and books were my main focus. I loved college and instilled that love in my daughters. It is, was and will always be the most wonderful time ever. When will one ever have another chance to study for free and hang out and talk and be as carefree as in college?

[plurality]

14. UNT was a fairly radical place when I was there

I imagine it must have been quite a trip during the sixties.

And yes, college was a great experience, I truly miss it and I'm only 2 years removed. I'm still trying to find how to become a professional student. There has to be a place somewhere.

[efhmc]

17. You young sweetie. I remember in French class there was a student my

teacher id as as a professional student. She seemed scornful but I thought, "Wow, that's a cool idea."

[nostamj]

4. actually, the term FAZ comes from the Clinton adm

they were created to protect abortion clinics.

kinda got perverted under bushco

[efhmc]

15. As much as a Feminist as I am, I always thought those zones were

wrong. They seemed to be anti-democratic to me. I received a great deal of flack for that idea. (Like I cared.)

[corporatewhore]

6. did ya know the dems are using them in boston for their con

[plurality]

7. wouldn't surprise me

didn't they also have them in LA in 2000?

[corporatewhore]

22. this time they hired the fascist john timoney (miami model)

[Kathy in Cambridge]

9. Boston is a very congested city-it will be very difficult

to impose free speech zones.

[slinkerwink]

12. also, I don't think there'll be that many freepers protesting there

probably a crowd of 400 is the best you'll get.

[MAlibdem]

16. Makes sense as long as protesters are seen and heard

At least in Boston around the Fleet Center, really congested down there.

[jsw_81]

11. Yes

Many "liberal" college campuses had similar free speech zones.

[Cell17N]

18. Freedom of speach.

Do you think USA has 100% freedom of speach?

[baldguy]

19. Yes.

A federal judge used them here in Buffalo to protect an abortion clinic from sicko nutcase fundie protesters who were harassing and assaulting patients & clinic employees. The "free speech zone" was directly across the street from the clinic! The judge made it so the violent insane anti-choice anti-American protesters couldn't ENTER a particular area around the clinic.

Shrubie has his Nazi goons set them up miles from the area he's infesting, and make it so the protesters cannot LEAVE a particular area during his event - and ONLY protesters are allowed there. No mere spectators, no media, and certainly not the Boy King or his minions are allowed to even hear these Americans voicing their dissent.

[greekspeak]

20. When I was a co-president of a college LGBT group

back when Clinton was still pres, the school had a free speech zone. It was a raised concrete platform about 15 X 15. It was between the book store, the windowless side of one residence hall, in front of another residence hall, and across a noisy bus lane from the student union. In other words, it was worthless. We wanted to hold rallies in the area in front of the administration building, but that was a "safety issue." In reality, the fascist bigoted university president did not want to be bothered by whiny students excersizing their free speech rights directly outside his window.

[kittykitty]

21. Not in Berkeley in the 60's

I don't recall anything of that sort at U.C Berkeley or in San Francisco in the 60's. We had sit-in's, marches, various protests anywhere.

[lazarus]

23. But did Clinton have them for his appearances?

Were all the protestors herded off into areas blocks away during the Clinton administration?