July 27, 2004
ABC News turned to Tulane University Law School Professor M. David Gelfand for its section entitled "Dissenting Opinions: With the Nation on Terror Alert, Will Protests Be Squelched at Conventions?" Professor Gelfand offered commentary on the exercise of free speech during the 2004 political conventions.
Commenting on designated "free speech zones" at convention sites, Professor Gelfand remarked, "I find the name to be particularly offensive. The last time I checked, free-speech zones are the streets and the parks, the places where from time immemorial people have protested. What you're saying is some places are not free-speech zones to keep them further away than you need them to be for effective protest."