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Not since 1972, 40 years ago, has Florida hosted a national political convention, and in 1972 Miami Beach hosted both Democrats and Republicans, something which has not occurred since. Florida was a much different place back then and the convention was much different that what will take place this year.

The Miami Beach Convention Center was host to Republicans the last time they held their convention in Florida. A film from the era showed an excited crowd.

” Convinced of their strength, Republicans nominated Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew for second terms” says the narrator. Florida’s electoral votes were not as important then as now. Ike Seamans was a young television reporter at the time.

“Celebrities filled the town. I mean there were movie stars and hippies and yippies” says Seamans.

“Protestors took their own kind of political acton to make make their views known” boomed the announcer on film.

Viet Nam also made the 72 Convention a hot spot for protest, but the film makes the point that dissidents were tolerated, to a point “Miami Beach allowed the ventilation of different viewpoints which is essential in a democracy”.

Thousands converged on the city. Scott Camil, one of the founders of Viet Nam Veterans against the war was one of 8 people charged with conspiracy to disrupt the convention.

“When we went to the convention, the whole count
ry was protected by the constitution, and you had freedom of speech, freedom of assembly. But now there is a thing called Free Speech Zones,  and I’m a little bewildered why you have to have a free speech zone in a free country” says the Gainesville Eight Anti War Activist.

1972 was the last time both Democrats and Republicans held their conventions in the same city.