This summer I have had the opportunity to canvass with a group working on environmental issues affecting the Gulf Coast region, the Gulf Restoration Network in New Orleans. After spending most of my Freshman year sitting in lecture halls , studying in the campus library or working in front of my computer, it is quite a different experience to be going door to door trying to engage people about the environment.

 One thing I noticed right away is that a typical day is not really typical at all. The experience on a given day largely depends on who answers a particular door.  At that point you have a short window of opportunity to present your message and persuade the person to show her/his support for your cause.

I was canvassing in Louisiana in favor of the restoration of the Gulf Coast.  While doing so, I encountered certain ordinances or other restrictive regulations that restrict access to housing in certain areas, like closed subdivisions or limit access at certain times.  I believe that having an executive government in place at the federal level that tries so hard to keep information from its citizens, allowing these type of restrictions that negatively impact canvassers's ability to disseminate information to the public is very bad.  Since it seems to be local government bodies and public officials that have either put these restrictions into place directly or else have allowed them to be adopted, we need to take a closer look to see if these actions run afoul of the First Amendment.