I agreed with Nudiarist last year when he wrote that nothing good could come out of the events unfolding in downtown Brattleboro, and I continue to stand behind that sentiment today. However, I'm less inclined to pin this on the right wing moralists than I am to blame those who are repeatedly unwilling to exercise restraint and practice moderation. I've never been to Brattleboro, but as far as I know nudity did not become an issue in that township until it wandered away from the old swimming hole and found its way to the town square.Agreed, it's indeed the flagrant flaunting of the nudists in densely populated areas that is the catalyst for this current dust-up, and right now it's the locals who are fighting back. But if this situation escalates, Christianist "family" groups are poised and ready to descend upon Vermont to intimidate the politicians into banning public nudity altogether, and once that happens there will no longer be natural swimming down at the local pond as there is now. Don't expect the locals to be nuanced on this matter - either public nudity is OK or it isn't. If you think that gay marriage and abortion are push-button issues, wait until you throw public nudity into the mix. Traditionally liberal Vermont is about to become a magnet for conservative activists.
There is no evidence that anybody who has been seen nude in Vermont has done anything illegal or exhibited lewd or inappropriate behavior, but these people are about to be labeled as indecent, immoral, dangerous, and predatory, and will be called sex offenders and child abusers.
Maybe this will all blow over again like it did last year, but the wound has been opened and it's not likely to be healed without some sort of legislation to clamp down on the nudity. As I've said before, politicians tend to err on the side of the moralists in issues like this, there is little or no support for nudism in the public arena.
Tags: nudism, naturism, nudist, nudists, naturist, naturists, nudity, nudes, bare, au naturel, nude, naked
7 comments:
I think we're pretty much in agreement. I was just pointing out (Possibly ineffectively)that the moralists are a known entity. We know how they're going to react, so why provide them with ammunition? If a drunken monkey shoots up a bar, do you blame the monkey or the jackass who bought the monkey two shots of rye and a pistol.
Using your example applied to Vermont, do you blame the nudists or the Vermont laws that allow public nudity? Something tells me that it would be illegal to get a monkey drunk in the first place, not to mention giving him a gun...wait, are we talking about Dick Cheney here?
In my example the extreme moralists are the drunken monkeys. Since we know that their response will always be extreme and unreasonable, why do we insist on providing them ammunition? Serving the narrow minded moralists an issue such as this on a silver platter is no different than getting Dick Cheney or a monkey drunk on a hunting trip. Somebody is bound to get hurt.
My guess is that the Vermont law intends to allow skinny dipping at the old fishing hole, not nude sunbathing on the courthouse steps. Why risk the old swimming hole or back yard pool for the sake of a downtown parking lot?
I like the Vermont law as it stands. It seems to allow more than enough room to enjoy nude recreation. I'm not sure that I'd tag this particular act of civil disobedience that is taking place in Brattleboro as nudism. Now that you mention it, they do bare a slight resemblance to a bunch of drunken chimps preparing to shoot holes in what has up to now been favorable legislation.
You have to bear in mind that the number of people actually getting naked in Brattleboro is in the single digits, it's not as if Spencer Tunick is in town. I agree that the law is fine just as it is, perhaps someone will go to far with the freedom once in a while, but there is always a price to be paid for any freedom.
New Hampshire's motto is "Live Free or Die". Let's hope Vermont does not adopt the motto "Live Free but not Naked".
True, but we would be celebrating, not debating, if a large percentage of the town's population took to nude recreation in the town square instead of single digits.
I disagree. If the numbers were larger there most certainly would have been an ordinance against public nudity passed last year.
We agree that a)the nude people are forcing the issue, and b)the locals are overreacting. We also agree that it is likely that no good will come from this confrontation.
It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.
This is baffling to me.
Everyone is so concerend about the children. Why? Have they not seen themselves nake?. Are not most little ones let to romp around naked in the summertime without complaint from observer?. What is the difference? Let's also consider that most parents would rather their sons and daughters watch violent movies and video games depicting all sorts of grotesque violence against man and woman alike. However, one look at a naked body in any media, or in this instance in person, and everyone is up in arms. The children must be saved. How about you "save" them starting in your own home.
Post a Comment