Rally Sunday at San Onofre

A nude rally is being planned for Sunday, September 13, between the hours of 11:30 a.m and 1 p.m., to protest the California Department of Parks and Recreation's nudity ban at San Onofre Beach.

"Really it kind of comes down to that the state has better things to spend their money on than running after naked people on the beach," said Allen Baylis, a Huntington Beach attorney who is a leader of the Naturist Action Committee.

State parks spokesman Roy Stearns questioned Sunday's protest.

"You know forcing a confrontation doesn't solve this problem and just makes the lack of civility in this issue worse," Stearns said. "They're entitled to have a rally but what's the purpose of the rally I would ask."

This ludicrous statement from Stearns shows how clueless, indifferent and callous the DPR is on this issue. It shows the state is not listening, and doesn't want to listen to nudist and naturist groups. And what exactly "solves" this issue? The NAC tried to negotiate, the state rebuffed them. The NAC then took them to court and won, then the state won on appeal, and now the case is in the hands of the state Supreme Court.

By stating that tickets will now be issued for nudity at San Onofre, the state is showing contempt for its own court system by enforcing a policy which is under appeal.

This is the moment where all nudists and naturists who can walk, run, ride or fly to San Onofre should be there to show support for the public lands issue. Without officially sanctioned areas of beaches and parks set aside for nude recreation, people who enjoy the clothes-free lifestyle will continue to be marginalized and restricted to gated clubs and resorts.

Friends of San Onofre Beach