Stephen Gough, 50, was jailed for 21 months after being found guilty of breaching the peace and being in contempt of court.
Gough turned down an offer of freedom if he got dressed - and was warned he could spend many more years in prison.
Monday, February 08, 2010
Stephen Gough Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for Nudity
Story here.
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9 comments:
I think Stephen Gough Should spend the rest of his life in prison or in a psychiatric hospital if his behavior continues to harm nudism.
So you are saying that people who like to be nude should be locked up for life as insane criminals. Good point you got there.
It's not his behavior that is harming nudism; it's the behavior of the Scottish courts.
he should be respectful of others, just practice nudity where you can and don't start trouble by break the law, no matter how silly the law is.
So you are saying that no matter how silly a law is, people need to submit in blind obedience. Another winning point from Anonymous.
Scotland is governed by a so-called "progressive" (sic) coalition of socialists and leftists dominated by the Scottish National and Labour Parties.
Like here in the U.S., the Scottish progressives are political opportunists and hypocrites and are doing absolutely nothing to protect the rights of nudists and nothing to right this injustice. Note that it is NOT the conservatives that are persecuting Gough.
More government is never the answer--individual liberty is the only way. Unfortunately the totalitarian political "left" and "right" seem determined to impose their worldview on everyone, everywhere by force of the police state, which is most unfortunate.
I'm sympathetic to the plight of Gough and us nudists everywhere, but what did he really expect? He may become a political prisoner and martyr for our cause, but he may also have setback the cause for naturism that we all seek.
It's not Gough who is setting back naturism - it's the naturist community which is doing the damage by turning their backs on this man. Sure, Gough is not the poster child naturism is looking for, but nudity is at the heart of this issue and must be defended. To jail this man like a murderer or terrorist for merely refusing to wear clothes is a travesty of justice. Shame on British Naturism for taking the cowardly stance of sanctioning such completely unjust government persecution of the human body.
Political correctness and judicial activism (legislating from the courts) is the real problem here. Gough wasn't found guilty of nudity, he was found guilty of "breaching the peace and being in contempt of court." I'm surprised that prosecutors haven't resorted to those sleazy tactics in the U.S. in the few areas where there aren't explicit laws against public nudity.
Any minority now that is "offensive" or upsetting to the social order of the majority as the government decides apparently now can be persecuted and convicted for "breach of peace and contempt of court" for behavior that is simply offensive or against the beliefs of the "majority." That's what happens when "democracy" trumps the rule of law.
The next level of persecution will occur when behavior on private property (e.g. nudity) is deemed politically incorrect and offensive and those of us that practice nudity on private property in groups will be facing similar charges and a lengthy, expensive court battle that will cause harm to reputations and loss of jobs.
Scotland has its own parliamentary and judicial system as a part of the UK and a legal challenge would be very expensive. Remember, these are the same clowns that sent the convicted Pan Am 747 Lockerbie bomber back to a hero's welcome in Libya so their sense of justice is truly warped.
I can't blame UK naturists too much on this one. Imagine what would happen if someone like Gough pursued a similar tact in demanding the right to be nude in shopping malls, airports, and other public places in some parts of the U.S.
GGL777 said: "Imagine what would happen if someone like Gough pursued a similar tact in demanding the right to be nude in shopping malls, airports, and other public places in some parts of the U.S."
Yes, that would be a problem for most people, but don't forget that public breastfeeding was seen as indecent exposure for many years. A mother feeding her child could be sent to prison or forced to register as a sex offender. Thankfully most states now have laws to exempt mothers from nudity laws.
Many people still believe that the act of breastfeeding in public is disgusting.
Always keep in mind that nudity is not illegal in the UK. Gough's incarceration is on trumped-up charges.
As for airports and shopping malls, while the public is allowed within, there are rules and regulations governing behavior and dress. You cannot go into a restaurant without proper clothing and shoes. Businesses have written guidelines for employees.
Gough's biggest problem is refusing to dress at all, even when in court. He should show at least a smidgen of respect for the rest of society, but in spite of his stubbornness, it's the authorities who are proving to be the idiots in this case by jailing a man for being nude as if he were a mass murderer. Common sense has to play a role in this eventually.
Ultimately, unless it can be shown that Gough is a true danger to society, and not just an affront to prevailing sensibilities, he should be freed.
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