|
Note: You must be registered in order to post a reply.
To register, click here. Registration is FREE!
|
| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Admin |
Posted - 09/04/2003 : 11:49:23 AM
*** PLEASE DISTRIBUTE THIS WIDELY TO ALL MEDIA CONTACTS ***
London Protest 'Free Steve Gough' - the UK's 'Naked Rambler'
You may have heard about Steve Gough the 'Naked Rambler', who has been hiking nude from Lands End to John O'Groats since June 16th. A range of media reports appears here http://nakedrambler.com
Despite being arrested several times en-route in England and Wales, our police have not detained him more than a few hours and many charges have been dropped due to 'lack of evidence' - no one's complained!
However, Steve is now in prison in Inverness - on remand until Oct 3rd! He's already been detained once for seven days. Now he's been locked up since last Thursday Aug 28th!
Why? What 'crime' has he committed? None!
The Scottish police and Sherrif's courts are simply fed up with him being arrested and appearing repeatedly on charges of 'Breach of the Peace'! Despite the fact that that is NOT a 'crime' which carries a prison sentence!
Because Steve is refusing to wear clothes in prison - he is protesting against the ABUSE of his Human Rights - he is being kept in isolation in the Segregation Unit. This means that he has no access to visitors, telephone, exercise, etc. Just four walls and a bed - after walking over 700 miles to almost universal praise from people around the world. Nudity - our natural state - of course, is NOT a 'criminal offence' nor an affront to most people and yet his liberty is being denied.
Inspired by the nude photoshoot in Selfridges where 600 people got naked for Spencer Tunick and 'art', the Freedom to be Yourself campaign group is planning a 'Naked Celebration' in support of Steve to bring to the public's attention the injustice of imprisoning someone in the United Kingdom for their beliefs.
It is hoped upwards of 100 people from all across the country, will get naked inside SELFRIDGES on Saturday 6th Sept at PRECISELY 2:28pm. They will then walk out of the store, onto Oxford Street and make their way, to a nearby rallying point where after a photo opportunity and interviews with the media will dress and disperse.
Just in case you think I'm kidding read the Southampton Echo here:
http://www.thisishampshire.net/hampshire/southampton/news/SOTON_NEWS_
NEWS7.html (the full text appears appended below; please bear in mind, their link expires after a period but you should find the article and more if you do a search on their website - they've been following Steve from the start!)
People who took part in the Selfridges and Saatchi gallery 'art' events found them a deeply moving experience - it is hope similar numbers will be motivated to put themselves in touch with their humanity and help to stop the persecution and suffering Steve is enduring!
It will also SHOW to this Government - a government that wants to 'outlaw' public 'non-sexual' nudity under Clause 68 'Exposure' of the proposed 'Sexual Offences Bill' - that people don't have a problem with nudity, and don't need this Government criminalising our bodies! The UK is not as 'free' as we'd like to think it is, and with this Government were losing more freedoms all the time!
Many who have commented in the media (for a BBC News article and readers comments see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/3130817.stm), that Steve should be left alone and allowed to get on with his walk.
Please do NOT tell the police! It is likely they already know and UNLIKELY they will take any action to stop this peaceful walk.
By law police *MUST* give a warning to get dressed - to "stop your disorderly conduct" - BEFORE anyone can be arrested under Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986, for "behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress".
'Breach of the Peace' cannot be used in cases of simple nudity; there must be a threat of violence to people or property. The letter (see http://geocities.com/stopsegregation/breachofpeacefrom) f |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Drakkus |
Posted - 12/29/2008 : 8:57:04 PM
The problem is, we don't know his original intent. If you read Admins "Starkers Raving Mad" post on page 1, you can actually see the anger in her voice over his exercise of his beliefs. She actually seems afraid for herself and her children simply because he refuses to wear clothes while swimming. I have trouble believing that this woman would have allowed him to talk to anybody, even had he called.
The thing that I admire this man for, is his ability to put himself LAST. His belief is so strong that he's willing to sacrifice everything, EVERYTHING, for what he believes in. Sure, his methods may not be the best, and his actions are definitely questionable, but he honestly believes that, through his actions, whatever the repercussions to himself, he can improve the lives of Nudists everywhere. To the point where maybe, just maybe, clothing will no longer be a requirement anywhere, and we can truly choose to wear whatever we want, even if that is nothing at all.
So what I admire this man for isn't necessarily what he's done, or will be doing in the future, but his dedication. This is a man who will do anything to further his cause, and I'll support a man like that any day. That is, until the day that he truly harms somebody, in which case my support will end.
Be True and Stay Naked,
Drakkus
One is nothing more, and nothing less, than what they believe themselves to be. |
| FlCpl4NewdFun |
Posted - 12/29/2008 : 5:29:24 PM
Really Drakkus? You certainly have the opinion that the spouse is bitter and are freely passing judgement on her. How do you know she is bitter? Did you make some phone calls to determine the severity of her bitterness? Besides I could care less about the spouse, she's an adult. The only FACT we do know is he chose to go walking around the countryside instead of being with his kids and yes, I'll pass judgement on that every time.
|
| Drakkus |
Posted - 12/29/2008 : 3:32:37 PM
From those 2 stories, we don't know anything about his moral character. We know 2 things, he walked a very long distance naked, and refused to wear clothing while in jail. We also know that his wife says he abandoned his kids to do so. That's all we really know.
From the apparent anger in the quotes taken from his wife, and her general misunderstanding of his beliefs in nudism, I must say that I have trouble believing what she says is true. From what I read, his intention was to take a couple months and be back with his family, but he got arrested and detained along the way. We don't know what was going through his mind regarding his family while he was on this trip, we can only guess at any of that. Somebody's going to have to let us know what types of phone privileges you have in Englands jails, since I don't know and therefore can't make a judgment about that. I haven't seen anything concerning his response to her statements yet either, so I also can't make a judgment about those.
From the few verified facts that we do have, I have to say that I admire this man for his fortitude. Not too many people would be able to stick up for their beliefs as he did. It seems to me that his main mistake wasn't the walk at all, it was marrying the woman he did. This woman, in one single interview, has basically invalidated any positive outcome of his 7 month ordeal and made him out to be a villain. So, I still say that I admire this "Naked Rambler" and do think of his as a possible ambassador for the cause. At least, until we hear his side of the story concerning his children. But, I'm not going to base my opinion of anybody on the opinions of a bitter spouse.
Be True and Stay Naked,
Drakkus
One is nothing more, and nothing less, than what they believe themselves to be. |
| n/a |
Posted - 12/29/2008 : 11:59:29 AM
FlCpl ... I don't disagree with what you say at all. I wasn't really holding him out as an ambassador, though ... just some guy who did something that was kinda odd and was being hassled for it. Maybe I'm too naive.
This sorta reminds me of the discussion about baseball players who don't get into the Hall of Fame because of an issue related to their character, like drugs or gambling. I know it's not exactly the same thing ... but you see what I mean.
If you don't like my profile picture, then use whiteout on your monitor. |
| FlCpl4NewdFun |
Posted - 12/29/2008 : 11:01:47 AM
quote:
Originally posted by honeysuckle
This man chose to abandon his children so he could walk around nude. There is NOTHING honorable or noble about that! He is clearly a selfish individual and a horrible ambassador for the cause of nudism.
FlCpl, I understand what you're saying. The point I made was that he was causing no harm on his walk, and if he was breaking no laws, then he shouldn't be harrassed. I don't think his moral character (or lack of it) is really the issue.
If you don't like my profile picture, then use whiteout on your monitor.
Agreed, no harm in strolling around nude in and of itself. In fact that's one of our favorite things to do at a resort. You can swim in many places, but it's few and far between where my wife and I can stroll around the neighborhood sans clothes.
I do however think that while we as nudists are small in numbers we still should be selective in holding out individuals as ambassadors of the movement and not just assign anyone who drops their pants to the role.
While civil disobedience has a place in our society and much good has come about from it, I don't think it is universal. In the case of promoting nudism and nude recreation, working within the confines of local laws and norms and grassroots efforts to free beaches and gain public acceptance will likely yield better results.
Cheers!
|
| n/a |
Posted - 12/29/2008 : 10:36:55 AM
This man chose to abandon his children so he could walk around nude. There is NOTHING honorable or noble about that! He is clearly a selfish individual and a horrible ambassador for the cause of nudism.
FlCpl, I understand what you're saying. The point I made was that he was causing no harm on his walk, and if he was breaking no laws, then he shouldn't be harrassed. I don't think his moral character (or lack of it) is really the issue.
If you don't like my profile picture, then use whiteout on your monitor. |
| FlCpl4NewdFun |
Posted - 12/29/2008 : 06:12:03 AM
This man chose to abandon his children so he could walk around nude. There is NOTHING honorable or noble about that! He is clearly a selfish individual and a horrible ambassador for the cause of nudism. Seriously folks, you did read the articles didn't you? He left his kids, and you want this guy fighting the fight for nudism? To equate this to the struggles faced by women, blacks, and gays throughout our nations history is insulting. He is no Rosa Parks! In the words SNLs Weekend Update: "REALLY" |
| old hippie |
Posted - 12/29/2008 : 02:12:10 AM
quote:
Originally posted by runninaroundnaked
folk like this man & those on the wnbr:are not helping the naturist cause.they've had their stunts & made their point.you can't win against a government.
. I must disagree. To the extent that people such as these give a hoot about any such "cause", they do it justice by living their life freely and honestly. As Honeysuckle said, if the man has harmed no one and broken no law, let him be.
. It may be, however, that he has broken a law. If so, I think it incumbent upon the rest of the naturist community to take action to have that law changed or abolished. And yes, one CAN fight city hall. It can be from a position of authority, as when Commissioner Teddy Roosevelt cleaned up the NYC police force at the turn of the last century; or it can be through civil disobedience, such as Ghandi and M. L. King used. In either case, bringing extensive public pressure to bear by demonstrating the inherent moral correctness of one's action is a powerful force. It does demand a continued and disciplined organized activity, however. And I think it unlikely that many of the folks who appreciate nude recreation are willing (or able) to devote the time and energy that such a campaign would demand.
If this fella is willing to march from Land's End to John O'Groats for no stronger reason than to show that he can - I say more power to him. And if he provides an example that encourages others to promote a more accepting attitude toward nude activities, then he will have been successful. This takes a lot more gumption than writing a letter to your Senator, or sending a check to NRA or Greenpeace. But unless or until a lot of people make a point of accepting public nudity (without public lewdity) we will have an uphill battle.
Dum vivimus, vivamus! |
| Drakkus |
Posted - 12/22/2008 : 5:45:39 PM
quote:
Originally posted by runninaroundnaked
folk like this man & those on the wnbr:are not helping the naturist cause.they've had their stunts & made their point.you can't win against a government.
I'm sorry runninaroundnaked, but I completely disagree with this opinion. There are numerous examples throughout history saying that you CAN win against a government. The most obvious examples are Blacks and Gays.
Slavery used to be legal. It was on many law books that if you were a slave, you were forbidden to leave your owners property, or defy him in any way. Sometimes even to the point where your owner had the right (so called) to kill you if you simply defied an order.
So called "sodomy" is still on many law books, defined as "Anal intercourse between a man and a man or woman." Can you think of any other way for gays to have intercourse?
Another example: Women. Women used to have no rights whatsoever. Men had the right to beat their women, and mistreat them any way they felt like, with no repercussions. Women could be prosecuted for simply defying their husbands.
The thing about this is, every single one of these groups has had their extremists. They all had people who risked arrest, public humiliation, even death for their cause.
The naturist cause is not much different than these examples above. People like Steve Gough are going to have a far greater positive impact on the Naturist cause than trying to influence public opinion under the radar. His "crazy" antics did something. What that is, nobody knows yet, it's too recent. But it sort of reminds me of a black lady refusing to sit in the back of a bus. That simple act, it got her persecuted to no end, but it changed history in ways nobody would have predicted at the time.
Maybe something we should think about.
Be True and Stay Naked,
Drakkus
One is nothing more, and nothing less, than what they believe themselves to be. |
| n/a |
Posted - 12/10/2008 : 7:02:35 PM
People who flaunt societal norms are always called "nutcases". Maybe they are, maybe they aren't. If this man harmed no one and broke no laws, then I don't see what the problem is. |
| aaardvark |
Posted - 12/10/2008 : 2:54:30 PM
WE had a kind of similar situation here. A male nudist insisted he had a right to be at a particular beach and a situation arose that went before the police and through the courts system. He was found guilty of disorderly behaviour. Instead of accepting it, he appealed stating that he had a right as a nudist to be at that beach and the appeal judge overturned the decision, ruling that given the place and time, no offence had taken place as he was naked at a place that had a history as a beach that nudists used on a frequent basis. In the process he set a case-law precedent that worked on the side of the free-beachers. The so-called "true" naturists branded him a nutcase and a troublemaker. As Doc rightly says, it sometimes takes radical action to get things changed.
I'm on the opposite side of the world from Steve Gough but I regard him as a hero. |
| NaturistDoc |
Posted - 11/02/2007 : 7:50:36 PM
OK, the guy's a nutcase, but a nutcase on the side of the angels. Sometimes it takes a few nutcases to overdo things in order to shift public opinion. Remember Abbie Hoffmann and his anti-war antics back in the 60's? He was clearly over the top, but in a perverse sort of way, he gave wavering centrists a kind of 'permission' to oppose the Vietnam war. The fact that so many people in the UK have come to Gough's defense suggests that "nearly normal nudists" might have an easier time making their case as well.
I'm not exactly pleased about the child-abandonment issues, but that has more to do with Gough being a nutcase than with him being a nudist.
Doc
PS: I've been to John O'Groats in the summer, and it was damned cold! Gotta give Gough credit for endurance, if not for brains. |
| Pete Knight |
Posted - 11/02/2007 : 6:09:20 PM
quote:
Originally posted by go n nude
Showing up for court and refusing to respect the court in the nude cost him greatly. When he did show respect the charges were usually dropped and he continued his mission.
When the law pays him some respect he'll return it, he is in prison on trumped up charges, its not illegal to be naked so they charge him with Breach of the Peace, a law enacted to cover violent acts not a refusal to wear clothes. It started with him walking naked, which he had done through 600 miles of England and Wales, but in Scotland when he was close to finishing the walk they arrested him, and he hadn't been near a Scottish court, where was the respect for his rights then?
Having met and walked with Steve I can assure you that he is a decent guy, not as portrayed on TV or in the newspapers, and ad he been allowed to continue unmolested he would have finished the walk and gone home over a year ago.
Pete Knight |
| go n nude |
Posted - 11/02/2007 : 5:17:47 PM
CMx2, Many think that way about our lifestyle, they believe we must be odd or worse. Mr. Gough set out on his cross country journey to prove his point, that going nude was not some terrible crime and he found most people were tolerant and supportive of his effort. He mentioned while living in Canada his children and others played at a park and they'd go nude which everyone accepted and no one objected to. This he felt was great if they could do it so could he and enjoyed it too.
Showing up for court and refusing to respect the court in the nude cost him greatly. When he did show respect the charges were usually dropped and he continued his mission.
go n nude |
| CMx2 |
Posted - 04/01/2007 : 04:59:02 AM
I don't think this guy belongs in prison.
Maybe a mental health facility would be appropriate. He's clearly not right in the head. |
|
|
|
|
| Nudist-Resorts.Org Discussion Forum Bulletin Board Nudism Clothing Optional Resort Naturism Nude Beaches |
© 2002-2020 SUN |
 |
|
|
