Why do I risk my freedom and my career by spreading the word on nudism?
It just seems to me that some powerful people are saying, "Give up your freedom or I'll take it from you." What kind of a choice is that?
The fact is that we nudists are a persecuted class. We are persecuted by ordinary citizens, law enforcement, legislators and judges.
Despite our attempts to use isolated lands, people follow us to these sites, like Mazo Beach. They shout obscene insults at people on their way to the beach. Supposedly it's their love of God that makes them do this.
Police enforce non-existent laws, like in New York. They arrested a woman for being shirtless in public. The police thought it was illegal, but there was no such law. Ignorance of the law is no excuse, unless you're a cop.
Legislators pass laws to make us sex offenders, even though there's no sex involved. They pass laws that are enforced while they face constitutional challenge, like in Texas. The law fails the challenge and a similar law is passed and enforced.
Judges rule against us even when we are clearly in the right, as happened at Lake Travis. Children are banned at Lake Travis. When parents sued for the right to pass on their beliefs to their children, judges denied us that right.
People discriminate against us. We sometimes lose our jobs when it gets out that we prefer nude recreation.
Perhaps some would argue that we don't have to be nudists. Maybe this is true. I guess the Jews don't have to be Jews; they can convert to Christianity. The Christians could convert to Islam or atheism. Nudism is not just something I do. It's what I am.
People have often asked me a question, "Are we second class citizens?" Yes, we are. So long as we are afraid to say we are nudists, we are easily divided and conquered. We must be proud to say what we are.
We must be allowed to share our lifestyle with our children. We must be allowed to say it publicly so that it might spread to others of like minds, and to others of potentially like minds. To do otherwise is to deny freedom of speech and the right to peaceful assembly. It would doom us to extinction.
This page last updated February 13, 2007 by Lloyd Johnson
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