Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site polaris.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!polaris!charliep From: charliep@polaris.UUCP (Charlie Perkins) Newsgroups: net.rec.nude,net.misc Subject: Re: Sunbather is Cleared in Public Nudity Case Message-ID: <239@polaris.UUCP> Date: Fri, 1-Nov-85 01:14:12 EST Article-I.D.: polaris.239 Posted: Fri Nov 1 01:14:12 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 3-Nov-85 14:20:06 EST References: <508@rdin.UUCP> Reply-To: charliep@polaris.UUCP (Charlie Perkins) Organization: IBM Research, Yorktown Heights, N.Y. Lines: 41 Xref: linus net.rec.nude:1279 net.misc:7454 ============= Thanks, Robert, for this encouraging news. According to what I read in "Clothed with the Sun", Floridian nudists have recently been subjected to many unpleasant experiences at the hands of the state law enforcement agencies there. What constantly dismays me is the attitude that, because some (apparently a vocal minority) find public nudity "outrageous", "distasteful", or "offensive", we must all endure laws which I consider to be unconstitutional. I long for the day when arriving at work in the nude would be acceptable -- when going to movies or museums or sailing or dining in the nude (weather permitting!) is tolerated. I wouldn't even mind a few disdainful stares! But I feel certain that I'd be locked up or fired or beat up or generally treated inhumanely if I ever did try to do those things. And to think that these actions are, at their very heart, an affirmation that we as humans are good and worthy of respect just as we REALLY ARE! I find myself drawn to works of art that display the beauty of the human body. Surely there is nothing "intrinsically evil" about the sight of it. I suppose that the immediacy of real nude human bodies creates the apprehension, in many people, that illicit sexual energy is crowding their personal lives and that such energies must never find public expression. Certainly there is a sensual wonderfulness about nudity that mingles easily with our sexuality. But I have always found that the sensuality is very very nice in and of itself. Therefore I feel frustrated and dismayed that this wonderful part of existence is practically never available to me. It is worse than if I were suddenly required to "practically never" drink wine or eat fresh spinach salad. I'm afraid I'll die before these thoughts about nudity become common sense. -- Charlie Perkins, IBM T.J. Watson Research philabs!polaris!charliep, perk%YKTVMX.BITNET@berkeley, perk.yktvmx.ibm@csnet-relay