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NATURIST GRASSROOTS ACTION ALERT
The Naturist Action Committee (NAC) issued on March 29, 2016 an urgent request for all concerned naturists to take immediate action in response to the sudden closure of Mazo Beach in Wisconsin, a popular beach that has been clothing-optional for more than three decades. Read the Mazo Beach article below, especially the highlighted section, or jump to the NAC alert to act now. |
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April 2016 President's Message
by Richard Mason
Protected by the 14th Amendment
"Get up, stand up, stand up for your right!"  |
When is it our turn at equal rights? When will naturists and nudists be able to enjoy their full constitutional rights without the fear of losing their jobs, their friends, their church fellows or their children in a divorce situation?
I have lived on this planet for over 80 years and all of that, except for one year in the good old United States. Educated in the Boston Public School System and a few universities, I was steeped in the original history of this country.
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Florida legislative report, 2016 session
The 2016 Florida state legislative session ended on March 11. Our lobbyist, Ramon Maury, President of Maury Management Group, a Tallahassee-based governmental affairs firm that has represented South Florida Free Beaches since the creation of Haulover Beach 25 years ago, informed us of the results of proposed amendments to Florida statute that were being floated around the Legislature, looking for sponsors.
Thanks to Ramon's efforts, two of the proposed amendments to Florida Statute 800.03, the state's indecent exposure law, never made it into law. If adopted, they would have criminalized an adult being nude in front of a minor and the sale of an alcolic beverage to, or consumption thereof by, a nude person. These amendments would have had a negative impact on Haulover Beach by making it adults-only and denying a nude beachgoer the enjoyment of a cold beer on a hot day.
Unfortunately, we were not able to prevent another couple of amendments to F.S. 800.03. One of them changed a second violation from a misdemeanor to a felony. Previously, it was the third citation that would be a felony upon conviction. What this means to naturists is that, if you were ever cited for nude sunbathing under this statute and you were convicted or pleaded "no contest" (effectively, an admission of guilt), if you are convicted again, it will be a felony.
The other amendment allows an officer of the law to cite someone upon suspicion or complaint without having personally witnessed the offending act. We believe such wording may be unconstitutional, although it could facilitate the issuance of citations by law enforcement in response to illegal activity on Haulover Beach reported by our Beach Ambassadors. |
That history always spoke about people's rights. Equal rights, shared rights, the responsibility of having rights, where your rights begin and end, other people's rights as well as all the protests, riots and wars caused by the need to demand or defend those rights as well as to protect them for the next generation.
I have walked over and on the sites of the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, Bunker Hill, Paul Revere's ride, Lexington and Concord as well as the British prison in Marblehead. I have visited Valley Forge and lived in the area of Pennsylvania known as Forty Fort and at the site of the Wyoming Massacre. I have visited dozens of little-known or -remembered battle sites. At each of these sites, my New England spirit of obligation to my country and its constitutional rights swells up with me.
No more so than when I visit the Vietnam Memorial wall and the Korean War Memorial sites in Washington, DC. Having enlisted in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, although not a combat veteran due to injuries suffered during basic training, I feel a strong connection to the sacrifices that many Americans have made to protect our constitutional rights.
Living these many years in this county, I have seen people's rights denied, sacked, sidetracked, removed, ignored and trampled upon when convenient for those in power or those who know how to manipulate both the political and legal systems to support their hate and intolerance genes or perverted sense of ownership or privilege.
Many people have asked me what makes me tick in my naturist efforts within the "Free Beach" movement. I have to respond that it is my belief that naturism, as a form of recreation, has an equal right to public funds to create and establish a designated site so that tax-paying citizens can enjoy their choice of recreation. If the government can spend tax dollars on stadiums, ball parks, tennis courts, golf courses, gymnasiums, marinas, etc., then it is only fair for the same government to provide, if feasible and where practical, a site for naturist recreation.
I believe the equal rights issue is protected by the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution as well as the many U.S. Supreme Court cases that define that amendment. They all state that
the original meaning and intent of the 14th Amendment is simply "equal rights."
Haulover Beach exists because a small group of activists with the South Florida Free Beaches association believe they have a 14th Amendment right to a designated naturist site on county-owned land and, through a proactive government affairs program, showed Miami-Dade County elected officials, department heads and attorneys that the 14th Amendment and the Civil Rights Acts apply to their position.
Many opponents to nude recreation will claim that to give naturists a designated site is to give them "special rights." That is a false argument because, at the same time, they never complain about the "special rights" permits that are given to those who build marinas and boat docks on public waterways.
Most nude recreationists keep their choice private. Nothing wrong with that except that, if they keep it private because of the "fear of loss," then they should re-read the U.S. Constitution for a better understanding of their rights.
Most governments - city, county, state, and even the U.S. Government - function based on complaints. Written complaints are listened to. Complaints from organized groups are not only listed to, but also are reviewed for analysis and possible action. Silence and withdrawal from government only give you the opportunity to pay taxes for representation an facilities that you are not receiving.
Naturists will have their rights recognized when enough of them speak up and demand that government officials recognize those rights.
I was asked by a visitor while on Haulover's nude beach what the benefit was of joining South Florida Free Beaches. I answered, "You are standing on it." Thank you for your continued support and, if you are not a current member, please consider becoming one - numbers matter. Join at sffb.com, fill out an application on printed page 7 of the Naturist Beach Guide booklet found in the news dispenser boxes on Haulover Beach, or see below left for a special membership offer.
Even if you're not ready to join just yet, please consider donating to SFFB/FNA's Legal Defense & Political Action Fund (not tax-deductible) to help with current challenges. Thanks!
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Beach Ambassador training
The next Beach Ambassador (BA) training is scheduled for Haulover Beach in Miami on Saturday, May 14. The dates of subsequent training sessions in 2016 are Sunday, August 21 and Saturday, November 12.
BAs are volunteers that serve as beach monitors and greeters, a combination of block watch and welcome wagon. For their service, BAs at Haulover Beach get a cool hat, ID badge, and free parking on their duty days. Seasonal residents are welcome to participate. If you have any questions or wish to sign up for a training session, contact Ken.
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Mazo Beach in Wisconsin shut down over continuing arrests for illegal activity
Effective March 8, 2016, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) closed a 140-acre section of Mazomanie Bottoms State Natural Area to the public. Commonly known as Mazo Beach, it is located in the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway near the town of Mazomanie, WI. Mazo Beach has been a popular site for clothing-optional recreation since the early 1980s. The closure occurred without warning, just one week into the public comment period for DNR's proposed update of the master plan for the riverway.
This action affects the entire user community, not only nudists. DNR cited continuing arrests for illegal activity as precipitating the closure. Its statistics were a bit misleading, however, as it lumped together arrests for disorderly conduct and for lewd and lascivious behavior. In fact, in 2015, there were no arrests for lewd and lascivious behavior, and arrests for disorderly conduct and illegal drug use, combined, totaled only a half dozen.
DNR had previously attempted to suppress the criminal activity by curtailing evening hours and closing the affected area on weekdays during season (March 1 - September 1), when violations were more likely, but continued to allow public access on weekends. That, too, is now ended. DNR plans to improve the area with additional amenities before reopening at an as yet undetermined time. The future of nude use at Mazo Beach, if any, is unknown.
DNR stated that ongoing illegal activity had reduced the number and diversity of park patrons, many of whom were put off by it, and depressed revenues from usage licensing fees. DNR also claimed that dealing with these continuing problems had drained resources by diverting rangers and other staff from their core duties.
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Lose some, win some... sort of
Town Council of Wasaga Beach, ON, Canada flip-flops on clothing-optional beach
They were for it before they were against it
We reported in the February 2016 issue that Wasagabares, a local naturist group, had asked the Town Council of Wasaga Beach, ON, Canada, 90 miles (145 km) north-northwest of Toronto, to approve signage designating an area of the beach of the same name as clothing-optional. There had traditionally been nude use in a remote area of the beach, but nude users encountered tension with textile users in 2015 when they had to relocate after that area was fenced off for conservation purposes.
Meeting as Committee of the Whole on March 15, 2016, the Town Council recommended a three-year trial of signage identifying a 520-meter (569 yards) stretch at the north end of Beach Area 1 as clothing-optional, which would make Wasaga Beach the world's longest fresh-water, clothing-optional beach. Because the beach lies within a provincial park, it is under the jurisdiction of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNR), so the Town of Wasaga Beach has no authority there. The Committee also encouraged Wasagabares to participate in MNR's master planning process for Wasaga Beach Provincial Park.
Meeting as the Town Council a week later, however, they rejected their own recommendation by a 4-3 vote. Despite the Town Council's self-reversal, Wasagabares remain optimistic because an MNR official has stated in writing that, although MNR rejects permanent signage because it does not wish to appear to condone nudity, it is amenable to Wasagabares' placement of portable, A-frame signs while nude bathers are present.
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Brian Hefty, DNR Property Management Supervisor, said, "At a remote property like this, planned improvements will expand the range of use and opportunity for a number of user groups at Mazomanie Beach. The expanded recreational facilities and re-development through master planning will provide for an overall enhanced experience for property users while reducing illegal and illicit activity. [...] We anticipate ... an overall increase in patronage of this area of the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway."
DNR is in the process of updating the master plan for this riverway and is accepting public comment. According to DNR's statement announcing the closure, the current draft of the plan "includes improved recreational use opportunities of the shoreline by constructing a changing building and picnic shelter, providing toilet facilities, and improving the parking lot with a minimum capacity of 50 vehicles. The plan also calls for: a rustic day use area on the river shore at the north end of Conservation Drive that would provide picnic tables, water and grills and a picnic shelter; a new carry-in canoe landing; and 4 to 8 miles of primitive to lightly developed hiking trails."
Friends of Mazo Beach, the naturist beach mentoring group backed by Badger Naturists, consulted with the Naturist Action Committee (NAC). On March 29, NAC issued a grassroots action alert, requesting naturists to participate in public comment, either by attending the next public hearing on the master plan, scheduled for Thursday, March 31 in Prairie du Sac, WI, or in writing.
For background, details, public meeting location and times, and instructions, including suggested discussion points opposing the closure of Mazo Beach and favoring its continued, clothing-optional status, please read and take immediate action on the Mazo Beach alert.
The public comment period for revisions to the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Master Plan is open through April 8, and you may submit feedback on line, by e-mail, or by regular mail.
For additional details and selected media coverage, please follow these links:
• State to close Mazomanie Beach public access effective immediately (Wisconsin DNR press release, March 8, 2016)
• Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Master Plan (Click and scroll down to "Open all" button to review draft.)
• Friends of Mazo Beach radio interview (March 18, 2016; 17½ minutes and definitely worth listening to.)
• Homeowners say nudists at Mazomanie Beach not the problem (Includes 2½-minute news video clip.)
• Mazo Beach closed; state cites 'illegal activity'
• Wisconsin DNR closes clothing-optional beach due to sex and drug use
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Free Caspersen Beach meet-and-greet, April 17
Get together with others interested in obtaining a recognized, clothing-optional section of Caspersen Beach, 4100 Harbor Dr, Venice, FL, located 21 miles (34 km) south of Sarasota. Help create a presence and bring awareness to the area that Suncoast Naturists and their Free Caspersen Beach project seek to have designated. Meet on Sunday, April 17 at 12:00 noon a quarter-mile (400 meters) past the southernmost access point on Caspersen Beach. Share ideas related to a clothing-optional beach, fundraising, public relations, etc. Please confirm your intention to attend.
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| Click on either image to order a Free Caspersen Beach shirt.
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Bring a beach chair and a Free Caspersen Beach shirt (available in a variety of colors, styles, and sizes for adults and children; click above to order) to drape over the back of your chair in consideration of textile beachgoers. (Keep in mind that skinny-dipping is currently at your own risk.) There will be informational fliers to hand out to interested parties. Remember to bring sunscreen and a towel. If you can't make it on this date, check for an upcoming monthly meet-and-greet that you can attend.
Meanwhile, here's what else you can do to help Free Caspersen Beach:
• Sign the clothing-optional beach petition to Sarasota County Commissioners at change.org.
• Ask to be added to the Free Caspersen Beach e-mail list to be kept informed of meetings and other developments.
• "Like" or follow the project on Facebook at facebook.com/suncoastfreedom and/or Twitter at @suncoastjohnny.
• Consider joining Suncoast Naturists, which strengthens the group behind this effort.
• Make a donation to support the project.
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Haulover Beach news briefs
The Miami-Dade County Department of Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces (MDPR) reported last month that Haulover Park collected a total of $1,683,400 in parking fees during 2015. Of course, that's only a small part of the overall impact of Haulover Beach on the local economy.
As reported in the November 2015 issue, the North Lot of Haulover Park has reopened for parking while construction continues on the boat storage facility, but the northernmost entrance is still reserved for construction access only. As stated in the cited article, beachgoers should use the next entrance to the south, which has signage for Haulover Park Marina.
MDPR reminds patrons that Haulover Park rules currently prohibit horseshoe toss on the beach or anywhere else in the park for safety reasons. MDPR is willing to consider designating a location for this activity in an interior section of the park, but not on the beach.
Volunteers from SFFB and the beach volleyball group assisted a maintenance crew with heavy equipment in relocating newly refurbished chickees (thatch-roofed canopies) and umbrellas on March 25 (above right). This helps prepare for upcoming events, including celebration of the 25th anniversary of the naturist beach, July 9-10.
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Organized visits to Blind Creek Beach in April
Several groups are making organized Saturday visits during April to Blind Creek Beach in Fort Pierce, FL. Two of them are chartering a bus from Pasco County (just north of Tampa). The first, Nude Sea & Sun Seekers, travels on April 9 and the second, Nautical Nudists Dive and Boat Club, on April 23. (Click on dates to inquire.) The latter visit ends with dinner at The Inlet Grill, overlooking the ocean just south of Fort Pierce Inlet.
Also on April 9, Florida free beach activists meeting in Fort Pierce for their unified strategic planning weekend retreat are spending some time on Blind Creek Beach. They're in a working session for part of the afternoon, but stop by and say hello between 1:00 and 2:30 p.m.
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Update: Women in Naturism Weekend, June 4-5
As reported in the March 2016 issue, plans are under way for naturist resorts and clubs in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom to celebrate Women in Naturism Weekend (WINW), June 4-5, 2016. WINW is an international open house by women for women with the purpose of introducing women to the naturist way of life and providing naturist women an opportunity to network. The American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR) has since published some suggestions and ideas for WINW events.
If your naturist club or resort is interested in hosting an event in observance of WIN Weekend and would like some guidance, please contact the following with any questions: In the United States or Canada, for AANR affiliates, AANR, or for other naturist resorts or clubs, The Naturist Society; in the United Kingdom, British Naturism. Meanwhile, you can follow discussion of the weekend under the hashtag, #WINW on Facebook and Twitter.
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SFFB Board meeting
The Board of Directors of South Florida Free Beaches meets on Saturday, April 16, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. on Haulover Beach. At press time, the precise location was not yet determined. As the date approaches, check for meeting location details under "Today's Beach Reports" in the upper left-hand corner of SFFB's home page at sffb.com.
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Shirley Mason, B.E.A.C.H.E.S. Executive Director, shows off a chickee on Haulover Beach. B.E.A.C.H.E.S. built the chickees in 2004, and the $1 parking surcharge helped fund their recent rethatching and refurbishment.
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Update: New Hampshire House of Representatives rejects ban on female nipples in public
We reported in the January 2016 issue on the proposed bill in the New Hampshire House of Representatives to ban public exposure of female nipples (except during breastfeeding) and the anus of either sex. The current law does not address exposure of breasts, effectively providing top-free equality for men and women alike. The sponsors proposed it in reaction to a couple of Free the Nipple demonstrations last summer in favor of going top-free at New Hampshire beaches.
The bill was formally introduced in the House on January 6, 2016 and was referred to the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee. A public hearing was held on February 29. The bill's sponsors argued that the sight of bare-breasted women in public could undermine New Hampshire values and depress tourism to the state. Opponents argued that the ban was unnecessary and discriminatory, preventing women from doing something that men are free to do. They also criticized the draconian penalties, which could result in up to seven years in prison and registration as a sex offender for a second conviction.
On March 1, the committee voted unanimously to declare the bill as "inexpedient to legislate" and forwarded it to the full House, which ratified that determination by a voice vote on March 9, killing the bill.
Above right: Free the Nipple movement continues to raise its political profile. Unable to gain entry to a Presidential primary rally for Donald Trump on March 19 in Phoenix, AZ, Anni Ma, a virtually top-free Free the Nipple protester, made a friendly visit to a Bernie Sanders rally instead, briefly rendering Sanders speechless. When asked in a radio interview two days later if he could make out Ms. Ma's message, Sanders quipped, "Well, I was trying very hard to get every detail. No, just kidding." Read an article for more info (including a 20-second video clip of Ms. Ma's demonstration and the reactions of Sen. Sanders and the audience).
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