This sight would certainly dispell any support for nudity in the streets:
Posted on 07/10/2007 4:37:34 PM PDT by sirchtruth
"I don't like an ordinance that restricts freedoms," she said...
(Excerpt) Read more at reformer.com ...
Tuesday, July 10 BRATTLEBORO -- A nudist's decision to practice his hobby during Gallery Walk July 6 was the last straw, said one Selectboard member.
"It was absolutely appalling," said Selectboard Vice Chairman Dick DeGray, about Arizona resident Clayton Crowe's naked stroll on Main Street. The 68-year-old man told area residents he learned about nudity in Brattleboro from the Internet and planned three days of his vacation because of that, said Capt. Steve Rowell, of the Brattleboro Police Department.
The town manager's office has been keeping a record of complaints about nudity and has also been taking comments on those opposed to a nudity ordinance, said acting Town Manager Barbara Sondag, during the Monday morning Selectboard meeting.
Up until Monday morning, she said, she had received more than 30 comments.
"Today already I have received numerous complaints having to do with someone nude at Gallery Walk on Friday night," said Sondag. The owner of Sam's Outdoor Outfitters complained to her that a naked man attempted to enter his store Friday night.
"One of the concerns is that Brattleboro is becoming known for this," she said. Even though "there are not a lot of people walking around nude," she said, "it is upsetting for a contingent of people in the town." Because she has received so many complaints, she recommended that the Selectboard "look at language on how to limit some of this behavior."
During Gallery Walk, said DeGray, the last thing children and their parents should be confronted with is a nudist. Numerous people complained to him over the weekend about the nudist on Main Street during Gallery Walk, asking him "is this what our town is all about?"
"I couldn't believe this was happening in my community," said DeGray, calling the man's nudity "exhibitionism."
He asked the Selectboard to enact an emergency ordinance while it takes time to draft an anti-nudity law for the town.
Selectboard member Rich Garant asked DeGray what the man did to cause him to call it exhibitionism.
"I certainly thought it was exhibitionism," said DeGray. "This person wasn't doing anything other than trying to be a spectacle." Why else would the man come to town during the one time in the month when the streets are packed with gallery strollers, he asked.
DeGray also voiced concern that some of the nudists coming to Brattleboro might be pedophiles or perverts.
"It's important to be clear about the terms here," said Garant, adding if the man was demonstrating offensive behavior, it should have been called in to the police. Unless the behavior is considered lewd and lascivious, the police cannot arrest a nudist.
"Exhibitionism is not an element of lewd and lascivious conduct," said Bob Fisher, the attorney for the town, adding he wasn't even sure if exhibitionism was defined in Vermont statutes.
Both DeGray and Selectboard member Stephen Steidle said that if someone wants to sit naked in their backyard or swim nude in the West River, that's all right by them, but having naked walkers on Main Street is another matter.
"That's not a thing we want to be known for," said Steidle.
But not everyone on the board was convinced the town needs a new law to prohibit nudity.
"I've never been in favor of an (anti-nudity) ordinance," said Selectboard member Dora Bouboulis. "It goes against some of the things that Brattleboro is known for."
She said being nude can be considered a form of freedom of expression, adding the comments she has received tended toward "others love it that we have naked people in Brattleboro."
"I don't like an ordinance that restricts freedoms," she said.
"If you have a child, maybe you'd look at it a little differently, Dora," said DeGray.
"As a mother of two children, you certainly do not speak for me," responded Selectboard Chairwoman Audrey Garfield, adding, "I have been reluctant to take this issue up in the past."
Despite her reluctance, she said, she was worried the nudist issue was "impacting the tranquility of the town."
Garfield asked DeGray to spend some time with Fisher and Sondag and present a proposed ordinance at the next board meeting.
Fisher said that even though Vermont does not have a nudity statute on the books, several towns in the Green Mountain State have passed their own anti-nudity ordinances, which Brattleboro could use to write its own.
"It can be done," he said.
"I see it as trying to balance people's rights," said Sondag. "Does the nudity begin to infringe on other people's rights?" If it is infringement, she said, "then it is upsetting the tranquility of the community."
Since the arrest of a nudist downtown in May for lewd and lascivious behavior, "we haven't had any local people dancing in the municipal lot." Adhi N. Palar, 20, pleaded guilty July 3 to engaging in a prohibited act and received a one-year deferred sentence.
Though an emergency ordinance can be in effect for up to 30 days, the town needs to hold official public hearings before passing a new permanent ordinance.
I have no interest in visting Vermont.
ping & a EFG lmao ~P~
The fact that Brattleboro, VT does not have an ordinance against public nudity should tell you all you need to know!
Aside from the site of ugly, out of shape nude bodies walking around, what about HYGIENE?! Too much free flesh flopping around on everything...yuk!
I guarantee he won’t be doing it six months from now.
talk about shrikage
Yeah, but, what if they are like...you know,,,,not perfect?
Of course you have to deal with some of the sickos that would exploit this lack-of-law, but if I’m sitting there with one of my 5 kids and some naked person strolls by, well, we’d probably just laugh.
What else can you do? Oh, right: pass a law against it.
LOL! Yeah, but some nice ole lady, feeling sorry for him will nit nice a scarf for a certain appendage.
They may be whacked outta their everloving minds in Brattleboro, but they all are extremely nice!
Besides the fact that it’s generally considered an unlawful, rude, classless and probably unhygenic practice to be nude in public, most of the people who are naked in this type of story have no business being naked...ever. Not even in a home for the blind. I’m still suffering bouts of nausea from the ‘naked bike ride’ story someone posted here last year. We need a Pepto Bismol alert here on FR.
Want to get Brattleboro to end this practice overnight? Drive Ted Kennedy up there and leave him with a few bottles of Chivas. The ordinance will be repealed faster than you can say ‘Chappaquiddick’.
Calling Homer Simpson!
Well, I tried to find the picture from the newspaper today that was on page 6 on the reformer's website, but I don't think it exists. The picture shows the guy from the backside, fanny, with fanny pack!!
Yes, you're completely correct, this man has absolutely no business ever being nakid!!!
Ha! Funny. Today also Springfield, VT, 30 miles up the road on 91 from Brattleboro was named the Simpson's home town!
LOL! That would probably do it. Oh my, the screams that would be heard across the Connecticut River would be deafening!
For many months, it was legal to walk around nude in Berkeley, until the city later adopted an anti-nudity ordinance after Martinez attended a City Council meeting naked.[2]
Well, at least that guy wasn't saggy!
Wait...Oh, never mind!
Sagacious? LOL
This sight would certainly dispell any support for nudity in the streets:
You know, the effect of putting lipstick on a pig is over-rated.
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