Look for memos here for all supporters
Clothing Optional Access Petition Initiative
* * * * INFORMATION ONLY TAKE NO ACTION * * * *
DATE: January 19, 2014
SUBJECT: Support from National Nudist and Naturist Organizations
TO: All Nudists, Naturists and other supporters
Because so many have contacted me with concerns about the silence of our two national organizations on the petition initiative, I felt compelled to address it. In fairness to both the American Association of Nude Recreation and The Naturist Society, their support was not sought in advance of the decision to post the petition.
While their support would of course be welcome, it isn't fair at this point to feel they have any obligation to give it. This was and is by design a grassroots initiative. For too long I think we have all been guilty of looking to the national organizations to do all the heavy lifting when it comes to securing our rights to live our lifestyle. Times have changed. It is time individual nudists and naturists standing together started driving the narrative.
The opposition has become too entrenched, too well organized and too vocal. They are determined to enforce their personal social standards on us all. Only by standing together as individuals and speaking in a collective voice are we going to be heard. Otherwise we will continue to see clothing optional places disappear until none remain. Call me an alarmist if you will, but I think the handwriting is on the wall and is clear. Those who oppose our lifestyle will not be content to stop with eradication of clothing optional places. Throughout the country many counties and cities are legislating more draconian laws that criminalize simple nudity.
In spite of the belief that individual responsibility is now critical, I am sensitive to the feelings of those who would feel better about this effort and feel more confident of success if the national nudist and naturist organizations would stand with us. If you feel that way then certainly you are encouraged to contact the decision makers at the national organizations to let them know you feel their support is needed and important to the success of this effort.
###
=========================================================================================================
* * * * INFORMATION ONLY TAKE NO ACTION * * * *
DATE: January 19, 2014
SUBJECT: Support from National Nudist and Naturist Organizations ***UPDATE***
TO: All Nudists, Naturists and other supporters
Many of you have spoken and we have listened. Today Clothing Optional Access Initiative has written to the decision makers at The Naturist Society and the American Association of Nude Recreation formally asking them to support this petition initiative. We have also asked the Naturist Action Committee, political adjunct to The Naturist Society, to consider supporting us with the issuance of a NAC Action Alert that encourages all nudists and naturists to go to the "We the People" website and sign the petition.
In hindsight, it was a mistake not to engage the established and respected national organizations by soliciting their support at the outset. They have a wealth of resources including national visibility and media contacts that we do not which would lend credibility to this effort, give us a larger audience to reach and improve our chances of success. This will however remain a grassroots movement and individual nudists, naturists and others who support more clothing optional recreational access to public lands will continue to drive this narrative regardless of the response we receive from these requests for support.
Many of you have contacted me who have been upset with the national organizations for not publicly supporting the petition. As plainly stated in the previous memo, the national organizations were not informed or invited to support the petition before it was launched and so any criticism of them up until now has been unwarranted. Now, it's time to give them the benefit of the doubt and see who will stand with us.
Each and every one of the 410 individuals who have signed the petition at the time of this writing are deeply appreciated for their willingness to act. The fact is however, the signatures are not coming in fast enough with only 25 days left to give us a reasonable chance to reach the 100K signature threshold. In addition, it is plainly evident that many nudists and naturists are reluctant to sign the petition without TNS and AANR support behind it since there are tens of thousands of members of those national organizations who haven't signed. It is really time to get their support while there remains enough time that they can make a difference. We need to gain real traction and build momentum that carries through to the end.
While we have written and made the formal requests for support, anyone looking for a way to get personally involved above and beyond signing the petition is encouraged to write to the decision makers listed in the previous memo personally to add your voice to ours. It is important that the national organizations be made aware that their public support of this petition effort is an important issue to their respective members.
###
========================================================================================================== DATE: January 20, 2014
SUBJECT: Support from American Association for Nude Recreation
TO: All Nudists, Naturists and other supporters
A response to our request for support was received today from Scott Withers, Director of the Government Affairs Team at the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR). Scott stated, "AANR is asking all members and all associates and all partner groups to support and sign the petition. We absolutely support what you are trying to do. It's out driving force."
It was gratifying to hear from Scott that his email inbox was filled with emails about the petition this morning. Thanks to everyone who took time to write and to urge AANR to support our efforts.
Knowing something of the other vital issues that the Government Affairs Team is attempting to address on behalf of nudists and naturists at the present time, I can tell you it is a credit to them that they decided to support us and they didn't even hesitate. AANR is a class organization that deserves our respect and support. Often I hear from nudists who feel AANR doesn't do enough to press for our rights but if you ever get the chance to speak to one of the officers there I think you will come away with quite a different impression. They make a huge difference and I can't ever recall them patting themselves on the back. They simply continue working hard looking out for us and they have our backs. I think many of us have become so dependent on our national organizations like AANR to do all the heavy lifting in protecting our rights that often we are not fully tuned in to just how much organized opposition there is against our lifestyle and rights to enjoy nude recreation.
In light of this development, there is no further need to contact the decision makers at AANR to request support but it wouldn't hurt to send them a note of thanks. Hopefully more AANR members will now feel more comfortable with signing the petition and standing with us.
###
==========================================================================================================
DATE: January 21, 2014
SUBJECT: Support from American Association for Nude Recreation ***UPDATE***
TO: All Nudists, Naturists and other supporters
If you checked the petition site today and watched how the signatures flooded in then you saw the enormous and effective support that the American Association for Nude Recreation provided us at a time we really needed a surge to build momentum. I'd like to personally thank both the ANNR team as well as every single AANR member who took time today to sign the petition. They have proven once again that they are serious about supporting nudists and naturists and ready to advocate for our rights to live our lifestyle. They took time away from the important issues they are busy addressing to answer the call and give us support. I'm certain that all of you like me never forget a friend. AANR has earned my respect once again and can definitely always count on my unconditional support. Once this petition initiative is ended, it will be great to look back and remember those who stood with us.
###
==========================================================================================================
DATE: January 22, 2014
SUBJECT: Unenthusiastic Response from Naturist Action Committee (NAC)
TO: All Nudists, Naturists and other supporters
In response to our request for support of the clothing optional access petition, it was more than a little disappointing to read the halfhearted NAC Advisory published January 21, 2014. You can read the advisory in its entirety at the NAC website. The bottom line seems summed up in this quote: "The Naturist Action Committee is not asking you to take specific action on this matter. However, if you've familiarized yourself with the petition, you may wish to sign it."
Evidently, since NAC took great pains to distance the organization from this initiative, repeatedly making note they had not been in any way consulted, one can only assume they don't appreciate being asked to support naturists' issues where they weren't consulted in advance. Robert Morton, Executive Director of NAC, contacted me in advance of the publication of the advisory and asked for a contact number and time convenient to discuss our request for support by telephone. While the requested information was provided and an entire afternoon wasted waiting, he evidently was too occupied with other matters to call. Instead an advance copy of the advisory was received late last evening and after reading it and determining it offered no support, I withdrew the request for support and asked that the advisory not be circulated. Apparently, again in the opinion of those at NAC I overstepped my boundaries and the advisory was published anyway. Guess they showed me who is boss.
This unpleasant situation with an established and heretofore respected naturist rights advocate was completely unnecessary. It is quite clear from the advisory that NAC has no real issue with the substance of the petition beyond not being consulted before it was launched and the fact that they seem to think "...'wilderness' lands may not be the most reasonable initial target for clothing-optional recreational use..." That I suppose is understandable since The Naturist Society and NAC as its political adjunct were born of the free beach movement of the 1970s and may not have the vision to see beyond beaches when it comes to clothing optional access. In addition I think NAC failed to understand that "wilderness" was used in the context used by the National Parks Service, U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. The term as used by government land managers includes park lands, forests and seashores like that of the Sandy Hook unit of Gateway National Recreation Area, home of Gunnison Beach and the former clothing optional beach areas at Fire Island National Seashore.
This petition initiative, a responsible grassroots effort, is a temporary affair that lasts the thirty days that the administration grants to obtain the required 100,000 signatures to get an official response from government policy makers. Our established, respected national nudist and naturist organizations however are permanent and do the difficult work of advocating for our rights as naturists and nudists on a daily basis. As a proud member of The Naturist Society up until this alienating action by NAC, I had the greatest respect for them and their past achievements in safeguarding naturist rights. That is why I find it so hard to believe that they would publish an advisory that can be best described in one word as "petty." They have absolutely no responsibility to support any activity that they choose not to. There is no dispute about that. But what was the point of publishing an advisory that offers no support beyond "you may want to sign it" that is calculated to be critical enough so that none who read the advisory would likely do so?
The fact is, sometimes even fine organizations that once made valuable contributions lose focus and start looking out for themselves instead of those they are supposed be looking out for. I have never before felt the need to criticize NAC but in the case of this advisory they are not looking out for us or the interests of naturists. It was more important it seems to send a personal message by someone miffed about not being consulted in advance of the petition or being asked to support it after it had already been launched.
This petition is not an ending but the beginning with respect to reminding us all of our responsibility to remain engaged and energized with respect to protecting our rights to enjoy our lifestyle. That includes remembering to support our national organizations with membership dues and financial contributions. I'll just put it quite plainly. Both NAC (and TNS) and AANR were all presented with the same request at the same time. AANR responded without hesitation and rendered valuable assistance that really helped the petition gain traction. Compare the alert that AANR published through their membership, associates and partner channels and this advisory published by NAC. I still haven't even received the courtesy of a response from The Naturist Society. Decide for yourself. Who do you feel is looking out for you and your interests? Who do you feel deserves your membership dues and donations? I know I've made up my mind.
It pains me to share this but I promised to do so if the advisory was published over my objections and after our request for support from NAC and TNS were withdrawn. We initiated the request for support and we had ever right to withdraw it. Those at NAC have made their point by publishing it and I have made my point by critiquing it here.
You can view the advisory here: http://naturistaction.org/AlertsAdvisoriesUpdates/ADVISORIES/Petition_to_whitehouse_gov_01-/petition_to_whitehouse_gov_01-.html
* * * * INFORMATION ONLY TAKE NO ACTION * * * *
DATE: January 19, 2014
SUBJECT: Support from National Nudist and Naturist Organizations
TO: All Nudists, Naturists and other supporters
Because so many have contacted me with concerns about the silence of our two national organizations on the petition initiative, I felt compelled to address it. In fairness to both the American Association of Nude Recreation and The Naturist Society, their support was not sought in advance of the decision to post the petition.
While their support would of course be welcome, it isn't fair at this point to feel they have any obligation to give it. This was and is by design a grassroots initiative. For too long I think we have all been guilty of looking to the national organizations to do all the heavy lifting when it comes to securing our rights to live our lifestyle. Times have changed. It is time individual nudists and naturists standing together started driving the narrative.
The opposition has become too entrenched, too well organized and too vocal. They are determined to enforce their personal social standards on us all. Only by standing together as individuals and speaking in a collective voice are we going to be heard. Otherwise we will continue to see clothing optional places disappear until none remain. Call me an alarmist if you will, but I think the handwriting is on the wall and is clear. Those who oppose our lifestyle will not be content to stop with eradication of clothing optional places. Throughout the country many counties and cities are legislating more draconian laws that criminalize simple nudity.
In spite of the belief that individual responsibility is now critical, I am sensitive to the feelings of those who would feel better about this effort and feel more confident of success if the national nudist and naturist organizations would stand with us. If you feel that way then certainly you are encouraged to contact the decision makers at the national organizations to let them know you feel their support is needed and important to the success of this effort.
###
=========================================================================================================
* * * * INFORMATION ONLY TAKE NO ACTION * * * *
DATE: January 19, 2014
SUBJECT: Support from National Nudist and Naturist Organizations ***UPDATE***
TO: All Nudists, Naturists and other supporters
Many of you have spoken and we have listened. Today Clothing Optional Access Initiative has written to the decision makers at The Naturist Society and the American Association of Nude Recreation formally asking them to support this petition initiative. We have also asked the Naturist Action Committee, political adjunct to The Naturist Society, to consider supporting us with the issuance of a NAC Action Alert that encourages all nudists and naturists to go to the "We the People" website and sign the petition.
In hindsight, it was a mistake not to engage the established and respected national organizations by soliciting their support at the outset. They have a wealth of resources including national visibility and media contacts that we do not which would lend credibility to this effort, give us a larger audience to reach and improve our chances of success. This will however remain a grassroots movement and individual nudists, naturists and others who support more clothing optional recreational access to public lands will continue to drive this narrative regardless of the response we receive from these requests for support.
Many of you have contacted me who have been upset with the national organizations for not publicly supporting the petition. As plainly stated in the previous memo, the national organizations were not informed or invited to support the petition before it was launched and so any criticism of them up until now has been unwarranted. Now, it's time to give them the benefit of the doubt and see who will stand with us.
Each and every one of the 410 individuals who have signed the petition at the time of this writing are deeply appreciated for their willingness to act. The fact is however, the signatures are not coming in fast enough with only 25 days left to give us a reasonable chance to reach the 100K signature threshold. In addition, it is plainly evident that many nudists and naturists are reluctant to sign the petition without TNS and AANR support behind it since there are tens of thousands of members of those national organizations who haven't signed. It is really time to get their support while there remains enough time that they can make a difference. We need to gain real traction and build momentum that carries through to the end.
While we have written and made the formal requests for support, anyone looking for a way to get personally involved above and beyond signing the petition is encouraged to write to the decision makers listed in the previous memo personally to add your voice to ours. It is important that the national organizations be made aware that their public support of this petition effort is an important issue to their respective members.
###
========================================================================================================== DATE: January 20, 2014
SUBJECT: Support from American Association for Nude Recreation
TO: All Nudists, Naturists and other supporters
A response to our request for support was received today from Scott Withers, Director of the Government Affairs Team at the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR). Scott stated, "AANR is asking all members and all associates and all partner groups to support and sign the petition. We absolutely support what you are trying to do. It's out driving force."
It was gratifying to hear from Scott that his email inbox was filled with emails about the petition this morning. Thanks to everyone who took time to write and to urge AANR to support our efforts.
Knowing something of the other vital issues that the Government Affairs Team is attempting to address on behalf of nudists and naturists at the present time, I can tell you it is a credit to them that they decided to support us and they didn't even hesitate. AANR is a class organization that deserves our respect and support. Often I hear from nudists who feel AANR doesn't do enough to press for our rights but if you ever get the chance to speak to one of the officers there I think you will come away with quite a different impression. They make a huge difference and I can't ever recall them patting themselves on the back. They simply continue working hard looking out for us and they have our backs. I think many of us have become so dependent on our national organizations like AANR to do all the heavy lifting in protecting our rights that often we are not fully tuned in to just how much organized opposition there is against our lifestyle and rights to enjoy nude recreation.
In light of this development, there is no further need to contact the decision makers at AANR to request support but it wouldn't hurt to send them a note of thanks. Hopefully more AANR members will now feel more comfortable with signing the petition and standing with us.
###
==========================================================================================================
DATE: January 21, 2014
SUBJECT: Support from American Association for Nude Recreation ***UPDATE***
TO: All Nudists, Naturists and other supporters
If you checked the petition site today and watched how the signatures flooded in then you saw the enormous and effective support that the American Association for Nude Recreation provided us at a time we really needed a surge to build momentum. I'd like to personally thank both the ANNR team as well as every single AANR member who took time today to sign the petition. They have proven once again that they are serious about supporting nudists and naturists and ready to advocate for our rights to live our lifestyle. They took time away from the important issues they are busy addressing to answer the call and give us support. I'm certain that all of you like me never forget a friend. AANR has earned my respect once again and can definitely always count on my unconditional support. Once this petition initiative is ended, it will be great to look back and remember those who stood with us.
###
==========================================================================================================
DATE: January 22, 2014
SUBJECT: Unenthusiastic Response from Naturist Action Committee (NAC)
TO: All Nudists, Naturists and other supporters
In response to our request for support of the clothing optional access petition, it was more than a little disappointing to read the halfhearted NAC Advisory published January 21, 2014. You can read the advisory in its entirety at the NAC website. The bottom line seems summed up in this quote: "The Naturist Action Committee is not asking you to take specific action on this matter. However, if you've familiarized yourself with the petition, you may wish to sign it."
Evidently, since NAC took great pains to distance the organization from this initiative, repeatedly making note they had not been in any way consulted, one can only assume they don't appreciate being asked to support naturists' issues where they weren't consulted in advance. Robert Morton, Executive Director of NAC, contacted me in advance of the publication of the advisory and asked for a contact number and time convenient to discuss our request for support by telephone. While the requested information was provided and an entire afternoon wasted waiting, he evidently was too occupied with other matters to call. Instead an advance copy of the advisory was received late last evening and after reading it and determining it offered no support, I withdrew the request for support and asked that the advisory not be circulated. Apparently, again in the opinion of those at NAC I overstepped my boundaries and the advisory was published anyway. Guess they showed me who is boss.
This unpleasant situation with an established and heretofore respected naturist rights advocate was completely unnecessary. It is quite clear from the advisory that NAC has no real issue with the substance of the petition beyond not being consulted before it was launched and the fact that they seem to think "...'wilderness' lands may not be the most reasonable initial target for clothing-optional recreational use..." That I suppose is understandable since The Naturist Society and NAC as its political adjunct were born of the free beach movement of the 1970s and may not have the vision to see beyond beaches when it comes to clothing optional access. In addition I think NAC failed to understand that "wilderness" was used in the context used by the National Parks Service, U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. The term as used by government land managers includes park lands, forests and seashores like that of the Sandy Hook unit of Gateway National Recreation Area, home of Gunnison Beach and the former clothing optional beach areas at Fire Island National Seashore.
This petition initiative, a responsible grassroots effort, is a temporary affair that lasts the thirty days that the administration grants to obtain the required 100,000 signatures to get an official response from government policy makers. Our established, respected national nudist and naturist organizations however are permanent and do the difficult work of advocating for our rights as naturists and nudists on a daily basis. As a proud member of The Naturist Society up until this alienating action by NAC, I had the greatest respect for them and their past achievements in safeguarding naturist rights. That is why I find it so hard to believe that they would publish an advisory that can be best described in one word as "petty." They have absolutely no responsibility to support any activity that they choose not to. There is no dispute about that. But what was the point of publishing an advisory that offers no support beyond "you may want to sign it" that is calculated to be critical enough so that none who read the advisory would likely do so?
The fact is, sometimes even fine organizations that once made valuable contributions lose focus and start looking out for themselves instead of those they are supposed be looking out for. I have never before felt the need to criticize NAC but in the case of this advisory they are not looking out for us or the interests of naturists. It was more important it seems to send a personal message by someone miffed about not being consulted in advance of the petition or being asked to support it after it had already been launched.
This petition is not an ending but the beginning with respect to reminding us all of our responsibility to remain engaged and energized with respect to protecting our rights to enjoy our lifestyle. That includes remembering to support our national organizations with membership dues and financial contributions. I'll just put it quite plainly. Both NAC (and TNS) and AANR were all presented with the same request at the same time. AANR responded without hesitation and rendered valuable assistance that really helped the petition gain traction. Compare the alert that AANR published through their membership, associates and partner channels and this advisory published by NAC. I still haven't even received the courtesy of a response from The Naturist Society. Decide for yourself. Who do you feel is looking out for you and your interests? Who do you feel deserves your membership dues and donations? I know I've made up my mind.
It pains me to share this but I promised to do so if the advisory was published over my objections and after our request for support from NAC and TNS were withdrawn. We initiated the request for support and we had ever right to withdraw it. Those at NAC have made their point by publishing it and I have made my point by critiquing it here.
You can view the advisory here: http://naturistaction.org/AlertsAdvisoriesUpdates/ADVISORIES/Petition_to_whitehouse_gov_01-/petition_to_whitehouse_gov_01-.html