Nudists claim harassment at Playalinda

[NakedGary]

Nudists claim harassment at Playalinda (http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080208/NEWS01/802080337)
http://cmsimg.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=A9&Date=20080208&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=802080337&Ref=AR&Profile=1006&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0

[newfred]

It is so unfair to nudists' think Stu loves this rule!!!!

[Korak]

Playalinda is our favorite beach and our main reason to visit FL. How serious is the harassment?

[Naturist4Ever]

Playalinda is our favorite beach and our main reason to visit FL. How serious is the harassment?

Hi, why is Playalinda more your favourite then say Haulover or v.v.?

[Sanslines]

Brevard 'naturists' feel sting of police presence

BY SUSANNE CERVENKA
FLORIDA TODAY


PLAYALINDA BEACH - For 33 years, Ursula Dickens has traveled to the northernmost area of Playalinda Beach, where she enjoys the most natural stretch of Florida seashore in her most natural attire.
During those decades, five citations have not stopped the 68-year-old former bed and breakfast owner from sunbathing in the nude.
"It's just a matter of freedom to the mind and the body," she said.
But now Dickens and scores of "naturists" who visit Playalinda's last northern access point -- historically, but not officially, known as clothing-optional -- could find themselves facing possible fines and arrest after an increase in complaints about nudity.
The Brevard County Sheriff's Office has boosted its presence at the federal beach to enforce a decade-old county ordinance after complaints started picking up in mid-August, North Precinct Cmdr. Jimmy Donn said.
County commissioners approved the so-called "Public Nudity Ordinance" in 1995 after court rulings struck down state and federal laws banning simple nudity. The courts have since dismissed lawsuits previously filed in an attempt to challenge the local law.
Federal park rangers are unable to cite individuals for being nude without lewd or disorderly behavior.
So complaints are made to deputies, who do respond, Donn said.
"It's not our ability to refrain from an observed violation of that ordinance," he said.
There have been only a small number of complaints, but "it really only takes one for us to have a personnel presence," Donn said.
In the past, the remoteness of that section -- which is north of Access 13, the last beach access point with a parking lot -- limited complaints because those who prefer swimsuits didn't encounter those who don't.
But recent complaints from locals and tourists indicate there are a larger number of naturists sitting closer to the public crossover, making a meeting more likely, Donn said.
"Other individuals are quite bothered by practicing nudists that are limiting the access to the totality of Canaveral National Seashore," he said.
Members of he sheriff's office met with organized naturist groups in August in an effort to get the groups to comply with the county ordinance.
Since then, deputies have made trips to patrol the beach when manpower was available.
No citations have been issued, and no one has been arrested, but Donn said both are possibilities if violations continue.
"The education phase is over," he said.
Here to enjoy
Naturists say they aren't there to cause problems: They just want to relax and enjoy the beach like everyone else.
They admit some people go out to Playalinda for "the wrong reasons," said Robert Allen, a local member of the Naturist Action Committee, a national group aimed at protecting and advancing rights for nude recreation.
But avid naturists at Playalinda police themselves and are often the ones who report improper behavior to law enforcement, Allen said.
"When there's lewd and lascivious behavior, they can arrest them," he said. "And we're darn happy that they do."
County officials should "face the reality" that naturists, who say they have been coming to that section of beach since World War II, still come despite the ordinance, Allen said.
He said the naturists make up a major portion of those people coming to Playalinda.
"We're their best customers, and we're good for the economy," said Allen, who considers Playalinda the county's second-most popular tourist destination behind Kennedy Space Center.
Warning needed?
Many said they want the beach officially designated clothing-
optional, with return signs warning beachgoers that they may encounter nude sunbathing, or the county ordinance changed so that it doesn't apply to that section of the beach.
Others who attend the beach pass by 12 other access points along the route before they reach the remote naturist area, Allen said.
The rest of the time, people can't pick a naturist out of the crowd.
"You don't see us when we have our clothes on, when we go to the store, buy our bait, pay our rents and our mortgages," he said.

Nudity ordinance
Brevard County Public Nudity Ordinance, No. 95-21:

Passed in 1995 after court rulings struck down federal and state laws regarding simple nudity.
Cites an increase of nudity and sexual or lewd behavior at parts of Playalinda Beach not historically frequented by nude sunbathers or "naturists" as the reasons it is needed.
Bans the exposure of genitals, buttocks and the bottom portion of female breasts. Does not apply to the cleavage that would also be exposed by "a dress, blouse, shirt, leotard, bathing suit or other clothing."
Includes penalties of up to a $500 fine and 60 days in county jail.


It appears that some textiles are offended by the mere sight of nudists anywhere in the Canaveral National Seashore and see the small area of segregated nudists as a potential impediment to enjoying the entirety of the seashore. I myself have never understood why some textiles seem to congregate near the sign which indicates the limits of the south end of the naturist section given the enormous amount of beach open to textiles. It seems that some come to the clothing optional beach for the sole purpose of being 'offended' so that they can impose their will and realize their true goal of prohibiting any nude activity within the seashore. Such individuals can not be reasoned with and the only solution to this problem is for local naturists to come together and as a group continue to fight to specifically render Ordinace 95-21 invalid at the naturist section of the beach. Otherwise, periodic sheriff harassment will continue sporadically as complaints are received.

[Sanslines]

This is a letter sent to the Brevard County Commissioners that was sent to me. I say ROCK ON Nudists!!

I thought I'd follow up on the e-mail I sent to you yesterday asking the county commission for an amendment to remove the federal beach at Playalinda on the Canaveral National Seashore from the Brevard County Public Nudity Ordinance (95.21). As you recall I cited three reasons: Strong public support for the change, the millions in tourists dollars naturists bring to Brevard County, and the folly of diverting scarce Brevard County law enforcement resources to chase skinny dippers while violent crime is on the rise every place in Brevard except Playalinda Beach.

Since yesterday, even I have been surprised by the overwhelming public support our position has received. I invite you to take a look at the on-line poll being right now being conducted by Florida Today.

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=news0301

As of 3:30 p.m. today some 1340 individuals have voted in this poll. (FT has set up the poll so each computer can vote only once. That means unless a household has two computers, each household can vote only once.)

The FT poll gives respondents the opportunity to vote for only one of 7 choices. The pro-nudity-at-Playalinda vote is divided four ways and combined has thus far received over 98% of the vote. The three anti-nudity positions have in toto received less than 2% of the vote. The people of the county seem to be telling you something. Are you ready to listen? In case you don't have time to go on line, here is the breakdown as of 3:30 p.m. today:

When it comes to nude sunbathing at Playalinda Beach, I thinkDeputies should arrest anyone who is nude (14)

It's a waste of county staff for deputies to patrol the federal beach (117)

Nude Sunbathing Ahead signs should warn the usnsuspecting (575)

No Nude Sunbathing signs should be posted all along the beach (5)

No Nude Sunbathing signs should be posted except at the traditional naturist site (38)

Nudity encourages illegal activities (3)

Lighten up, we were created nude (588)


As you can see, barely 1% favors the policy being carried out by Sheriff Parker. Virtually everyone else says leave us alone and put up signs that will prevent the unsuspecting from wandering into an area they'd rather avoid. And, note, the the provision of 95.21 that says, public nudity on the beach "would encourage the influx into the county of persons seeking...to participate in the secondary effects of such nudity, including disorderly, harmful, illegal and open sexual activity that is associated therewith, thereby inhibiting open access to public facilities and causing potential harm to the health, safety and welfare of the county residents and other persons who choose not to appear nude in public places," does not square with public opinion (only 3 people out of 1325 think it encourages illegal activity) nor with reality. But nudity at a proscribed area of Playalinda does bring to Brevard millions of much-needed tourist dollars and a large group of well-educated and affluent tourists and residents. According to figures from the federal government, the clothing-optional beach draws nearly as many visitors as north Brevard's largest tourist attraction, the Visitors Center at the Kennedy Space Center.

What say you?

Sincerely,

Robert A. Allen
Titusville
Playalinda Beach Area Representative
Naturist Action Committee

http://www.jonnyjpeg.com/images/playalindacartoon.bmp

[Sanslines]

The crime scene

FLORIDA TODAY Readers

Focus resources on area's rising danger

Playalinda Beach has 14 areas available for use. The first 12 areas are not those used by the naturalists. They offer plenty of parking, and on most days the parking lots there are nearly empty.
That amounts to nearly 86 percent of the beach area being open to those folks that choose not to be "naturalists," with 14 percent left for those that so choose.
I believe the ones who go to those beaches and then complain to the sheriff's office about what they see, go there for just that reason.
Those people really should concentrate on the other problems facing Brevard County, as should the sheriff.
The rise in crime statistics in Brevard is staggering. Murder is up 55 percent. These people roam the streets 24/7.
So let's concentrate on capturing the disease infested prostitutes, the drug dealers and murderers, the robbers and muggers who are left to prey on residents, while time and valuable resources are spent way out on Playalinda to arrest peaceful citizens.
I have never seen the following headline on the news or in the papers:
"Nudist gunman kills 4 people at Playalinda."
Actually, where would he hide the gun?

Frank Ford
Viera

Playalinda nudists are not a threat

In response to the "Our violent streets" editorial, is Playalinda Beach a hot spot?
The reason I ask is because recently I have encountered Brevard County Sheriff deputies in two cars on two occasions and in a helicopter and car on one occasion at Playalinda Beach enforcing Brevard County's anti-nudity ordinance.
As we all know, Playalinda Beach is federal property managed by the National Park Service, and there is no federal law banning nudity.
The Park Service has their own deputized law enforcement officers, but they cannot enforce county ordinances on federal property because they are not certified as state of Florida law enforcement.
Wouldn't it be a better use of our tax dollars if the Brevard County Sheriff's Department dealt with the real crime, such as the 55 percent increase in murders, 23.5 percent increase in robberies and 12.5 percent increase in burglaries and assaults addressed in the editorial, and left the peace-loving naturists alone?
I think we would all be better served if the National Park Service deputies enforced their existing federal laws and the Brevard County Sheriff's Department dealt with the violent crimes that are on the rise in our community.

Jon Peterson
Palm Bay

Property damage must be taken seriously

The Brevard County Commission should institute immediately a law or ordinance which states that any county property destroyed by an individual or individuals should be repaired at the expense of the perpetrators.
Should the individuals not pay immediately, it should be placed on the record that restitution will be made, no matter how long it takes. A slap on the hand or a few days in jail does not compensate the taxpayers of the county.
Money talks.
The county taxpayers deserve respect by all concerned.

Antonio Rovira
Merritt Island

Dog thefts harm many families

I thought I should drop you a line and inform you of a recent rash of dog thefts in the North Brevard area. Several family pets have turned up missing and some have even been witnessed being "Dog napped."
We have found out it is a group of teenagers in the North Mims area who are committing these crimes.
A few of the dogs have been reunited with their families, but sadly, some people like ourselves are still without our beloved four-legged family member. We have been informed that they are stealing these dogs and reselling them in the Titusville area.
We must publicize these dog thefts to increase our chances of getting our pets back where they belong.
Flyers and signs can only do so much, but an actual article in the paper would reach many more people.

Lisa Dodd
Mims

Today's legal system has lost its way

I read in a recent Space Coast section they are teaching the legal system to the elementary school children.
The judges and attorneys are presenting and teaching the United States Constitution to these young children. I think it would be much better if these children would be taught the difference between "justice" and the "legal system".
The same people teaching these children are the ones that are destroying the justice system.
If you read articles by some of the old masters of the justice system you will find that what was meant by "justice" was that the victim was made whole and the perpetrator was punished.
Our attorneys and judges have forgotten this principle through greed and personal gain. A defense attorney should defend his client according to the intent of the law, not use loopholes, skew facts, and smoke and mirrors to get perpetrators off for crimes they committed.
The Bill of Rights was written to save the innocent and punish the guilty. Today's legal system cares very little about justice, but only what advantage can be derived to benefit their client or themselves.

Tim Chasey
West Melbourne


<TABLE width=600 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top><TABLE style="BORDER-RIGHT: #999999 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #999999 1px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #999999 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #999999 1px solid" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=8 width=575 bgColor=#fcfcfc border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><!-- enable comment on for this story --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>http://www.flatoday.com/graphics/forums/forum_title.gif</TD><TD class=CommentLinkTextStyle align=right>http://www.flatoday.com/graphics/forums/icon_post.gifPost a Comment (http://forums.floridatoday.com/check_comment.php?articleId=801100310&section=Opinion&title=Your+Views%3A+The+crime+scene%0D%0A%0D%0A&categoryId=OPINION&pubDate=20080110&relationValue=BBvalue1%3DOPINION&cacheTime=5&display=1&hideTopic=0) http://www.flatoday.com/graphics/forums/icon_allposts.gifView All Comments (http://forums.floridatoday.com/viewtopic.php?t=65822) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><HR color=#cccccc noShade SIZE=1><TABLE class=CommentTextStyle cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=top width="100%">I dont care if the Sheriff goes out there. If they are breaking the law, the officer cannot turn a blind eye to it. If they did, you (Ultraleft) would have a fit.

Notice the only time they go out there is to respond to a complaint. That is it. If nobody complains, the officers wont go out there.

Now, since I shut you up once before, should I do it again???

The Law is the Law.

BTW, I dont agree with the law. I think it is stupid. But it is still a law, and as a US citizen, I am expected to abide by it.

Now, go ahead with your stupid argument. I would love to hear what you have to say.

Posted by: triforcharity on Fri Jan 11, 2008 5:06 pm</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2><HR color=#cccccc noShade SIZE=1></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=top width="100%">The Brevard County Commission is Chasing Tourists Away from North Brevard

As the two letters-to-the-editor in yesterday’s Florida Today point out, the sheriff is wasting scarce law enforcement resources chasing skinny dippers at Playalinda Beach while violent crime is rising all around us. But this isn't the only problem he's causing.

Crime Up, Business Down

While the sharp increase in murders, muggings, and mayhem is a serious worry, there is another effect of this nonsense that should be of even greater concern to members of the business community in Brevard County: Since the sheriff began his campaign against peaceful nudists last August, word of the harassment has spread on the internet and attendance is down sharply at the historically clothing-optional section of the Canaveral National Seashore. That means fewer naturist tourists to spent their money in Brevard County.

Who’s To Blame?

Sheriff Jack Parker does not deserve all of the blame for this shameful situation; he’s being pressured by County Commissioner Truman Scarborough and the superintendent of the Canaveral National Seashore who has complained that she’s embarrassed to be associated with a facility that has attracted naturists to our county for sixty years.

How Important Are Naturists to Brevard County?

Statistics from both the National Park Service and NASA show that Playalinda Beach, specifically the small out-of-way clothing-optional portion up at the north end, is the second-greatest tourists draw in the northern part of the county, second only to the space center itself. This small beach brings in upwards of a half-million visits a year and many millions of dollars in tourist income. The other five miles of beaches at Playalinda combined don’t draw half this many people. You may be surprised to hear that naturist tourists who rent rooms in or near Cocoa Beach actually drive out to Playalinda instead of using the non-nude beaches practically outside their door. Nude recreation is now the fastest growing leisure-time activity in the country, outstripping both golf and skiing.

How Can You Help?

To stop the county from chasing away tourists as other parts of our local economy nose dive, send an e-mail or letter today or make a phone call to the five members of the Brevard County Commission. Urge them to amend Brevard County’s anti-nudity ordinance (95-21) to remove the National Seashore from its jurisdiction. That means removing only one mile of beach from the 72 miles of Atlantic Beach in Brevard County.

How Do I Reach the Commissioners?

Here are the members of Brevard County Commission:

District 1: Commissioner Truman Scarborough
CHAIRPERSON
400 South Street, Suite 1-A, Titusville, Fl 32780
Phone: (321)264-6750 Fax: (321)264-6751. Email: truman.scarborough@brevardcounty.us

District 2: Commissioner Chuck Nelson
2575 N. Courtenay Parkway, Merritt Island, Fl 32953
Phone: (321)454-6601 Fax: (321)454-6602. Email:
chuck.nelson@brevardcounty.us

District 3: Commissioner Helen Voltz, R.N., B.S., M.B.A.
1311 E. New Haven Avenue, Melbourne, Fl 32901
Phone: (321)952-6300 Fax: (321)952-6340. Email:
helen.voltz@brevardcounty.us

District 4: Commissioner Mary Bolin
VICE CHAIRPERSON
2725 Judge Fran Jamieson Way
Building C, Viera, Fl 32940
Phone: (321)633-2044 Fax: (321)633-2121. Email:
mary.bolin@brevardcounty.us

District 5: Commissioner Jackie Colon
1515 Sarno Road, Building B, Melbourne, Fl 32935
Phone: (321)253-6611 Fax: (321)253-6620. Email:
jackie.colon@brevardcounty.us

And send a cc of your letter to Bill Hardman, President & CEO of the Southeast Tourism Society. Bill has recently been appointed a member of National Park System Advisory Board and can help solve this problem at the national level.
3400 Peachtree Road, NE, Suite 725
Atlanta, GA 30326
Phone: (404)364.9847
Email:
Bill@SoutheastTourism.org

Also send a copy of your correspondence to Robert A. Allen, the Playalinda repesentative of the Naturist Action Committee
Email:
Playalinda2008@aol.com

Posted by: PLAYALINDA2008 on Fri Jan 11, 2008 9:04 am</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[HaroldTheNudist]

oh well

Harry