Naked Man in Georgia

[jochanaan]

http://www.cbs46.com/story/36515419/man ... dly-nudist

☰

Man accused of hiking without clothes on, calling himself 'family-friendly nudist'
Posted: Oct 03, 2017 9:50 PM MDT
Updated: Oct 03, 2017 11:19 PM MDT
By Vince SimsCONNECT



SANDY SPRINGS, GA (CBS46) -
Police are searching for a man who could face an indecent exposure charge if he's caught. The man is accused of hiking on a public trail in Sandy Springs without any clothes on.

Morgan Falls Overlook Park is a beautiful, family-friendly park, but CBS46 discovered a police report accusing a man of doing something no one wants their children exposed to in public.

We learned that on Sept. 17, a woman called police saying a man was walking naked on the hiking trail. The woman says the man greeted her by saying he was just a family-friendly nudist.

An online definition says a nudist is a person who engages in the practice of going naked wherever possible. Georgia has at least three clothing optional resorts, but parents say this definitely isn't the place for a nudist.

"It's scary," says park visitor Chelsea Stoddard. "My kids are 3 and 5, and I don't want any naked guys running around here."

Since he was naked, there isn't a clothing description, but he was holding black shorts with a white stripe, also identified as having a crew cut haircut.

An officer searched the area, but didn't find the naked man. Parents we talked to say they wish there was some kind of warning put out to park visitors.

CBS46 asked police to search their records and they confirmed there have not been any other recent reports like this in that area. Still, you should remain vigilant and alert if you are hiking in the area.

Copyright 2017 WGCL-TV (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved"

[jochanaan]

Wow. It's like they're equating simple nudity with being a bear with a taste for human flesh, or a demon-possessed rapist.

[natman]

At least I'n not a "nudist"!!!
5

[JimShedd112]

The reaction of the Georgia mother is unfortunately too common.

Jim

[naturaldon]

I was at one of those Georgia naturist areas last year. Did plenty of hiking, all I wanted and there was more to do if I hadn't petered out (swam, too, and did some work online that needed to be done). I suppose the guy could have visited one of those if he really wanted to hike naked and not alarm anyone, or at least go to a remote(r) area. It's a good way to land on the sex offender's list. Just sayin.'

[New_Adventurer]

Same ole stereotypes, equating nude with lewd. Maybe we need to be more public and socially active, using the same techniques as the black, gay, disabled, poor, homeless, or whatever other minority you want to use as an example.

Many years ago the nudist club where I was a member called the cops on a guy who was on the grounds but was discovered to be a fugitive from the law. That is the only thing that should matter, not what he was wearing.

[dv8]

Honestly, as one who does hike nude on "public" (secluded) trails, I believe there is a solid line between acting upon one's freedoms by being nude, and failing to cover up in the presence of those who do not share one's predilections. While we need to find ways to communicate the beauty and normalcy of nude living, in-your-face is hardly the method likely to succeed. Consider San Fransisco, which historically tolerated public nudity and only asked that some basic codes be honored, and some people ignored those codes by entering places where it was not customary to do so, sitting on public seating without a towel, etc. Negative reactions to this were enough to lead to the anti-nudity ordinances that now require a legal permit (for a demonstration or parade) in order to be nude. Maybe more freedoms should be given, but disrespecting other people's sensibilities isn't a good way to get them.

[Ramblinman]

I think there is a middle ground between visibly flaunting nudity and hiding one's nudist values.
In Florida, there are a couple of beaches where nude use is officially tolerated and one where it is officially sanctioned.
This creates an interface where people can choose to investigate nudism without paying entrance fees or avoid it by turning and walking the other way.
The problem is that I live 400 miles from the nearest of those beaches.
Nudist camps and resorts offer privacy and a structured environment, but for all the advantages of it, also puts up a wall between people who might be open to learning about it and those who are already enjoying it.
If you have friends with acreage in secluded rural areas, there may the opportunity for a swim or sunbathing without clothing.
On one occasion, I went to a nude pool party as the friend of a friend. So this is one option, but just for a few insiders.

More commonly, it is national forest land that offers some chance of nude recreation (off trail and away from designated campsites of course).

Learning works in different ways for different people. Some people may need to read about naturism or listen to a discussion about it before actually seeing it.
I know of other people who might have come up with a list of objections or trot out preconceptions, but the objections would all fall flat if they actually saw social nudity in action.

In this particular park, the odds of hurting the cause of nudism are greater than helping it.
It doesn't matter whether the guy meant it for good or ill, I believe harm was done.
But I can well imagine a setting where nude hiking or skinnydipping would be more likely to be a force for good, be educational.
In less prudish parts of the US and Europe, we need MORE people practicing discrete outdoor nudity, not fewer.

[Ramblinman]

Two other ways to introduce nudism without literal nudity:
1. Some nudist clubs have monthly dinners in a public restaurant (typically a private banquet room).
Dinners are clothed, but ernest-seekers can meet the club members and see us for what we are, ordinary members of the community:
young families, singles, retirees, clergy, techies, teachers, police, salesmen, your friends, neighbors and family!

2. Nudist groups can participate in the life of the community:
Have an info booth at the fall festival and give out photo-free brochures, bumper stickers, cozies, etc, adopt a mile of roadside for monthly cleanup, identify nudist-friendly businesses through your social network and funnel business back to them. If they run a bowling alley or skating rink, or health club, try to arrange an after-hours event, but you might have to keep it on the down-low in more prudish communities.

[naturaldon]

Good thoughts here. Just a reminder though: Any public nudity these days will land someone fighting for their dignity (and innocence, if indeed innocent), and almost certainly on a sex-offense registry (after possible jail time and high fines). In my day, streaking was popular and the consequences were usually nothing more than rolling of the eyes of a LEO or at worst, a ticket for disturbing the peace. Skinny dipping was the norm, mostly in natural settings. Now, zero tolerance is the unfortunate ace in the hole for intolerant someones who wish to report any questionable activity which they deem offensive. All of us here wish that it weren't so, but it is so and we must, as Christian men, not flaunt our prelapsarian views nor flirt with certain disaster.

[Bare_Truth]

One of the above posts used the word "sanctioned" in reference to nudity. That is one word that needs to be abandoned or strictly overhauled. The word sanctioned can have the meaning of "approved" or "suppressed" We simply do not need words that have totally opposite meanings.
Consider the following From Dictionary.com

sanction
Synonyms
Examples
Word Origin

See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com
noun
1.
authoritative permission or approval, as for an action.
2.
something that serves to support an action, condition, etc.
3.
something that gives binding force, as to an oath, rule of conduct, etc.
4.
Law.

a provision of a law enacting a penalty for disobedience or a reward for obedience.
the penalty or reward.

5.
International Law. action by one or more states toward another state calculated to force it to comply with legal obligations.
verb (used with object)
6.
to authorize, approve, or allow:
an expression now sanctioned by educated usage.
7.
to ratify or confirm:
to sanction a law.
8.
to impose a sanction on; penalize, especially by way of discipline.

So then when something is said to be offically sanctioned it becomes confusing to know if the thing is approved or suppressed

[Jim]

One of the above posts used the word "sanctioned" in reference to nudity. That is one word that needs to be abandoned or strictly overhauled. The word sanctioned can have the meaning of "approved" or "suppressed" We simply do not need words that have totally opposite meanings. ...

I had the same reaction when I read that post. When you have to stop and try to figure out what of two opposite meanings were intended, a different word would be better.

[Ramblinman]

One of the above posts used the word "sanctioned" in reference to nudity. That is one word that needs to be abandoned or strictly overhauled. The word sanctioned can have the meaning of "approved" or "suppressed" We simply do not need words that have totally opposite meanings. ...

I had the same reaction when I read that post. When you have to stop and try to figure out what of two opposite meanings were intended, a different word would be better.

I heartily agree! The member who made that post should be sanctioned!

[Ramblinman]

All levity aside, if you visit Haulover Beach, undress completely and wait for law enforcement to pass by, you will find out which of the two definitions of sanction was intended.

[dv8]

All levity aside, if you visit Haulover Beach, undress completely and wait for law enforcement to pass by, you will find out which of the two definitions of sanction was intended.

...but don't leave the levity aside too long, please. I wouldn't sanction that!