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NATURIST ACTION COMMITTEE ADVISORY
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Copyright 2009 by the Naturist Action Committee, which is responsible
for its content. Permission is granted for the posting, forwarding or
redistribution of this message, provided that it is reproduced in its
entirety and without alteration.
DATE : April 28, 2009
SUBJECT: Colorado anti-nudity law
TO : All Naturists
Dear Naturist,
This is an Advisory from the Naturist Action Committee (NAC) concerning the existing public nudity law in the state of Colorado. The Boulder chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union has announced a public forum to discuss and consider possible revisions to the law, and NAC encourages interested naturists and others to attend.
A primary focus of the forum will be the consideration of whether sex offender registration should be a consequence for acts of simple public nudity.
WHERE AND WHEN?
ACLU has announced the forum with short notice. The event will take place:
Tuesday, April 28, 2009 - 7:00 PM MDT
Law School of the University of Colorado at Boulder (southwest corner of the CU campus. Take Regent Drive off Broadway or Colorado Avenue, south on Kittredge Loop) Room 204
BRIEF HISTORY AND DISCUSSION
Participants in a yearly event called the Naked Pumpkin Run run through a mall area in Boulder, Colorado, a traditional site for the event. Of the hundreds who run, many wear nothing but hollowed-out pumpkins on their heads. The run is an anticipated yearly tradition. Spectators and participants alike are drawn to the event, expecting frivolity and nudity.
In previous years, the benign presence of law enforcement has simply been a precaution against possible crowd management issues. It never has been a problem. Although Colorado has an indecent exposure law, local police did not apply it to the participants in the Naked Pumpkin Run.
During the 2008 event, however, authorities arrested 12 participants and charged them with indecent exposure. If an individual is found guilty or pleads no contest to such charges in Colorado, the penalty includes registration as a sex offender.
Of those who were charged in 2008, some successfully pled to lesser charges. Others had all the charges against them dropped. The various resolutions came only after extensive (and expensive) legal maneuvering. The outcome is that none of the participants has been required to resister as a sex offender. However, several of the twelve have had their names published in the context of possible sex offender status, as a part of official records and in local media reporting.
WHAT IS NAC DOING?
Shortly after the arrests were made in 2008, the Naturist Action Committee began hearing from those who had been charged. NAC immediately began working as a resource to a local attorney representing five of those who had been charged.
NAC remains in contact with the Boulder County chapter of the ACLU, which is sponsoring the local forum. Ultimate action on this issue will involve ACLU and NAC.
WHAT IS NAC ASKING YOU TO DO?
This is an advisory. NAC is NOT asking for you to contact state or local officials. However, if you live in the Boulder area and can attend the ACLU forum on extremely short notice, NAC urges you to do so.
MORE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES
Additional information and links are available, along with this NAC Advisory on the web site of the Naturist Action Committee.
Select "Alerts" and find this NAC Advisory under Current Advisories. You will find useful links, including the text of the existing Colorado law addressing indecent exposure.
PLEASE HELP NAC TO CONTINUE HELPING NATURISTS!
The Naturist Action Committee is a volunteer nonprofit organization that exists to advance and protect the rights of naturists throughout North America. Fighting for the rights of local naturists is necessary, but it's expensive. To do its job, NAC relies entirely on the voluntary generosity of supporters like you. To donate to NAC, use the address below:
NAC
PO Box 132
Oshkosh, WI 54903
Or call toll free (800) 886-7230 to donate by phone using your MasterCard, Visa or Discover Card. Or use your credit card to make a convenient online donation:http://www.naturistaction.org/donate/
Thank you for choosing to make a difference.
Naturally,
Kath Rooney
Board Member
Naturist Action Committee
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Naturist Action Committee (NAC) - PO Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54903
Executive Director Bob Morton - execdir@naturistaction.org
Board Member Kath Rooney - nakedvet@gmail.com
Online Rep. Dennis Kirkpatrick - naturist@sunclad.com
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D. Kirkpatrick......|
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