To clothe or not to clothe?

I was reading this article on CNN (here). Vermont has no laws banning public nudity. There's a beautiful little beach in Westmore, Vt., 20 miles from the Canadian border which has been a popular clothing-optional spot for 25 years. The folks with kids are circulating a petition to get an ordinance making the nudies put their clothes back on. Clothing-optional folks want to leave things the way they are. The select board doesn't want to enforce an ordinance. The Parks folks just want people to stop removing driftwood and vegetation.

"For me, it's about common public decency -- getting families and kids and people and Westmore back down to what they all talk about as being the most beautiful place, and they don't go there any more," said Tony Strange, who lives about a half-mile from South Cove and helped circulate a petition asking the Select Board to enact the ordinance.

Regulars say the nude beach is an accepted part of the area that doesn't cause any trouble...

Raymond LaFountaine, 41, of Magog, Quebec, and his wife travel to Westmore several times a summer to camp nearby and relax nude at Southwest Cove.

"I think it's a privilege because it's such a beautiful place, such a peaceful place, we can enjoy that little beach," LaFountaine said.

Strange said he and his family would also like to enjoy the beach.

"All we're looking for, you know, is no nudity on the public beach," he said. "You want to be naked in private, fine. ... I just don't want you to prance around like a puffed up chicken in front of my kids and think it's OK."

The nudists are on to something!!

I have three children under 9 whom I love dearly. And I have a wardrobe of clothing I love, well, maybe not equally dearly, but I'm happy to have it. And I am of the opinion that most people really do look much, much better with their clothes on. In fact, if it weren't logistically tricky, I'd never be naked. I'd wear a bathing suit in the shower. But given the opportunity to enjoy a beautiful, peaceful beach day with no screaming rugrats, no splashing, no sand in my face-- getting nekkid would be a small price to pay.

They nudies have found a loophole! (Well, they've probably found many...) They have achieved a Child Free Zone without obvious discrimination! Congratulations, Naked People!