Friday, April 13, 2012

Ramblings on the Naked Rambler

Anyone familiar with the Civil Rights movement knows about that famous day in December, 1955 when Rosa Parks stepped onto a bus in Montgomery, Alabama.  Later told to give up her seat to a white passenger, Parks refused and was promptly arrested. That, in turn, touched off the Montgomery Bus Boycott---one of the more significant chapters in the story of black efforts to achieve equality in the United States.

But what if no one had noticed Rosa's act of Civil Disobedience, or worse, didn’t care?  What if she was arrested and forced to pay a fine or serve jail time and nothing changed in Alabama?  What if she boarded yet another Montgomery bus a month later and the same refusal—arrest---jail--release cycle repeated itself?  Then repeated again.  What if each time angrier and angrier judges ratcheted up the penalties until Rosa Parks was facing three years’ imprisonment or more by the time she captured public attention?  And still nothing changed.

Bare Platypus asks these questions as we turn to the subject of Mr. Steven Gough, also known as the Naked Rambler in the United Kingdom where he resides.  Perhaps we should state, more precisely, where he does jail time for repeatedly violating indecency laws by walking the roads of the UK countryside bare bum naked.  Each time Mr. Gough is released from the hoosegow he gets only mere feet down the road before he drops trou and begins walking nude again.  Each time the magistrates before whom he appears get a bit angrier and angrier and punish him with longer sentences.  Each time his plea is the same:  There’s nothing wrong with the human body.
You can read a Wikipedia entry about him by clicking http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Gough
When Bare Platypus first learned about the Naked Rambler years ago we may have judged him too harshly.  We then thought he was a publicity hound, or worse, an exhibitionist who got enjoyment from shocking people.  But as we read more, and as Mr. Gough is arrested again and again, we’re not so sure. … In fact, Mr. Gough starts looking a bit heroic to us.

For one thing, many of the Naked Rambler’s ramblings have taken place on rural country roads where there aren’t all that many people present.  For another, he does not appear to have targeted any person(s) (e.g. kids waiting at school bus stops) with his nudity.  He is also willing to serve lengthy stints behind bars out of deeply held convictions.  Finally, he served his country as a Royal Marine and, presumably, has a priority claim on freedom given that he was prepared to defend it with his life.   (There are some things we’re not so sure about, including the fact he has children who don’t have dad at home through all of this.)

For now Steven Gough’s chief problem seems to be that there aren’t many others prepared to “get on the bus” with his nude walking venture, or to express outrage over his perpetual imprisonment for something as simple as living bare.  But perhaps history will remember the Naked Rambler as a champion for bodily rights.

As NURBA recently wrote on Twitter, “History LOVES envelope pushers.”

4 comments:

  1. Here's another good recent article about Gough: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/mar/23/naked-rambler-prison

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  2. While I respect your points and position, some might consider a life and death issue more important than loosening the laws and many people's F-E-A-Rs {False Evidence Appearing Real) about naturism.

    Each of the horrible realities in your second paragraph have been repeating themselves endlessly all across Canada and some U.S. States with respect to women, Catholic Christians usually, who picket abortion clinics.

    God forgive us if expanding naturism's acceptance trumps protecting the right to life!

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  3. At Gotopless Day in Venice CA., they all wear tape over their nipples because if they didn't they'd be arrested. It's going to take a long time to change the law this way.

    Eventually some are going to have to be the next Rosa Parks and break the law by taking the tape off their nipples. Just like many during the Civil Rights Movement, they'll be arrested, but eventually women will get equal rights.

    Topfree equality will come many years before body freedom, but at least its a start!

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  4. Unfortunately the scottish courts and judiciary don't like to be held in contempt but all they are doing is making themselves more contemptible! The sheer waste of public money, if you see a naked person and you don't like it then look the other way..that's common sense, but common sense has far since gone from public officialdom!
    They let out the Lockerbie bomber(because he was going to die??NO) and he is alive and kicking in Libya, but they incarcerate an innocent man!

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