Letters to the Editors

Nude doesn't mean immoral

Re: Immoral brand of tourism gets nod, Dec. 4 letter

Editor: The letter proves the adage that everyone can have their say, whether it's based on good reasoning or not.

The writer rails against Pasco County's promotion of "adult/nudist business operations." His confusion in mixing nudists (or naturist) with adult businesses shows a lack of understanding of the difference.

Perhaps an example would help: In Sunny Isles Beach, Haulover Beach is a world-class legal clothing optional/nude beach that attracts visitors from literally all over the globe. One of the safest and cleanest beaches on the Eastern Seaboard, Haulover has very low crime and is frequented by people of all types -- including a substantial number of families who like to allow their children to splash and play naked in the ocean under their watchful eyes. Needless to say, Haulover Beach is well-patroled by local nudists (South Florida Free Beach Association) as well as local law enforcement and brings in a huge amount of revenue for cash-strapped Miami-Dade County.

This is quite different from a strip club or an adult book club, is it not? In any event, as visitors to your lovely state, we recently returned from St. Pete Beach dismayed to find a lack of clean, safe, legal naturist/nude beaches, but we did find Pasco County to have a number of excellent, first-class private parks where we could enjoy the sun and water au naturel. We will take our tourist dollars back to Sunny Isles and Pasco County and avoid those places that dare judge the method and style of our recreation, leisure activities that in no way harm anyone else.

As the parents of three healthy, well-adjusted (yet nonnudist) teenagers, as business owners and as responsible taxpayers, we resent the implication that we are somehow immoral. Quite the contrary.

We urge citizens, voters and taxpayers to realize that Americans and Europeans enjoy healthy naturist recreation and that this can be managed quite well in concert with local naturist groups. Failure to do so not only threatens the Bill of Rights and our pursuit of happiness but your business climate as well. That's certainly not a threat, merely an observation of market behavior.
-- Alan and Jane Weiss, Austin, Texas

Voters should remember nudist, strip clubs

Editor: Land O'Lakes is now known as the nudist capital of the United States.

The last few weeks of news centered on another 35 or 40 or more X-rated clubs for Pasco County.

I'm sure that the county commissioners will point out how they improved Pasco County when they run for re-election.

Something to be very proud of?
-- Bob Barry, Bayonet Point

Sam's Beach Bar suit is the last straw

Editor: I would like to express my extreme disgust with Pasco County officials and Sam's Beach Bar, especially after reading last week's article about Sam's trying to sue the county for $2.5-million.

Don't you think this business has jeopardized the citizens of Pasco County enough? First FEMA threatens to raise every Pasco residents' flood insurance by 5 percent, or even cancel Pasco from the federal flood insurance program, because the restaurant was built illegally.

Now the county is getting sued for $2.5-million by Sam's. If it wins, who is going to foot that bill?

After the fire, Sam's should have never been rebuilt without following the FEMA and county regulations for building in flood zones. Now that it is not sellable, Sam's is going to try to sue! This is an outrage!
-- I would still like to find out how permits were approved stating that it cost only $60,000 to rebuild, and why is it that Sam's has no parking of its own? Why is it that Pasco County went to Atlanta to fight FEMA for Sam's? There is a lot of wrongdoing here and it needs to come to a stop!
J. Russell, Hudson

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