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© St. Petersburg Times, published December 11, 2002
Re: Immoral brand of tourism gets nod, Dec. 4 letter
Editor: I take exception to the writer blasting Pasco County for its recognition of nudist clubs as viable businesses and nudists as law-abiding, tax-paying members of the community. I strongly suspect the writer has never been to a nude beach or nudist resort and is condemning out of religious emotional fervor rather than firsthand knowledge.
The nudist industry is one of the larger employers in the county, thus a major contributor to the county tax revenues and the general economy of the the Tampa/St. Petersburg area. There are many people residing year-round in nudist communities in Pasco County. Many others spend their winters here.
These people are like people in any community. Some are laborers, some are professional people, some are retired, some are students going to school and some are clergy. The nudist community I live in has church services each Sunday on its premises. To classify these people: workers, taxpayers, residents or tourists, as immoral is ludicrous.
I believe that the "arrogance" of "going through the motions of holding a public hearing" would apply equally well to the Hernando County Commission in the matter of the antinudity ordinance passed last spring. The nudists were far more polite than those who endorsed the antinudity ordinance. The commissioners had their minds made up before the hearing.
I would invite the letter writer to acquire some experience with what he is condemning before he passes judgment on other God-fearing, hard-working people in the community. There are no fewer than five nudist clubs/resorts in Pasco County that would gladly welcome him.
-- Mark Ashworth, Lutz
Re: Parking in Pasco County
Editor: We were playing cards in our home with out-of-state guests on Nov. 30. Our house lights were on, and our friends had parked in the right direction on the street in front of our home. We do not live on a thoroughfare, and our street is not a busy street. There are no "No Parking" signs posted on our street. When our friends left at 1 a.m., there was a parking ticket from the Pasco County Sheriff's Office on their car.
We moved to Pasco from Pinellas County, where it is perfectly okay to park on a street in a subdivision as long as signs are not posted and you are not blocking a driveway or fire hydrant. Is it a law in Pasco that you cannot park on any street in any subdivision? If so, signs should be posted on each and every street in Pasco County. Are Pasco County residents not allowed visitors unless they turn their front yard into a parking lot?
Pasco County has a lot more serious problems than short-term parking on our subdivision streets. Wouldn't you think the deputy would have had the courtesy to knock on the door and explain the law to our guests and ask them to move their car? Needless to say, our friends left with a bad feeling about Pasco County.
-- Kay Ashton, Port Richey
Re: Thurman's silence closes signs inquiry, Dec. 5.
Editor: I don't think justice was done properly. Like I said before, Mrs. Thurman wasn't there. The deputy who saw those people was the only person to arrest them and press charges.
Why did the case end up on Mr. Bill Catto's desk? Because the state attorney was the other party's friend.
Please, give me a break. Justice wasn't done the right way.
This sounds beautiful: "Ginny Brown Waite's husband and his friend Larry Laxton will not face charges for stealing and vandalizing 'Thurman for Congress' signs." What a big laugh!
They should send that deputy back to the academy, or go and open a law book to see what a good deputy has to do when he sees somebody stealing.
Congratulations to the Waite family. You did it again.
-- Rachael Rodriguez, Spring Hill
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