Worst Case Scenario

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I've been doing a lot of thinking about the storm surrounding Jasmine Trail Nudist Resort in North Carolina, and I have a lot of questions. You can refresh your memory by reading my takes here and here, and the news reports here and here.

Why hasn't Johnny Clevinger been charged with manufacturing child pornography?

What was the nature of the complaints which called police to the Clevinger home a dozen times, and who were the complaintants?

In the "hundreds of photos" found of other children, were they nudes? If so, did Clevinger take these photos, or are they from books and magazines?

The reports say that Clevinger was planning on making a visit to Jasmine Trail, but that he was arrested before he could go. Was Clevinger a member, and had he visited there in the past? Did he visit other nudist or naturist venues?

Why did Jasmine Trail remove all nude photos of both adults and children from their website? Were they advised by an attorney, or by AANR, or did they just panic?

Why was Clevinger's bond increased from $50,000 to $250,000?

Why is Jasmine Trail the subject of an investigation if there have been absolutely no complaints?

Since there have been no complaints, why does Department of Social Services director Bob Johnson say that parents who take their children to Jasmine Trail should be charged with neglect and that it would be "a very easy case to prove?"

Since there have been no complaints, why is District Attorney Scott Thomas planning on asking lawmakers to place age restrictions on nudist resorts?

One possible answer to all these questions comes to mind.

The DA and police were probably frustrated with the numerous complaints against Clevinger, which were likely over nude photos which didn't rise to the level of real child pornography, which is probably why he was never arrested before now, and why he has not been charged with kiddie porn.

Instead, the DA decided to charge Clevinger with "taking indecent liberties with a minor and first degree sexual exploitation of a minor", focusing more on the man's behavior rather than on the photos themselves.

Knowing that this would be more difficult to prove in court, the DA decided to ratchet up his investigation to include Jasmine Trail Nudist Campground, even calling in the FBI in order to lend a sense of urgency to his crusade.

If he can convince the public that naturism is a sexual behavior, and that naturist parents are guilty of neglect, and that nude photos on a resort's website are exploitative, then that strengthens his case against Clevinger, who is described as a naturist parent.

To me, this appears to be a classic witch hunt, in concert with a local television station which has provided sensationalism and a bias against naturism designed to rouse the rabble to stand behind this DA who promises to protect the children of North Carolina.

He's also planning on consulting with the Attorney General and lawmakers to write new legislation against naturists. This guy is covering all the bases, hoping at least something will stick so he can use it against Clevinger.

This is all my opinion, of course, but it seems to make some sense. Take note that the stories never refer to Clevinger as a pedophile, child molester or a pornographer - instead, words like "inappropriate", "indecent liberties", "exploitation", and "intent" are thrown around.

Worst case scenario is that this district attorney succeeds in hanging Clevinger for having non-sexual nude photos of a child (or children) by taking down Jasmine Trail and legislating nudism in the process. While Mark Foley failed in demonizing nudist resorts in Florida, this DA could succeed because he's creating a climate of anti-nudism - witness the recent online unscientific poll which found that nearly 70% of respondents support age restrictions at nudist venues. The poll proves nothing since it could have been bombed by a mobilized effort to skew the results, but anyone watching the TV station or reading their website will now believe that the vast majority of people want children out of nudism altogether.

The first shots in the public relations war over this particular case have been fired, all from one side. Do nudist and naturist organizations have the mettle and means to fight back? Time will tell.

Update on Jasmine Trail in North Carolina

As previously noted, there is an investigating being launched against Jasmine Trail Nudist Campground in North Carolina. The local district attorney has called in the FBI.

There have been a lot of questions about why anyone would investigate a nudist resort when there have been zero complaints against the facility.

It turns out that that a local NC school psychologist was arrested and charged with taking "indecent liberties with a minor and first degree sexual exploitation of a minor" by taking nude photos of a boy. Apparently investigators found that this man's online profile included Jasmine Trail and decided to expand their probe.

The report does not state the exact nature of the photos in question, but the North Carolina statute on first degree sexual exploitation of a minor is pretty clear that sexual activity is likely depicted.

The man in question, Johnny Clevenger, reportedly planned to visit Jasmine Trail but was arrested before he made the trip. Had he made it to the campground, he would have been greeted at the gate, engaged in conversation, filled out a registration form, and given a tour of the park. All this is according to the Jasmine Trail website. There is no mention if new visitors undergo any type of background check.

Since Clevenger was a school psychologist, are officials now investigating the school for hiring him? Did he belong to a church, a country club, was he a Scoutmaster, did he belong to any fraternal groups? Are those organizations also subject to scrutiny?

It's clear that these people as singling out Jasmine Trail and its members for criminal investigation based upon mere circumstance and common misconceptions. I'm certain that there is no way, no how, the owners and members of Jasmine Trail would have allowed Clevenger to remain on the property had he shown any sign of voyeuristic or other sexual behavior. He would not have been allowed to bring in a camera, and if he showed any sign of being overtly interested in children, they would have called the police.

Chances are the child who officials allege was exploited by the school psychologist would have been far safer at Jasmine Trail than wherever the exploitation took place.

There are bad people everywhere. With all the sex scandals in the US Congress, nobody is calling for an investigation of all Senators and Representatives. The Catholic Church has been dealing with hundreds of child abuse cases involving priests, but nobody is calling for an investigation of all churches. Singling out Jasmine Trail merely because one alleged pervert thought about going there is a fishing expedition designed merely to further the careers of elected politicians.

Because of the behavior of one man, who had no official connection to Jasmine Trail, this district attorney has called in the FBI to investigate photos which were on the park's website, is calling into question the fitness of the parents who practice naturism with their families, and wants legislation drafted to make it illegal for children to be naturists.

I have a bad feeling about this whole case. While I doubt that the FBI will find anything, just the fact that they are investigating is highly damaging to the Jasmine Trail's reputation, and certainly anyone planning a visit to the park will think twice about going, especially with children.

I'd like to see AANR and TNS encourage all of its members to go to Jasmine Trail on a designated day as a show of support, and call in the press. The nudist population in Pasco County was under similar attack several years ago from Rep. Mark Foley - perhaps they could pile into buses for the 12 hour drive to Jasmine Trail. Imagine hundreds of nudist and naturists from all over gathering to dispel the myths about the lifestyle and telling government to leave them alone.

UPDATE: Here's a link to the original stories about the school psychologist.

FBI Investigating North Carolina Nudist Resort

WITN News reports that North Carolina District Attorney Scott Thomas and the FBI are looking into the Jasmine Trail Nudist Campground "where kids are naked with adults, and the campground's website that shows pictures of naked kids."

Thomas says his office is looking into whether any state laws like indecent exposure or exploitation are being broken. He's also asked the FBI to take a look at the Jasmine Trail website and advertisements to see if any federal laws are being violated.

Another big concern is the possibility that places like Jasmine Trail could attract pedophiles. Thomas says, "When you have children involved and children being exposed to other adults and certainly other adults not even related and they're there with no clothes on it certainly, in my mind, raises a security issue and safety issue for the child."

Thomas says he wants new legislation to ban children from nudist venues. AANR is defending the resort.

American Association for Nude Recreation spokeswoman, Carolyn Hawkins, says there is nothing inappropriate, lewd, sexual, or perverted about what's going on. "Having a child at a nudist resort...It's just one of the, in my opinion, one of the greatest things that I've ever done in my life. My children, my grandchildren, my great grandchildren are all nudists."

It needs to be said up front and clearly that there are NO COMPLAINTS against Jasmine Trail, this is entirely a manufactured controversy by an overzealous attorney general who is not interested in the law, but in furthering his own political career.

Be sure to watch the video here from WITN TV, which treats the subject like Chris Hansen entrapping child predators on Dateline, with the reporter standing outside the resort saying that the owners refused to talk to him. AANR spokesperson Carolyn Hawkins in a phone interview is no match for DA Thomas and Human Services Director Bob Johnson, who are interviewed on camera expressing their concerns about "fit" parents and conflicted children. Johnson says that in an ideal world family nudism would be OK, but that in a realistic world such activity is bad.

"We would have to look at the area from the standpoint of neglect and I think it would be a very easy case to prove."

This has been coming for some time now, with increased hysteria over pedophiles, child pornography, and teen sexting. Make no mistake here - with the involvement of the FBI, these people intend to bust the owners and members of Jasmine Trail for child exploitation, neglect, indecent exposure and child pornography, which would be the beginning of the end for all family nudist venues.

Take children out of nudism, and you kill nudism. Simple as that. This is Mark Foley all over again, but this time with the FBI involved, and in a region of the country which might be more willing to condemn nudism. In the minds of these public officials, and through the damning television report, the people at Jasmine Trail have already been found guilty.

NOTE: It appears that all photographs of children have been removed from the Jasmine Trail website, which is tantamount to an admission of guilt. Morley Schloss and Sunsport Gardens are about the only ones left in naturist cyberspace willing to post photos of children engaging in wholesome nude recreation.