An appeal for help re: Steve Gough (The Naked Rambler)

Steve Gough has been sentenced to another 21 months in prison, which will make it 8 years by the time he comes up for release again. And for what? Something which is legal (i.e. inoffensive nudity in a public place), and refusing to take the Scottish Police & Judiciary's bullying on the matter. Whatever your views on Steve's strategy, you have to ask how proportionate The Establishment's reaction to this is, and question this vast waste of public money.

Steve has asked me to see if anyone will come forward to help with some advice or guidance on two issues:

Firstly he writes "What is the next step if I have exhausted all the complaints procedure within the prison service, including writing to the prisons Minister? This is to do with me not getting full medical treatment, including getting to see [a] dentist. Remember , I'm representing myself. It could be as simple as asking for forms from the local Courts, as I presume it must start there (Perth Courts). I can't seem to get a simple answer from anyone. I have written to local universities, asked solicitors, yet I still haven't got a clue what the answer is." If anyone can help, either contact me or direct to Steve (see later).

Secondly, after writing about his plans to appeal as far as he can in the UK, he adds "If no joy there, then it will have to be a petition to the Human Rights Courts at Strasbourg." If there is anyone who can advise him on that, please get in touch either with me, or Steve direct, by writing to:

Stephen Gough,
Prisoner No. 81590
Segregation Unit
HMP Perth
3 Edinburgh Road
PERTH, Scotland.
PH2 8AT
--
Duncan Heenan
duncanheenan@tiscali.co.uk

Stephen's Song

Stephen's Song

Sad news, sad news,

Come to me where I sleep,

Turn, turn, turn again.

Sayin' one of your friends

Is in trouble deep,

Turn, turn to the wind

And the rain.

Tell me the trouble,

Tell once with your mouth,

Turn, turn, turn again.

A Scottish prison

And twenty-one months,

Turn, turn to the wind

And the rain.

Oh what's the charge

Of how this came to be,

Turn, turn, turn again.

Public nudity

In the highest of degree,

Turn, turn to the wind

And the rain.

I sat down and wrote

The best words I could write,

Turn, turn, turn again.

Explaining to the judge

I'd be there on Wednesday night,

Turn, turn to the wind

And the rain.

Without a reply,

I left by the moon,

Turn, turn, turn again.

And was in his chambers

By the next afternoon,

Turn, turn to the wind

And the rain.

Could ya tell me the facts?

I said without fear,

Turn, turn, turn again.

That a friend of mine

Would get nearly two years,

Turn, turn to the wind

And the rain.

He walked on the highway

Naked as the day he was born,

Turn, turn, turn again.

Some people were offended,

You can't say he wasn't warned,

Turn, turn to the wind

And the rain.

But I knew him as good

As I'm knowin' myself,

Turn, turn, turn again.

And he wouldn't harm a life

That belonged to someone else,

Turn, turn to the wind

And the rain.

The judge spoke

Out of the side of his mouth,

Turn, turn, turn again.

Sayin', "The witness who saw,

He left little doubt,"

Turn, turn to the wind

And the rain.

That may be true,

He was walking in the nude,

Turn, turn, turn again.

But there's no evidence

He was doing anything lewd,

Turn, turn to the wind

And the rain.

Too late, too late,

For his case it is sealed,

Turn, turn, turn again.

His sentence is passed

And it cannot be repealed,

Turn, turn to the wind

And the rain.

But he ain't no criminal

And his crime it is none,

Turn, turn, turn again.

If they can do this to him

They can do it to anyone,

Turn, turn to the wind

And the rain.

And at that the judge jerked forward

And his face it did freeze,

Turn, turn, turn again.

Sayin', "Could you kindly leave

My office now, please,"

Turn, turn to the wind

And the rain.

Well his eyes looked funny

And I stood up so slow,

Turn, turn, turn again.

With no other choice

Except for me to go,

Turn, turn to the wind

And the rain.

I walked down the hallway

And I heard his door slam,

Turn, turn, turn again.

I walked down the courthouse stairs

And I did not understand,

Turn, turn to the wind

And the rain.

And where were all the people

Who said they would be here?
Turn, turn, turn again.
A crowd at this courthouse

Might have made his message clear,
Turn, turn to the wind

And the rain.

And I played my guitar

Through the night to the day,

Turn, turn, turn again.

And the only tune

My guitar could play

Was, "Oh how Cruel the Wind

and the Rain."

(For Stephen Gough, sung to the tune of Percy's Song by Bob Dylan, based on the version recorded by Arlo Guthrie)

Stephen Gough Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for Nudity

Story here.

Stephen Gough, 50, was jailed for 21 months after being found guilty of breaching the peace and being in contempt of court.
Gough turned down an offer of freedom if he got dressed - and was warned he could spend many more years in prison.

Gough Plays the Insanity Card

No, Naked Rambler Stephen Gough is not claiming to be insane, he's declaring the Scottish justice system to be insane.

The ex-Royal Marine, 50, says: "To live by beliefs that are irrational, that are not based in reality, means that I suffer.

"How do I know what is rational or true? By questioning my beliefs and being honest with myself."

He adds: "Why am I naked? Because I believe the human body is not indecent, harmful or bad.

"If it were true, it would mean I am also indecent and it would mean I'd be divided against myself.

"If I lived in a truly free and sane society, I wouldn't be arrested and imprisoned for simply being naked.

"By refusing to comply with an irrational request to get dressed, I'm bringing attention to a contradiction that exists in our society.

"A society, so we are told, that founds its justice system on truth and reason. So surely, if there is some error in the system we will want it pointed out urgently. That is exactly what I'm doing."

He adds that he understands going out naked goes against what is "normal and customary" but says "what is normal isn't always healthy".

It is also reported that people will be gathering to protest at Gough's sentencing next week, and that a naked run through London is planned in support of his cause.

"God Bless the Naked Rambler"

Support is growing for Stephen Gough, the U.K.'s "Naked Rambler", who languishes in prison because he refuses to wear clothes in public. LadyGod1va, recently featured on the cover of Going Natural Magazine, has started a Facebook group in his support, which now has more members than the one started by The Naturist Society over a year ago.

More than 400 people have signed on to another Facebook page backing a naked run through London in February as a protest against the state incarcerating Gough for merely being nude.

British Naturism should get behind Gough, not because they necessarily consider him a naturist, and not because they approve of his methods, but simply because the issue of personal freedom is at the heart of naturism. Gough is a political prisoner of the state, make no mistake, and his persecution is a threat to everyone who values life and liberty. Being nude is not illegal in the United Kingdom, and Gough is in jail for "breaching the peace", even when the only "offended" people are the police themselves.

Gough might not be the poster child that naturism is looking for, but this government crackdown on nudity could extend to beaches or other naturist areas if this man is allowed to remain jailed for life.

Free Stephen Gough now.

Yet More Support for Stephen Gough

Further evidence that British Naturism is on the wrong side of the argument when it comes to the plight of Stephen Gough.

Gough's behaviour is obviously unusual. But abnormal is not the same thing as criminal. While he has been adjudged to have broken the law, it's hard to see what crime he has committed. Any society that thinks prison is the correct place for him has lost grip of a basic principle of liberty. "Man is born free," wrote Rousseau, "but everywhere he is in chains."

In his own eccentric way, Stephen Gough has been trying to break those chains. He may be wrong, he may be misguided, but he's not evil. In treating him as though he were, the Scottish authorities have got their knickers in a twist. And that will prove far more damaging than not wearing any knickers at all.

Damn right.

"It's the judges that need to be psychologically examined."

Very good article on the trials and tribulations of the UK's "Naked Rambler".

Since the 1920s, British culture has had ample opportunity to get used to naked people in public. From the bouncy exuberance of streaker Erica Roe in the 80s, to the artfully nude "calendar girls" of the Women's Institute in the 90s to the barrage of scantily clad bodies on TV and online, we now have endless opportunities to see the naked human form...And what of the stance taken by Scottish police? Does the relatively hard line they have taken with Gough speak of Scottish repression? Not so, say police in Scotland, who claim to be protecting the public. Not everyone agrees. Mark Stephens, of law firm Finers Stephens Innocent in London, says the Scottish police and law courts are overreacting.

"In England we've taken the view that Stephen Gough is not a danger to society but is a harmless eccentric, part of life's rich tapestry and we won't waste police time and money on him. In Scotland, a more prudish approach has been taken."

On thing is certain, going naked isn't cheap. Gough's latest bid to remain naked has cost the public purse more than £200,000. Psychologist Alexander Wedderburn said: "I can't believe the law should spend public money in such a way. I don't think we should be looking for psychological explanations for Gough's behaviour. It's the judges that need to be psychologically examined."

British Naturism Abandons Stephen Gough

In no uncertain terms, British Naturism has abandoned Stephen Gough.

"Real naturists are respectful of the feelings of others," says Andrew Welch, a spokesman for the Central Council for British Naturism. "We can't support Steve Gough's actions because they're regressive and damage the image we try to promote." Vince Bethell, the founder of a more militant nudity-advocacy group, Freedom To Be Yourself, is equally scathing, describing Gough as an "attention seeker using public nakedness to feed his ego", and darkly suggesting that the ex-Marine – whom he once advised – is a sexual exhibitionist.

This is a fatalistic attitude. It's time for "others" to be respectful of the feelings of naturists, too. And, Mr. Welch, did not British Naturism sponsor a 20 mile nude walk for charity in 2007? How is that any different than what Mr. Gough is doing? If the "Naked Rambler" did it for charity, would that make it all OK? The fact that you undertook the walk under your "public acceptance of naturism" policy doesn't make the event any less confrontational, since 10 police officers, patrol cars and a helicopter were called in because your group was considered a "risk to the public".

A Dorset police spokesman defended the operation, saying: "The coastal path is a busy tourist area with the path being used by more than 200 people on a summer Saturday, including significant numbers of children. We received a total of 18 complaints from the public about nudity during the walk."

One naturist was arrested during the walk and charged with harassment, but the case was later dropped due to lack of evidence that anyone had actually been distressed by the nudity. I don't see any evidence that British Naturism abandoned this man or any of the other walkers on that day.

Nudity is NOT ILLEGAL in the UK. Stephen Gough is in jail for "breaching the peace". He has harmed NO ONE. For British Naturism to brush him aside like an inconsequential gnat only reinforces the notion that nudity is illegal, harmful, lewd and unacceptable. Grow a pair, BN, and fight for the cause that matters. Free Stephen Gough should be priority one.

Is Stephen Gough Winning the War by Losing the Battles?

It has been reported that British man Stephen Gough, also known as "The Naked Rambler", could spend the rest of his life in prison if he refuses to wear pants in public. The UK has already spent $400,000 keeping him in jail.

While Gough has been languishing in jail for the better part of the last six years, several participants in sculptor Antony Gormley's "The Fourth Plinth" project in Trafalgar Square used partial and complete nudity in their performances. Only one of the plinth occupants was asked by police to cover up, but later it was revealed that it is "not an offense to be simply naked in the U.K.", and the police had exceeded their powers.

Eventually the persecution of Gough will rise to the level of being absurd. That tipping point might be near, but there needs to be real support from British naturists. Chris Lamb, who joined Gough once on a "naked ramble", had this to say, "It seems a terrible tragic waste for that to happen. It really shouldn't be necessary but I can understand why the Scottish authorities get so upset. They feel their authority is being challenged."

It's time for British Naturism to challenge authority in support of Stephen Gough. Maybe he's not the poster child for naturism that they are looking for, maybe he's a bit too stubborn and eccentric, but there's an important battle here to be won. If 100 nude people march in protest of Gough's incarceration, perhaps it will spark public opinion and make authorities change their mind about keeping this man in jail for his entire life simply because he wants to live in the nude.

The question is: can British naturists afford to ignore Gough any longer without harming their own personal liberties? The longer he remains in jail, the more a person's right to be nude erodes.

Free Stephen Gough, now.

The Daily Newds 11/18/08

• Skinny dipping on Danish beaches has been declared a legal right.
• Professor Linda Kay is recognized by a former student while she is completely nude in a locker room.

  My daughter, who just entered university and is the same age as many of my students, calls it "highly disturbing" that I disrobe at all in a public locker room. When she occasionally accompanies me to the Y for a swim, she'll head to the bathroom to undress in private. She won't even remove her bathing suit in the shower and strongly feels I should follow her lead.
  
  But years of swimming in a master's club at a public pool, where communal showers were the rule, have accustomed me to the open concept. It never fazed me to stand naked before fellow swimmers in my club, maybe because most of us were middle-aged and sagging in similar places.

• The reborn Fontainebleau hotel in Miami will feature a "European bath" where topfree sunbathing will be allowed.
• Nudism could be the answer to help boost the economy in a section of Australia.

  “We’re keen to encourage other people to enjoy the freedom of social nudism. It’s not sleazy, offensive or sexually orientated. Getting your gear off is a great leveller - people aren’t judged by the clothes they wear and everyone interacts happily without preconceived ideas.’’

• A proposed Penthouse casino could feature completely nude women serving as dealers.
• Stephen Gough, Great Britain's "Naked Rambler", has been cleared of a breach of the peace charge for leaving a Glasgow prison without wearing any clothes, due to lack of evidence.
• Actress Kate Hudson is willing to appear nude on screen as long as it's important to the story.

  “My mother and father never made a big deal about nudity in our house. “I often walk around naked or just wearing panties. Actors are all supposed to be emotionally naked anyway,” she said.

Tags: nudism, naturism, nudist, nudists, naturist, naturists, nudity, nudes, bare, au naturel, nude, naked