Posted on 06/20/2003 2:28:15 AM PDT by kattracks
(CNSNews.com) - A congressman who tracks missing and exploited children said he found "truly disturbing" a report of a nudist camp in Florida for children as young as 11 years of age and is calling for an investigation.
Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) asked Gov. Jeb Bush and Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist to investigate a nudist camp for children 11 to 18 years of age at the Lake Como Resort near Tampa.
"As co-chairman of the Congressional Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus, I'm asking that current Florida law be reviewed to determine if this camp is indeed legal or if it has simply slipped under the radar screen of law enforcement for the past 10 years," Foley said in a June 18 letter to Bush and Crist.
"Over the years, while working with John Walsh and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, I have come across many stories of children endangered in even less troubling situations than these camps represent," he said.
The facility, located on a 200-acre site in Pasco County's Land O'Lakes, hosted a week-long nude camp for about 25 children and teenagers that ended last week.
Officials at the governor's and attorney general's office told CNSNews.com they had not received the letter and therefore declined comment.
Foley's letter was prompted by a report in Wednesday editions of the New York Times about the camp, which is sponsored by the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR). The report cited instances when men made their way into the camp and peeped on the children.
Chris Paulitz, communications director for Foley, said the congressman was concerned for the children's wellbeing.
"The New York Times chronicled a couple of incidents when people with ill intent did gain access to these camps and had to be escorted out.
"Now luckily, these children were not harmed, but next time, they might not be so fortunate. We should not be putting children who are the ages of 11, 12 years old who are nude in range of people who may have ill intent," Paulitz said.
An AANR official said, however, that the children were well protected.
"Our children are in no danger whatsoever," said Carolyn Hawkins, an AANR spokeswoman.
"We are about family recreation, and we want to keep it family social nude recreation. We're very protective of our kids, whether it be there or elsewhere," Hawkins added.
The AANR boasts 50,000 members and 260 clubs throughout the United States, Canada and Jamaica. The membership reflects a growing interest nationwide in camps for child and teen nudists, Hawkins said.
Since the Pasco County camp opened 10 years ago, the AANR opened a second camp in Arizona in 2000; a third is to open in Richmond, Va., this month, and a fourth is planned for Texas in 2005, she said.
Parents and campers maintain that the camp promotes a healthy body image among the teens and better communication between the sexes. Campers are protected by adult counselors and sleep in tents isolated from regular resort-goers.
Nudity on private property in Florida is legal, even among minors, so long as there is no illicit sexual behavior. Foley, who lobbied for the Amber Alert network as a way to broadcast missing children's cases across the country, is calling on Bush and Crist to review the law. Foley is running for the U.S. Senate seat held by Democrat Bob Graham.
E-mail a news tip to Lawrence Morahan.
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Oh..yeah, I'll bet a couple of naked 14-16 yr olds of the opposite sex can communicate pretty well. What's left to say?
FReegards, SFS
If you ever see some of the people who frequent these places you will understand that sex would be the farthest thing from your mind.
So if this law is repealed we could have the FBI busting down your door to make sure your kids are fully clothed? Better make sure they're wearing bathing suits in the shower or your lookin at hard time. I wish Republicans would think just a little before they go running to government to solve all problems.
I never hear anybody bring it up in law suits. Has it just died away and all those in power have decided not to obey.
Oh yeah, THAT will go over well!
Bill Clinton and Scott Ritter are already vying for the job of lead investigator.
Please go set up your free state that will tolerate these poisons in the name of "freedom." Move there and take your dope smoking, porn-loving, sodomy-worhsipping, and kiddie nudism-adoring fans with you.
Show us how wonderful a truly "free" society can be.
I told you fool, I ain't a Libertarian.
I'm convinced you're losing it as of late, you don't even make sense anymore. Not that you ever did, but lately you sound afflicted.
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