Replies

The allegations made were made by people who had never visited the camp.

How do you know that?

The most offensive thing anyone has seen at the camp according to the article, is glimpsing a nude hiker along a wooded path.

I missed that in the article. Can you point it out?

These are the types of allegations made against the Davidians by the FEDS and we all saw what happened there.

If the Feds come in with tanks I'm on the witches' side.

Honestly, do you think the town if they could have, would have found a much better reason to shut down the camp if one existed?

I don't know why a permit was needed in the first place but that one was much indicates the use was not by right. And being a public nuisance is a good reason for revoking a permit. This camp very well may have been one.

"The Leavenworth County commissioners denied the renewal for the permit, issued six years ago, in late October after a community petition raised accusations that the retreat fostered public nudity, pedophilia, and illegal drug and alcohol use. Neighbors also expressed concern about devil worship." The concerns were raised by petition, hardly evidence to shut the camp down. Also I believe devil worship, although distasteful is legal at this time. Also how did a "private" retreat on private land foster "public nudity"? "The suit claims the commissioners' denial is illegal and unconstitutional, as well as violating laws protecting freedom of religious expression and practice." BINGO "Lawyers for the county declined to comment." Surprise, surprise "The retreat denies any illegal activity, and county officials say there is no evidence of any." That should end the argument right there. If there is no evidence of illegal activity, and the local government still attempts to close the camp, then one can only assume the reason to be opposition to the religion practiced there. The town is in direct violation of the constitution. It couldn't be more cut and dry.

"Yet, quietly, the center's very existence griped some. The occasional sighting of nude hikers upset a few neighbors. Others wondered if there wasn't some kinky stuff going on, not that the suspicions were based on anything but someone's dirty mind" In reference to where in the article this was, it was my mistake. It was in a related article on the same campground in the Kansas City Star. Someone else posted this article.