I see you; you see me; nudity's here to stay
by Keith Ludwick, Photo Editor

   While trying to figure out a topic for this article, my mind kept drifting toward my recent excursion to the Vista Nude Ranch in Weatherford. Then, I began to question whether or not I should write about that. Next, I began to wonder if it would even be published.
   After all, the topic of nudity is still very much a subject of controversy.
   Howard Stern has been ruthlessly attacked over the years for his use of naked women in his studio.
   Artists have been arrested for using nude models in public to create new and exciting works of art.
   Normal folks have been arrested for daring to go bare on public beaches.
   Protesters, knowing full well the shock value of nudity, have recently used their naked bodies to command attention to their various agendas.
   Is the naked body really so perverse and threatening that people should have to be arrested for exposing themselves?
   I have never understood this country's vehemence toward nudity. In Europe, the nude body is a part of everyday normalcy. It can be seen on television ads, in game shows and even on news broadcasts.
   Yet in this country, there was a strong movement to bar an episode of NYPD Blue from airing on national television because of its depiction of the nude body. Nobody even seemed to care about the harsh language or the graphic displays of violence.
   From where does the animosity stem? Is it because the majority of folks don't measure up to what is commonly accepted as being beautiful?
   Perhaps a day out at the ranch would do a lot to change people's mindsets toward the nude body.
   It was there that I learned something that nudists have known for years: It is the perfect body that is abnormal. These were real folks with real flaws who were neither inhibited nor ashamed of their bodies.
   I was glad for the time I spent at the ranch, and I fully intend to go back.
   While the debate rages on over nudity, my only concerns will be whether or not I brought along enough sun block.
  I will be lounging by the pool, enjoying friendly conversation and saving a fortune in laundry expenses. What a world!