The final chapter has been written for one good
nudist whose misfortune it was to fall beneath the weight of political
ambition, intolerance, ignorance and superstition, reminiscent of the days of
the Salem “witches.”
On June 30, 1956, with others, Marvin Weissenborn and his wife Lulubelle, were peacefully sunbathing with their three children on the grounds of an ASA affiliated club in the outskirts of a little Michigan village best known for products other than tolerance. The villagers themselves however, had never had any complaint to make about the operation of the sunbathing park.
Mrs. Weissenborn had been in poor health for quite some time and appeared to be improving under the beneficial rays of Old Doctor Sun. The day was balmy and the sun warm. A slight, pleasant breeze was blowing. Birds were chirping. The children were playing happily. The air oozed contentment.
Into this wholesome and peaceful scene, with all the impact of a Russian tank, rush armed agents of a politically ambitious assistant district attorney, where they pounced upon the family, tore away their children ages 8, 10 and 11, and carted them off to the Calhoon County Juvenile Home like common delinquents, while they lodged the father in jail like a common criminal.
The raid and the taking of her three young daughters, was such a shock that Mrs. Weissenborn immediately became seriously ill, to the extent that she could not be tried along with her husband and three others.
Mrs. Weissenborn continued to become weaker and died on Wednesday November 7th.
There appears to be no question but that she made to the supreme sacrifice for nudism, for the constitutionally guaranteed rights of freedom of assembly, the preservation of human dignity, for the right of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. She might well have been alive today had it not been for this uncalled-for incident of persecution by the Michigan authorities. May her death long weigh heavily upon the conscience of the Court. May every one of the raiding officers and those other Cossacks responsible for tearing three young daughters from the arms of a dying mother, be awakened at night by thoughts of what they have perpetrated.
Mrs. Weissenborn’s funeral was held Saturday, November 10th in this “enlightened” year of our Lord 1956.
HELP MAKE AMERICA SAFE FOR NUDISM
But what of those other nudists arrested at Sunshine Gardens? There is nothing which can possibly fill the void in the heart of Marvin Weissenborn, left there by the loss of his beloved wife. NO ONE will ever be able to make up to three young children, the loss of a mother’s loving care. The costliest of sacrifices has been laid upon the altar of civil rights. Let us proceed to make it impossible for such an abortion of justice to take place ever again.
The American Sunbathing Association has engaged an attorney who has filed a motion for a new trial. The hearing on the motion was to have been heard November 5th, but was postponed until early in January because of the fact that the transcript of the previous Circuit Court trial was not yet ready. This motion for a new trial is the first step toward the appeal to the Michigan Supreme Court.
The ASA attorneys, at least two of them members- one a judge, have been doing countless hours of research into court decisions and Michigan law in order to help insure a victory in tis important case which actually involves all of us and indeed, the very future of nudism in America. Much of the work is being done by ASA attorneys at no cost to the association in order to keep the over-all cost as low as possible, yet there are other expenses which they cannot be expected to assume. It is necessary to bring outside attorneys into the case and their fees, filing fees, transcript of proceedings etc., will amount to thousands of dollars.
The ASA has set a goal of $10,000 needed to carry this case to a successful conclusion. Receipts thus far have been $3,902.43. Still needed is at least $6,097.57.
We do not ask that you die for nudism, but we do pray that you will make a sacrifice. You will not miss the one dollar that the ASA has asked for from each member –so don’t send only a dollar. DO SEND $10, $50, $100. Send enough so that it hurts! Send enough so that you will feel a little blood has been drawn, enough so that you will KNOW and REMEMBER that you have done something to HELP MAKE AMERICA SAFE FOR NUDISM! The address is: Legal Fund, Box 38A, Mays Landing, New Jersey.
There will be other attacks against nudists, of that make no mistake. Let us be ready. Let us build up a legal fund adequate and immediately available for the defense of nudists and nudist principles wherever they may be brought under attack. In the words of our Executive Director:
“Those who would deprive us
of our freedom to live and practice our nudist beliefs, if they should win,
will seek to deprive us of other freedoms. We have been guaranteed those
freedoms by the Constitution of the United States, written by those who paid
witht heir blood and risked their lives that those freedoms might be ours. Are
we any the less willing to fight for them? Only you will be able to give us the
answer to that question. What IS your answer?”
(Source: The Original Nudist Newsletter, Issue Number 60,
January,1957, page 1)
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