We
are very sorry to say that Freedom
Days 2004 has been canceled on May 21, 2004. Club Freedom, CFI and Wild Water
Adventures have jointly agreed to not have the event. We thank Wild Water Adventures
for all of their support and acceptance. We have sold admissions tickets
from all over the world, Japan, Australia, UK, Croatia, etc. We gave full
refunds. The added business for hotels and restaurants would have helped
the local economy.
The media frenzy was amazing. In Fresno, California, for
three days in a row starting May 20, 2004, we were the number one story
on CBS's
Channel 47 Evening News, the number one story for two days on ABC's
Channel 30 Action News and NBC's Channel 24. Plus on the cover of the
Fresno
Bee for two days. Read article here: Page 1,
continued on back page. Getting the words "wholesome
family event" on the cover of Central California's leading newspaper is
quite a feat. The aftershock a few days later caused many letters to the
editor of the Fresno Bee. Here are two of them: Keep
it hidden and Not so free.
One local pastor (pictured) wanted all the local churches
to boycott Wild Water Adventures. Some other pastors disagreed. Later,
the Fresno Bee printed letters to the editor all in favor of the event.
Here
is just a sample of the media coverage over the three days:
First evening, number
one story on
CBS's Channel 47 in Central
California.
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Next day, number
one story on
all three networks including
here on ABC's
Channel 30 Action News.
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That evening, number
one story on
CBS's Channel 47 at 11
PM.
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After being canceled,
number one story
on all three networks
the next day and here on
CBS's Channel 47.
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We are contacting other amusement places at this time.
We are putting together packages showing the media frenzy that happened
in Fresno to show the added publicity they would probably get. We will
keep you posted on the front of ClothesFree.com.
Local churches and citizens said they would boycott the
water park if they let us use it. Pastor G. L. Johnson from People's Church
in Fresno said on CBS's Channel 47 he would contact all the churches in
the valley to encourage them to boycott the water park. We have never had
problems like this before at any of our events. Pastor Doug Ainley from
the Valley Christian Center explained, "We will withhold financial support
of the water park. If that's what it takes to uphold the community, holding
to values and systems that we hold, then that's the route we take." Ainley
says the bible teaches that nudity is to be confined to the relationship
between a man and a woman in holy marriage ... and that alone.
Many other pastors who have contacted us disagree when
it comes to simple nudity. Many of our members are Christian and believe
in the bible's statement about being naked an unashamed. Strong family
and naturist values promote body acceptance and a good self image for all
ages. The more people see non-sexual nudity, the less they associate it
with lust. See positive response from a pastor here.
A poll on Channel 47 says 79% of people support Wild Water
Adventures' decision to make its facility available to us, up from 58%
the day of the announcement. But Channel 47's website calling our event
"Girls Gone Wild" on the front page didn't help. Our events are family
oriented and not associated in any way with "Girls Gone Wild".
We do not force our values on others, we highly respect
the values of others but if we can't congregate and rent private property,
out of public view on a normally closed weekend, without a few forcing
their ways on us, we are not living in a very free society. Education is
the answer and maybe more laws to protect us from discrimination.
We did sign a contract that allowed the park to back out
if there was a negative community response.
Discuss this in the ClothesFree
Forums.
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