Political Science Lecture #1

The class is in a large lecture hall. The teacher, an old balding gentlemen speaks in long overdrawn sentences.

"Grading is only on exams. There are no homework, no attendance requirements and no seating charts. I am too close to retirement to care. The class is pretty basic and you can learn all of this in the textbook and honestly, there are only two reasons you need to take this class instead of having to read the textbook by yourself.

First, the college wants your tuition. They can't charge you for reading a book, well can, and they do in the literature classes but anyway, that's the first reason. And the second, it's, so I can get paid from that tuition."

A few students whisper.

"I have lost all faith about this institution, so here is my deal with you guys. If you do read the book, I guarantee you'll get an A in the exams, not because I will give it you, not because it's easy, but because reading the book even just once will be enough to understand the basics. In exchange, I'll cover the book in my classes to make sure you understand, I'll answer questions, and then everything is clear and there are no questions, I'll tell you about the weird shit that I have seen over the years in my classes."

The class laughs.

"Oh yeah, I see you mister Fox. I know you are one of the nudist agitators on campus. Am I wrong?"

"Well, no. That's not what we would call ourselves, but yeah. I am"

"Ok little punk. Let me tell you my first story. When I was in college, here of all places, like centuries ago"

People laugh.

"We had naturist activists on campus"

"Yeah, that's what we call ourselves", Mr Fox said.

"I know dumb ass, I just told you so."

"But..."

"Do you want to hear the fucking story?"

People laugh.

"Oh, it's funny hearing a professor say fucking? Do you realize how much this college is charging you to hear me say that? You should be furious at me for taking this class so lightly, not happy you'll probably be an easy A and get an elderly professor who will probably die before he retires and I retire next year"

People somehow managed not to laugh.

"So, little punk. This college has a history of naturist activists. It's because there are a lot of naturist resorts nearby, well, there were since a few closed, where people actually live and raise kids, right?"

"Yeah, I grew up on one"

"Sunny brooke?"

"Yeah... how did you know?"

"Because, little punk, you're not from Cherry peak and I took a guess. Anyway, so someone had to start these actions. It was started by a young couple full of ideals from the Cherry peak naturist village, and they fought for students to be able to do naturist activities. Back then, I think a good 20 to 25% of the students were naturists so it helped but now you are what, 4%?"

"Maybe, We do get naturists from everywhere now"

"Yeah, this college is now famous! Back then this was just a little regional college so the kids we got were the kids from the area and the kids from the area often came from families who moved here to live in a naturist resort, so that 20-25% were naturist."

"That's a lot"

"Yeah. So this couple fought and won. Students could then attend classes and everything completely nude! Over the years, this eroded as more students joined the college and the naturists got diluted."

"That's sad", Mr. Fox said.

"You do realize this is not a conversion Mr. Fox. I am talking, you are supposed to be listening?"

"Sorry"

"So, this year, we have a sad thing to celebrate. Mrs Janelle Monroe, the main activist who fought for a clothing optional campus, died this summer in her sleep of a breast cancer after a long fight. You can see her in a memorial to her in the administrative building. You will indeed be able to see naked pictures with her boyfriend and later husband demonstrating on campus. You might want to think, gees this girl has great boobies, but please keep in mind that it is these boobies that killed her. And guys, this is college, we can say breasts."

A slight pause, no one laughed.

"So this year, to show how a political action can occur, we will study the activism of the late Janelle Monroe. We will see how she managed to effect changes, how she properly communicated her demands. Nothing about this will be on the exam. Nothing will matter for your grade. But everything will matter for your own life, because those lessons could be about the civil rights movement, about the fight against slavery, women's suffrage or the independence. This year, instead of these, will talk about Janelle. Does anyone have a problem with this?"

No one says anything.

"That also means that next week, this class will officially be clothing optional for students, like all the other classes on campus. Mr Fox, if you want to get other naturists pals of yours to join, I have sign-up sheets for them. If anyone is uncomfortable with nudity, I suggest you drop this class, and possibly change college because this class will ripple on the other ones and you will see more and more nude students. Why? Because I am about to retire and I don't want to roll over anymore."

"I do have one rule that I will no break. We will talk about the activities of Janelle Monroe and of her compatriots in her fight, but we will not address the actions or history of her eventual husband, James Finley, ever"

A female student raises her hand.

"Aren't you James Finley?"

"I am. That will be all. Quitting paper and late registrations will be here. I will not be taking any questions today about my late wife."

Damn... you thought. This could be interesting!