Please Decriminalize Massage and Touch In Berkeley

An open letter to the Berkeley City Council and the Chief of Police

Dear Berkeley City Council Members and Chief of Police Hambleton,

First, I want to thank Berkeley's Chief of Police, Douglas Hambleton, for bringing the issue of the licensing of massage back to the table. Doing so has opened the door for setting things straight so many who are working off the radar, in Berkeley, could be given a chance to come in out of the cold. I know what that is like, having done it for so many years myself. Being licensed not only feels better, but allows me to truly become active from within the system without the fear of being chastised for not being in compliance with the law.

There is a lot more to touch than sex, violence and massage therapy. By this I am suggesting Berkeley become the bellwether citystate for creating a licensing system that is accepting of all folk providing touch for income, no matter the level their training, so long as they are in a training leading to at least the old standard set, in Berkeley, of 70 hours. (Let's not forget CA is unique in the State surrendered the power for the licensing of massage to cities and counties in the 1970's)

The permit would be available to all looking to do touch anywhere, at any time with any consenting adult, in Berkeley, FOR INCOME. Those with permanent structures (aka parlors or offices using massage as part of their operation) are to be held accountable that a person has that license or the permit being put forth by the state level CAMTC noted in the newly proposed ordinance. Hitting here will take you to a letter I wrote to Senator Oropeza (via fax) and the Assembly Committee on Business and Professions with a similar suggestion for the state level.

This link will take you to an ongoing public discussion related to the politics of massage. The list reflects the varied opinions hardly heard because of their being only one truly organized lobbying group in the massage profession, the 501(c)6 AMTA, with the expressed goal of "fair and consistent" licensing throughout the land. Unfortunately the fair and consistent licensing much more benifits schools and other industry players and not those receiving or giving the work.

This link will take you to a blog discussing some of the potential problems for the organization you are looking to institute as the only way of entry for providing touch, for income, in the City of Berkeley.

In closing I ask you merely tweak the existing ordinance especially removing the following:

B. "Bona fide massage therapy school" means an institution, school, or training center providing a course of training in bodywork, healing arts, massage, or touch therapy and issuing a diploma or certificate upon completion of at least five hundred (500) hours of classroom instruction.

C. "Massage" means any method of pressure on or friction against, or stroking, kneading, rubbing, tapping, pounding, vibrating or stimulating of the exterior of the body with or without the aid of any devices, appliances, tools, or topical preparations such as lotions, rubbing alcohol, or creams.

Removing those two items would make it much more inclusive for those who have very adequate trainings of less than 500 hours from different arenas able to provide touch for income, in Berkeley, legally. The upcoming CAMTC governance would make it much easier for those who choose to be employees of chain operations requiring working in different municipalites.

If the links in this mailing do not work, working links may be found at http://iscaaty.blogspot.com/

Sincerely,

Robert Flammia

Berkeley LMT