08/24/2007
Defiant Ft. Lauderdale Mayor Will Risk Tourism for Anti-gay Views
Fort Lauderdale mayor Jim Naugle attended a meeting of the Greater Ft. Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau board on Thursday, and board members demanded Naugle stop his attacks on the gay community. Naugle was defiant, CBS4 reports:
Said executive director Nikki Grossman: "The damage has been done to the destination. We need to get back to work fixing it. The rhetoric needs to stop and the anger, the mischaracterizations and the hurtful mean-spirited rhetoric has to stop."
Oina Lee of Travel Host magazine pleaded with Naugle: "I’m asking you to stop. I’m really asking you to stop.
According to Waymon Hudson of Fightoutloud.org, "Board members said that each time the mayor speaks they receive hundreds of E-mails from potential visitors to Ft Lauderdale, saying they plan to take their money elsewhere. One board member said a 200-person group was scheduled to stay at a prominent hotel in Ft Lauderdale. In light of Naugle's comments, they have placed the reservation, along with $250,000 in revenue, on hold. These concerns have come from not only gay and lesbian travelers, but from other tourists as well. They have said they no longer see the Greater Fort Lauderdale area as a welcoming or safe place to travel."
Said Naugle to the tourism board: "I am the Mayor that’s not going to back down. One of the things that my dad taught me is that it isn't always about the money. It's about doing what's right."
Mayor Larry Gierer of Oakland Park, a city just to the north of Fort Lauderdale, spoke to the Sun-Sentinel's Michael Mayo about Naugle. Gierer is openly gay and HIV-positive.
Said Gierer: "He should think a little bit more before he speaks. But the scary part is, maybe he is thinking. Let me start by saying that I'm truly a happy homosexual. And not only that, I'm a happy homosexual who is HIV-positive. So he really slaps me upside the head. [Naugle is] a flashback to Anita Bryant. His logic, his views...it just sounds antiquated and foolish. He needs to dust the cobwebs off, because so many people have happy homosexuals in their life. I just think he's grasping at straws. It's a way for him to get the spotlight. If he wants to save lives, then promote the use of condoms."
Meanwhile, on Wednesday night Bill O'Reilly gave Naugle a good five minutes to air his fearmongering anti-gay views on national, television, unchallenged. No opposing view was offered.
Flush Naugle [official site]
Tourism Board Wants Mayor To Stop Anti-Gay Remarks [cbs4] (video)
Tourism leaders demand Naugle stop gay attacks [sun-sentinel]
Michael Mayo column: Gay mayor urges Naugle to 'dust the cobwebs off' [sun sentinel]
Posted 8:45 AM EST by Andy in Florida, Fort Lauderdale, News, Travel | Permalink
Comments
I hope Naugle continues until all the businesses in Fort Lauderdale lose tons of money, forcing them to force him out of office. Once again, it's always fine to denigrate and discriminate against gay people. Maybe Bob Allen can join him and they can ban black people in Fort Lauderdale too?
Posted by: Larry | Aug 24, 2007 9:01:19 AM
I wasn't aware Naugle was a Democrat. That's too funny to me since everyone on this blog loves the Democrats and hates the Republikkkans.
Posted by: Matt | Aug 24, 2007 9:18:39 AM
Not everyone loves the Democrats, Matt. Many of us harbor disgust for both.
Although there are a handful of respectable politicians on both sides. Not many though.
Posted by: Wes | Aug 24, 2007 9:44:13 AM
Hopefully the people of FLL are less hateful than Naugle and will vote him out of office at the next election.
Posted by: Gary | Aug 24, 2007 9:46:41 AM
I think some folks have said this is the guy's last term and he can't seek re-election anymore due to term limits.
Coincidence that he starts this now? I doubt it.
However, the folks of FTL should have taken care of this problem years ago. Maybe some power brokers in the area who sat back and did nothing to remove this guy years ago will learn a painful, financial lesson and will take action sooner in the future.
Posted by: ATLSteve | Aug 24, 2007 9:52:56 AM
The park the mayor is talking about is Holiday Park that several years ago was horribly run down and very cruisie and then the city put a lot of money into it for little league teams. There are hundreds of children there on a regular basis now. I hate the mayor but the gay guys cruising there need to realize that the parents there can’t tell if you’re there looking for other men or if you’re a heterosexual man looking to abduct, rape, and murder a little girl. In today’s world a lot of parents are very fearful of any other adults that are near their children and you can’t blame them. As a member of the Gay community I think cruising next to children playing is wrong, there are plenty of other places to go for that.
The mayor really pisses me off but even with all the hoopla in the news about this the police caught two guys this Monday looking for hook-ups in their cars masturbating next to the children area and that pisses me off even more. I’m so VERY tired of a few guys making the rest of the Gay community look bad.
Posted by: FtLaud | Aug 24, 2007 10:02:28 AM
Go to Palm Springs dahlings, they LOVE the gays there.
Posted by: the queen | Aug 24, 2007 10:14:33 AM
Guess what? I totally support this mayor. How can you argue with FL having the most new AIDS cases? Has that not sunk in yet? I'm tired of the gays thinking they can do whatever they wherever they want and then cry "bigotry and hatred" everytime somebody opposes it. Maybe it's time for the "good" gays to confront the "bad" gays and make them behave. They're dropping dead again from GHB on Fire Island all because of fucking party and now they're crying because they can't have sex in public bathroom in a children's park. Fucking grow up or buy a strict gay only "Fantasy Island" and take it all there! (The Pines doesn't count). You won't have to worry about the straights wanting to bring their kids to visit.
Posted by: BRUNO | Aug 24, 2007 10:38:57 AM
He isn't defiant, he's brain-dead.
Posted by: anon (gmail.com) | Aug 24, 2007 10:39:27 AM
That Naugle is a small minded bigot goes without saying but if we are honest with ourselves there is some room for self criticism regarding public sex.
Since the advent of the internet you'd think people would have given up on cruising parks - especially during the day which no matter how you slice it is just skanky. This might be an unpopular opinion but maybe the gay rights organizations in Ft Lauderdale can beat Naugle at his own game by launching their own campaign within the community to promote "responsible" cruising.
Obviously it would require some delicacy and would present its own set of problems not the least of which is the appearance of "guilt" and let's face it, any suggestion of sexuality in situations like this - responible or otherwise - is going to be distatsteful to the small minded and the bigoted, but they already feel that way anyway and at least this way the community is showing that it is aware that there may be a problem and is willing to police itself.
I am not sure how much traction this is getting outside of the gay enclaves of Wilton manners etc but if clearly homophobic Naugle is being heralded as a pillar of the community - gays need to show that they too are equally as involved and not just in tourism dollars.
Posted by: Giovanni | Aug 24, 2007 10:48:58 AM
"Wilton Manors" which also if I am not mistaken has a huge meth problem on its hands. No community likes to air its dirty laundry but washing your shit in denial ain't gonna make it any cleaner.
Posted by: Giovanni | Aug 24, 2007 11:02:30 AM
Bruno,
No one in the Gay community is demanding sex in the restrooms. We’re upset that the mayor is broad brushing ALL gays when many of us have seen plenty of straights having sex on the beach and prostitutes giving head in cars while we are sittin in traffic. And that's a much bigger problem than gays. Also,there are much larger drug problems in the straight communities
Giovanni – I agree. Thanks.
Posted by: FtLaud | Aug 24, 2007 11:04:53 AM
who does this guy think he is? Why, i would never visit or spend my hard earned vacation dollars in a city that does not support and condone my right to find a random stranger and screw them in a public restroom. Good to see the gays rallying around a worthy cause like this.
Posted by: Nikk | Aug 24, 2007 11:05:30 AM
Hey Nikk,
I see that you admit to being a sleaze-ball. I hope you get arrested where ever you visit
Posted by: FtLaud | Aug 24, 2007 11:14:34 AM
Naugle is a registered Democrat because Democrats outnumber Republicans in FTL 4:3. But according to the local political reporters he is a down-the-line supporter of Republicans from Reagan to GWB. He was a co-chair of GWB's 2000 campaign in Broward county. He's described as both "ultraconservative" and "hypermasculine."
If that combination doesn't set off some major, self-destructive closet-case warning bells, I've got a megachurch to sell you in Colorado Springs.
Posted by: greg.org | Aug 24, 2007 11:26:31 AM
It's difficult to reposition some place in terms of tourism and Lauderdale has been trying, for years, to drop the "spring Break" image. Actually, I've never understood its appeal as a gay destination--a characterless carbound place; Atlanta with a beach. Granted, Atlanta, has its limited appeal, but for everyone impressed with ATL's generic selection of bars and crappy cultural life, there are others who are happy to run down the tweakers and overhyped attractions.
Posted by: Rich | Aug 24, 2007 11:30:01 AM
Welcome all you typical scumbags twisting the truth here!
No one is arguing for the right to fuck in public restrooms. The point is - this asshole mayor is making shit up! He's saying there's a big cruising problem - but has no proof of it. He's lumping all gays together as a bunch of perverts. He's no better than a propaganda spreading Nazi.
And - oh look - the scumbag gay-baiting mayor is driving all the scumbag gay-hating rats out from underground and into the daylight. They even feel like they can post comments here!
Posted by: Gregg | Aug 24, 2007 11:34:08 AM
It's a tried & true swindle to work the "family values", "protect the children" line. Obviously Naugle is positioning
himself for a run at higher elective office.
Has Charlie Christ got anything to fear?
It's not as if there is any other oppressed group Naugle can focus his hate on, is there? Well wait a moment. He could, in solidarity w Bob Allen, propose limiting Afro-American access to public parks, no?
I'm amazed to read the internalized argument that gays in public parks with kids playing in it, is a recipie for paedophilia.
Posted by: zabadak | Aug 24, 2007 12:49:22 PM
With ALL this Hateful RHETORIC going around...on a daily basis,throughout America...I can Imagine how BEING A GAY OR LESBIAN AMERICAN, CAN BE LIKENED TO BEING A JEW IN EARLY 1930's Germany!
LIBERTY & JUSTICE FOR ALL!
It me or does this seem "fishy" that Naugle brings this up now..? I honestly think he (Naugle) had anonomys/public sex...got away with it/realized HOW EASY it was FOR HIM....GOT REAL GUILTY, then started this Crusade....sounds like a reasonable explanation to me to me, whatya think?
Posted by: Disgusted American | Aug 24, 2007 12:50:21 PM
Just to be clear it's the cruising for sex/sexual acts in public rest rooms/places that is the issue here for me not gays in parks = pedophilia. I've never been to a park in Lauderdale so I couldn't tell you one way or the other what goes on there - I have however lived across the street from Flamingo park in South beach and there were definitely issues there so I am only speaking from my own experiences.
I've had guys coming on to me (and by coming on to me I mean dick grabbing - theirs and mine, etc) in seemingly odd places for as long as I can remember - sometimes it's hot - sometimes its just wrong - and it skeeves me out - especially when there are "civilains" around - it did when I was younger regardless of the titillation and it does now when I am in my 30's.
Obviously most of us are sane enough to know what and where shit can go down
but there are still some old school toilet queens, assorted bush boners and judgement impaired tweekers who haven't got the message yet - my point is to simply gently remind THEM that there is a time and place for everything. "Risky" sex can be hot - risking your community...not so much.
Naugle should still be run out of town but why not kill two um... birds with one stone?
Posted by: Giovanni | Aug 24, 2007 1:26:03 PM
This guy is simply a fucking idiot. If public sex is a problem, HIRE SOME COPS. Don't hold a fucking press conference.
NYC's Christopher Street pier was notorious for public sex. They renovated it, put in some gorgeous patches of lawn, and built two lovely public restrooms. A cop *sits at a desk* monitoring the entrance all day long. At 10 PM, it closes. Guess what? No more public hookin' up in the restrooms.
Instead, the gays sit and hold each other out on the lawn, just like everyone else, watching the sunsets. What was skeevy is now really charming and romantic.
This isn't rocket science. The guy didn't realize that by holding a press conference, saying "We have a public sex problem!" he'd scare away tons of gay-fearing heteros with kids. His tourism industry may collapse, affecting thousands of employees within the hospitality industry, affecting his entire city's enconomy. He's a serious idiot.
- GMB
Posted by: GRUMPYMORNINGBOY | Aug 24, 2007 1:48:53 PM
I said this on the thread about Rep. Bob Allen but I think it's worth repeating here.
If Mayor Naugle were being honest with the people of his city he would point out the fact that Bob Allen is the REAL face of the average man who has sex in public restrooms; "straight" identified, (heterosexually) married with children. If you doubt this to be true check out the arrest records in your local area (they are a matter of public record).
It's not usually out, proud gay people who seek sexual release in public bathroom stalls.
And for those of you who are acting as if Naugle is ONLY targeting gay men who have public sex, let me ask you this; why then did he need to say that he doesn't use the word "gay" to refer to homosexuals because homosexuals aren't happy? Why did he surround himself with people who publicly stated that ALL homosexuality was dangerous and deadly? Why, in his NUMEROUS news conferences, has he NEVER mentioned that the vast majority of gay people don't have sex in public places? Why does he NEVER mention that some of the people in these parks WITH their children are GAY or LESBIAN?
You're full of sh*t if you think that this is only about gays who have sex in public places.
Posted by: Zeke | Aug 24, 2007 7:39:02 PM
I just have to add…
In my many years on this earth I have NEVER witnessed men doing anything sexual in a public restroom or at an interstate rest area. Perhaps I've just been lucky and perhaps I just go to the wrong public restrooms to see such things but I just don’t believe that this “problem” is quite as bad as it’s being made to seem here.
In the 13+ years that I've been taking my son to parks I have NEVER seen men doing anything with each other that was inappropriate for my son to see (and I’m pretty prudish when it comes to what I expose him to). On the other hand I have MANY, MANY, MANY times had to leave a park or relocate my family because a heterosexual couple was going way over the top with the PDA. In fact I've had the same problem at Busch Gardens, while standing in line for a ride, and at the local grocery store waiting to check out, behind straight couples who were practically breeding in front of us.
I suspect that my experience is more typical than the fantasy world that is swirling in Naugle’s head.
Posted by: Zeke | Aug 24, 2007 8:21:11 PM
The gays were forced out of SoBe now it's time to get 'em out of Fort Lauderdale.
The city leaders love the gays when they move in and clean up the run down neighborhoods, once the work is done we're not welcome anymore.
Posted by: JJ | Aug 25, 2007 5:02:46 AM
im mof jamaican heritage first generation it i think the same about both places shutup no one asked you your opinion other than spanish people stealing your flo you are a tourist attraction like food dont get overfarmed but shutup and do what your their for look pretty and nourish by who once again shut up. WHen youbuy stuff do you really care if the person where that dollar originated from was gay or not
Posted by: sasha | Aug 26, 2007 4:05:25 AM
As a gay resident and business owner in Fort Lauderdale, I can attest that many people here are embarrassed by Naugle. On behalf of gay business owners, however, I ask people to not boycott Fort Lauderdale because of one idiot. Naugle does NOT represent the general public. Please don't penalize hard-working gays and lesbians by boycotting our community.
For the record, the Broward County Commissioners, the Fort Lauderdale City Council, and Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB all have denounced Naugle. Perhaps the best way to ruin Naugle's day would be if gay and lesbian tourists decended on our city in record numbers. Such a demonstration of solidarity would prove that hate speech does not control us. (Plus, we know how to have fun in Fort Lauderdale. We just don't do it nasty city bathrooms.)
Posted by: alex | Aug 26, 2007 11:29:49 PM
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