South Florida Homes Tagged with Anti-Gay Slurs

It's happening everywhere!

Three homes in Wilton Manors, adjacent to Fort Lauderdale, were tagged by vandals early this morning, the Miami Herald reports:

"Someone wrote the slurs on three adjacent homes in the 2800 block of Northeast Seventh Avenue, an area with a large gay population. Five cars were also defaced with black spray paint. However, Wilton Manors police investigator David C. Jones believes that it was a random attack, as a straight couple live in one of the homes hit. That came as little consolation to Aaron Challancin, who awoke Friday morning to cops knocking on his door. When he walked outside, he saw the slurs. 'There's no reason for this to happen,'' Challancin said. ``We didn't do anything to anyone. We're normal people trying to live normal lives.'"

Anti-gay slurs sprayed on three homes [miami herald]

Sphere: Related Content

Jim Naugle: 'Responsible Homosexual' Could Fill My Seat

Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle spoke with 850 WFTL in Fort Lauderdale yesterday. The outgoing mayor, well-known for his positions that gays are "unhappy", says he thinks a "responsible homosexual" could fill his seat: "He defined that as one who rejects the idea that it's OK to take over public parks for gay sex, and who would 'do something about the AIDS crisis here, recognizing promiscuous activity has a heavy cost on life and dollars.'"

Of his legacy, he said: "I would like to be remembered as one of the first politicians who rejected political correctness, and did what's right.''

Naugle's comments have pissed off gay candidate Dean Trantalis, who is running for the seat: "He needs to be responsible with the words he says- he is totally irresponsible and shameless in the comments. Why does he keep bringing it up? He keeps bringing it up because it grabs the headlines. The Mayor has some serious problems with sexual orientation and enough is enough."

Sphere: Related Content

News: Kucinich, Friedkin, Naugle, Gyllenhaal, Lieberman, McAvoy

A second gay candidate joins race for Mayor Naugle's seat in Fort Lauderdale: "Political newcomer Earl Rynerson, owner of a tile store, joins former City Commissioner Dean Trantalis as an openly gay mayoral hopeful. Rynerson said he wants to polish the city's image, which he said was tarnished by Naugle. Naugle last summer uttered a quote that was heard across gay America: 'I use the word homosexual. Most of them aren't gay; they're unhappy.'"

Jake Gyllenhaal stumbles out in London.

Nigerian bisexual woman faces deportation from Canada, fears persecution: "She fears for her life. If she goes back with her children, she has no one there. Her family has shunned her because she is bisexual. She doesn't have any money and nowhere to go. If she's arrested [her children] will be without a mother. They'll already face extreme discrimination because they were both born out of wedlock, and in fact, Samuel has already endured a lot of harassment while growing up there."

ABBA come together for Mamma Mia premiere in Stockholm for first time in 22 years.

AUSIELLO: Producers on The New Adventures of Old Christine plan to marry off Julia Louis Dreyfus to Wanda Sykes!

The windows to Amy Winehouse's soul.

William Friedkin's The Boys in the Band to get DVD release on November 11.

Planning on picking up an iPhone 3G on Friday? Here's a map of AT&T's 3G coverage in the U.S. According to a Digg commenter, here's the code: BLUE = Full Coverage, RED/ORANGE = Decent Coverage, ORANGE = Meh Coverage, LIGHT ORANGE = Enjoy EDGE.

Church of Ireland may hold gay unions if homosexuality proven to be biologically determined: "If such comes to be shown, it will be necessary to acknowledge the full implications of that new aspect of the truth."

"Dude, look at your pants. Look at your bag. Obviously this is not your kind of place." Homophobic, or just edgy?

Details attempts to atone for past covers with James McAvoy's blue eyes.

MacBecks: Musical planned about David and Victoria Beckham...

Hagee YouTube suppression to rub off on Joe Lieberman?

East London couple turned away from wedding venue owned by Jehovah's Witness: "For the past 13 years I have been with my soul mate, I have never been discriminated against or been judged as they did to us."

Jaws: Australian town on alert after sighting of 22-foot Great White Shark in lake with outlet to the ocean.

Obama to give DNCC address at Invesco Field at Mile High. SF Chronicle on the rise of the Obamacon...

Killer of gay porn producer spilled details, sought legal advice from fellow inmate.

Honed down: Kucinich to bring single article of impeachment against George W. Bush. "Few in the House of Representatives have any intention of doing anything with the last 35 articles of impeachment Kucinich set before them last month, so the former presidential candidate appears to be lightening the load. Kucinich sent a letter to colleagues Tuesday asking them to support a single article of impeachment, to be introduced Thursday, which accuses President Bush of leading the country to war based on lies."

Sphere: Related Content

News: Leather, Wiretapping, Tasmania, Janet, Fort Lauderdale

What? Congress strikes deal to give telecom companies immunity in warrantless wiretapping: "The deal, expanding the government’s powers in some key respects, would allow intelligence officials to use broad warrants to eavesdrop on foreign targets and conduct emergency wiretaps without court orders on American targets for a week if it is determined important national security information would be lost otherwise. If approved, as appears likely, it would be the most significant revision of surveillance law in 30 years."

Then and now: the disappearance of New York's leather scene.

Ryan Air CEO announces plans for reconfigured fleet: "So in economy it will be very cheap fares. Say 10 euros. And in business class it will be beds and blowjobs. In economy. In business, it will all be free including the blowjobs." WATCH.

Will Tasmania become the first Australian state to have same-sex marriage? "Tasmania Greens MP Nick McKim today said he would bring the same-sex marriage bill, which will also provide adoption rights, to state parliament on July 1. 'Marriage is an institution that should be open to opposite-sex and same-sex couples,' Mr McKim told reporters. 'We believe that this matter should have a conscience vote.'"

Naomi Campbell pleads guilty to six counts of assault.

Bill that would mark officially mark May 22 as Harvey Milk Day in California advances, getting approval from the Senate Education Committee.

UFO: South Wales police spot "unusual object."

Sydney's Oxford Street 'Safe Place' to close: "The six month pilot project was set up in November as part of a multi-faceted strategy to deal with the increasing homophobic violence on the strip and the perceived lack of action by government and police. It set out to raise awareness of homophobic violence, increase reporting of violence, to provide a refuge for people escaping violence and to improve the response from NSW Police and from the Government. Recent evaluation of the space deemed that it was no longer viable to keep it open, given the small numbers of people who were actually making use of it."

Would you let David Beckham sign your balls?

How a homophobic idiot was suddenly changed...

Janet Jackson announces MTV reality show.

Gay ex-Fort Lauderdale city commissioner Dean Trantalis enter's race for Naugle's seat: "Now this increasingly powerful voting bloc must choose among Trantalis; Hutchinson; longtime legislator Jack Seiler, who also has some support in the gay community; and defense attorney Steve Rossi. 'This is definitely going to be a very awkward campaign,' said Hutchinson supporter Michael Albetta, board member of the Dolphin Democrats, a gay political organization in Broward that doesn't endorse candidates."

Pamela Anderson's mother's wish: "Lately my mother has said, 'I wish you were gay, considering your choice of men.'"

The NYT profiled Russell T. Davies this past weekend and he recounted a story about a confrontation he had with a woman who didn't like the same-sex kissing in his Doctor Who series: “I was standing there saying, ‘You’re a bad mother, and your children will either grow up to be lesbians, or they will be taken into care because they’ve been badly raised,’ ” he recalled in a recent interview near the “Doctor Who” set. He began to chuckle. “ ‘You are ignorant, and you’re bringing up your children in ignorance, and that will backfire on you.'"

Sphere: Related Content

News: Glaciers, Jared Leto, Gay Nursing Home, Kevin Rudd

NYT: Civil unions not enough. "Though such arrangements were created, often under court mandate, with a promise of treating same-sex couples the same as opposite-sex couples, many gays and lesbians say they have not delivered and can never do so because separate institutions are inherently unequal. Many also resent being denied use of the word marriage, which they say carries intangible benefits, prestige and status."

Becks and teammate clutch the family jewels.

First stills of Britney Spears guest appearance on How I Met Your Mother.

Glaciers melting faster than at any time since records began: "The details are revealed in the latest report from the World Glacier Monitoring Service and will add to growing alarm about the rise in sea levels and increased instances of flooding, avalanches and drought. Based on historical records and other evidence, the rate at which the glaciers are melting is also thought to be faster that at any time in the past 5,000 years, said Professor Wilfried Haeberli, director of the monitoring service. 'There's no absolute proof, but nevertheless the evidence is strong: this is really extraordinary.'"

Inside Berlin's Asta Nielsen Haus, the first nursing home in Europe to cater specifically to gays and lesbians: "We just want people to be able to speak freely of their pasts. They shouldn't have to worry about reactions or prejudices. It's simple really: no one should be shocked to go into a man's room and see a picture of another man. No one should have to explain themselves to others at this stage of life."

Halloween in San Francisco's Castro District canceled forever.

Wentworth Miller goes to Jerusalem.

Nun urges Vatican to drop prejudice against gays and lesbians.

Gay Republican runs for seat on Plano, Texas City Council: "Justin Nichols is charting new territory in more ways than one. Nichols, 23, is already the youngest candidate ever to run for Plano City Council. If Nichols wins his race for the Place 1 seat on May 10, he’ll also become the first openly gay member of the body. 'I don’t know that one is harder than the other,' Nichols told Dallas Voice this week. 'I think that each is solved by letting people get to know you.' Nichols also faces a third challenge when it comes to gaining the support of Plano’s small but growing LGBT community: He’s a Republican."

Obama responds to controversial comments of Reverend Jeremiah Wright: "Let me repeat what I've said earlier. All of the statements that have been the subject of controversy are ones that I vehemently condemn. They in no way reflect my attitudes and directly contradict my profound love for this country."

Jared Leto packed on the pounds for his role as John Lennon's killer Mark David Chapman.

Gay groups picket 'prayer breakfast' hosted by anti-gay Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle: "The featured speaker at the prayer breakfast, Jim Daly, president of the right-wing religious organization Focus on the Family, is among the most aggressive opponents of the gay rights movement. Daly’s organization is one of the primary backers of an anti-gay marriage amendment that goes before voters in November."

Australian PM Kevin Rudd forcing ministerial staff to list history of sexual partners, reveal extra-marital affairs and detail homosexual experiences before gaining security clearance: "More than 300 ministerial and electorate staffers have been ordered to fill in a 25-page form and attend an in-depth interview into their personal finances, drug habits and sexual history before gaining high-level security clearance. Senior staff say they have been told the security form is designed to protect them from blackmail. But several have told The Sunday Telegraph they were affronted at the personal information they had been forced to divulge."

Sphere: Related Content

News: Helen Keller, Gay Music, Rosie O'Donnell, NY Marriage

"Pro-family" groups urge parents to keep their children out of school on April 25's "Day of Silence", a day of raising awareness about tolerance and anti-gay bullying. They also accuse GLSEN of exploiting the murder of Lawrence King.

Website names The 50 Gayest Songs of All Time.

Say it isn't so. Lance Bass declares himself single, rips boyfriend from MySpace "top friends" list.

Maryland weighs new approach on same-sex unions: "Concerned that they won't be able to muster the votes for a comprehensive bill on same-sex unions this year, state lawmakers are considering a tactical shift toward legislation that would grant a number of rights to gay and lesbian couples but stop short of full-fledged marriage or civil unions."

Fort Lauderdale magazine flushes anti-gay Mayor Jim Naugle's latest column about gay restroom sex. City Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson: "I just want all this nonsense to stop. I don't want to talk about the bathroom thing again.''

Rosie O'Donnell: the junk food portrait.

New York's legal posturing on Same-sex marriage examined: "Last week in Manhattan, a State Supreme Court justice, ruling in a divorce proceeding, recognized the Canadian marriage of two New York City women, known publicly as Beth R. and Donna M. — or Mom and Mommy to the two young children they had been raising together. Less than two years after New York’s highest court refused to legalize gay marriage, leaving it up to a divided Legislature, courts in Rochester and Manhattan, as well as state and local officials, have begun to carry out what some say is the de facto legalization of gay marriage — and gay divorce — in New York for the price of, say, a ticket to Toronto."

Matthew McConaughey launches line of surf attire called Just Keep Livin'.

Provincetown arsonist strikes again: "In a little more than 10 minutes, flames destroyed a wooden shed belonging to artist Arthur Cohen at his property near Allerton Street. The blaze is at least the 16th arson fire in Provincetown since Oct. 17, Jennifer Mieth, a spokeswoman for the state fire marshal, said yesterday. No one was injured in the fire and Cohen, who was in New York at the time, was expected to arrive yesterday in Provincetown, according to a family member. Cohen declined to comment about the fire yesterday when reached by phone. On Monday, a landlord's report of a 2-foot square of burned shingles at a framing shop at 288 Bradford St. — little more than one-tenth of a mile from the Cohen property — was added to the list of arson fires, Mieth said."

Will & Grace creator Max Mutchnick said his own "internal oppression" held him back from making bigger statements with regard to gays on that show.

120-year-old photo of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan on Cape Cod discovered: "The photograph, shot in July 1888 in Brewster, shows an 8-year-old Helen sitting outside in a light-colored dress, holding Sullivan's hand and cradling one of her beloved dolls. Experts on Keller's life believe it could be the earliest photo of the two women together and the only one showing the blind and deaf child with a doll — the first word Sullivan spelled for Keller after they met in 1887 — according to the New England Historic Genealogical Society, which now has the photo."

USA Today talks to Anne and Christopher Rice about their new books. Christopher: "She has created her own myth-ology. There's no following in those footsteps. So I keep my work a lot smaller and more focused. I would go insane comparing myself to her."

Jackson steals Mariah Carey's look.

Mississippi lawmakers propose bill banning unwed couples living together from adopting in attempt to stop gays from doing the same.

HIV+ British bareback porn actor speaks out: "'They told me that most of the work would be bareback, and that they would normally check certificates from GUM clinics.' On the various shoots he took part in during his short on-screen career he noticed laxity in the ad hoc system of checking the HIV status of performers. 'I presented a certificate about half the time. They would normally take your word for it. At my local clinic you have to pay £25 to get a certificate.' He was told everyone else was HIV negative, but never saw anyone else's certificates. Clyde has been in two or three bareback DVDs and other scenes that went online. 'We did not work under the best conditions most of the time, it was quite low budget and cramped. For most of the time I was getting paid £100 per scene.'

Sphere: Related Content

Hundreds Attend South Florida Vigil for Slain Gay Teen

A vigil was held late yesterday afternoon on Sistrunk Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale at the site where 17-year-old Simmie Williams was gunned down, just one of two potential hate crimes that occurred in that area last week. The other, of course, was the beating of Melbourne Brunner outside the Floridian restaurant on Las Olas Boulevard.

The Sun-Sentinel reports: "They gathered for about an hour on a grassy patch behind the chain link fence where Simmie Williams Jr. was found shot Feb. 22. A pile of teddy bears, flowers and purple votive candles lined the cracked sidewalk, while the state flag and a rainbow flag flapped above in the wind. Amid the group of community leaders, Williams' mom, Denise King, stood silently with a picture of her son in one hand and a bouquet of flowers in the other. A tear ran down her right cheek as activists began to speak."

The paper reports that a group of approximately 120 gathered after the vigil at the Gay and Lesbian Community Center in Fort Lauderdale to discuss the recent violence: "The crowd contributed more than $3,500 to help pay for Williams' funeral. Paul Rubenstein, executive director of a Fort Lauderdale oncology office, also contributed $4,000 to add to the already-growing Crime Stoppers reward for information leading to an arrest..."

Mayor Jim Naugle, who many blame for engendering an atmosphere of hate toward gay people in that city because of remarks he made last Summer, told the Sun-Sentinel that he stands by the remarks: "The comments were responsible and supported by residents in the city. The city and the police department, we're going to do everything we can to solve the two (recent) crimes."

Vigil for slain teen raises calls for action against gay hate crimes [sun sentinel - with VIDEO]
Activists join sad vigil for a slain teen [miami herald]

AFTER THE JUMP, a video, via Joe.My.God of Matt Foreman speaking briefly about the vigil.

Sphere: Related Content

Restaurant Owner Offers $5K Reward for Arrest in Gay Bash

Butch Samp, the owner of the Floridian restaurant on Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale where Melbourne Brunner was attacked after a late night meal with his partner early Saturday morning, has put up a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the attacker.

Previously
Is Fort Lauderdale Mayor Naugle Responsible for Anti-Gay Hate? [tr]
Gay Man Beaten in Ft Lauderdale After Telling Man 'Good Morning' [tr]

Sphere: Related Content

Is Fort Lauderdale Mayor Naugle Responsible for Anti-Gay Hate?

Two ugly attacks on gay men, one fatal, have occurred in Fort Lauderdale in the last week.

Melbourne Brunner, the man I posted about yesterday who was brutally beaten after a late night meal outside a gay-friendly diner on Fort Lauderdale's Las Olas Blvd, thinks homophobic Mayor Jim Naugle bears some of the responsibility.

Naugle has been publicly demonizing gays for months. In July, Naugle proposed installing a timed, $250,000 robotic toilet in Fort Lauderdale public restrooms. Naugle, who claims he uses the word "homosexuals" to describe gay men rather than "gay" because gay people "are unhappy," has said that an added plus to having the toilets is that they would keep gay people from using the facilities. Last August, Naugle stood with right-wing religious leaders and held a news conference where the Rev. O'Neal Dozier said "We want the homosexual community to know that we love them and that God loves them also. But God hates the act of homosexuality."

Said Brunner to the Sun-Sentinel: "I kind of blame [Naugle] for what's going on."

View a video of Brunner talking about his ordeal here.

Previously
Gay Florida Teen Gunned Down in Fort Lauderdale [tr]
Gay Man Beaten in Ft Lauderdale After Telling Man 'Good Morning' [tr]

Sphere: Related Content

Gay Man Beaten in Ft Lauderdale After Telling Man 'Good Morning'

An ugly attack happened on Fort Lauderdale's Las Olas Boulevard on Saturday. Melbourne Brunner had finished a late night meal with his partner at the Floridian Restaurant when it happened, WSVN reports:

Brunner said he received the injuries from the stranger who walked by their table and targeted him for no other reason besides the fact that he is a gay man. Brunner said they tried to be cordial with the stranger when they first made eye contact. "He looked down at us, and my partner said, 'Good morning,' and that was it."

Brunner recalled, moments later, the man returned visibly upset. "He just started with this barrage, of, 'Are you looking at me, you faggot? You know what I do to faggots? I break their necks!'"

After the verbal encounter, his partner and friend decided to ask for their check. They got up, left the restaurant and headed down the sidewalk to their car. That's when the attacker followed them and made his move. "As I was almost into the car, the guy had made it down the sidewalk and had reached inside and grabbed the edge of the door," explained Brunner. The verbal attack turned physical when Brunner stood up. "That's when he hit me, and I landed face-down on the concrete."

Mitchell Mart, the victim's partner, went to render aid to Brunner and noticed his injuries. "I came down the street to pick him up and put him in the car and saw he was badly injured," Mart said. "His forehead immediately swelled up, his eye closed, he was bleeding."

Mart tried to get the attacker's license tag number from his pickup truck, but the assailant went out of his way to keep it hidden. "He took off his shirt, covered his license plate, put down his tailgate," he said.

Brunner said the attacker then threatened them. "'I'll kill you before you get my tag number, you faggot!' and jumped in his car, rolled down the window and was screaming, 'That's right, run, faggots, run.'"

Brunner and his partner did get a good description of the vehicle and the attacker, however: "Authorities are looking for a newer model, four-door Toyota Tacoma with a metallic green color, chrome rims, a black roll bar and a black bed cover. The attacker is described as a white male, in his early 30s, with a muscular build, clean-cut hair, standing about 5 feet 9 inches to 6 feet tall."

In related news, 17-year-old Simmie Williams was gunned down on Sistrunk Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale over the weekend while dressed in women's clothes. Authorities are still trying to determine the motive behind that attack.

Police search for man who attacked gay couple [wsvn]
Gay man attacked outside popular Fort Lauderdale eatery [sun-sentinel]

Sphere: Related Content

Gay Florida Teen Gunned Down in Fort Lauderdale

Simmie Williams, Jr., a 17-year-old gay man, was shot and killed on Sistrunk Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale over the weekend and officials are trying to determine whether or not the attack was based on Williams' sexual orientation:

"Simmie Williams Jr., 17, was attacked on the 1000 block of Sistrunk Boulevard by two young men who wore dark clothing and might live in the neighborhood, police said. Williams, who was wearing a dress and was known in the area by his first name or as 'Chris' or 'Beyonce,' was shot about 12:45 a.m. Friday and soon afterward died at Broward General Medical Center, police said.It's unclear what Williams was doing in the area, about four miles from his house, but police are investigating whether he was working as a prostitute, officials said. Williams' mother said her son was openly gay, but she didn't know what he did when he went out at night, and she didn't know he wore women's clothes. 'I gave him $2 for the bus and he never came back,' said Denise King, who lived with her son west of Fort Lauderdale. 'He was a quiet person, kept to himself. He had a lot of friends. He wasn't a troubled child. He was a happy person.' At the same time, being black, gay and dressing in women's clothing made Williams 'a minority within a minority within a minority,' said Grant Lynn Ford, dean of Sunshine Cathedral in Fort Lauderdale, a church that ministers to gays, lesbians and their families."

There were apparently words exchanged before the shooting, and any hate crime charge will likely be based on that. More on this as details become available...

Gay teen shot dead while dressed as woman in Fort Lauderdale [sun sentinel]
Teenage boy dressed as woman shot dead [miami herald]

Sphere: Related Content

News: Virgin America, Rosie O'Donnell, Google NASA, Ricky Martin

Anti-gay Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle calls in to Michelangelo Signorile, hangs up after 10 minutes.

Virgin America announces in-flight air-to-ground broadband: "But even more interesting...VA will also be offering what amounts to a fleet-wide, airborne social network. Guests on one plane will be able to interact with other guests on that plane -- and with flyers on other planes within the VA fleet -- using Red. As I understand it, they've got some pretty ambitious plans in the works for in-flight interactivity. This could get really interesting."

Rosie O'Donnell admits to breaking own bones with a hammer as a child: "My hands and fingers usually. No one knew. My secret. Proof, that I had some value, enough to be fixed."

British politician accused of winning local election by slinging homophobic comments, court hears: "The court heard Mr Smith was devastated by the way he had lost his seat to Ms Grell by 28 votes. He later moved to northern England. In the final weeks of canvassing, people slammed doors in his face and, after his defeat, he was abused, threatened and spat at, the court heard. Leyton resident Naomi Robinson told the court she was shocked to hear Ms Grell call Mr Smith a paedophile during the election campaign. She said: 'Miss Grell told me to ask him [Mr Smith] about his 14-year-old boyfriend as she was driving away from the front of the house. I was quite shocked actually. I was not sure whether to believe it was true or not.'" UPDATE: Accused claims political conspiracy against her.

Scientists find "slight hint" of cancer risk for 10-year cell phone users.

Ricky Martin closes on swank Manhattan condo at a $3.5 million discount: "Martin's 2,637-square-foot pad with 11-foot ceilings includes a great room, a gourmet eat-in kitchen, a dining room and a study off the master suite. The residence features oak floors and a master bath with a 'wet room.'"

Becks bares it for 2008.

UK students behind "racist/homophobic/sexist" Facebook group: "The creator of the group defends it in a disclaimer, accompanying the comments. He says: 'This group is tolerant of all racial groups, genders, people of all different sexual persuasions. It welcomes anyone and everyone. Join us. It’s just a bit of a laugh.' But the group – as demonstrated by its name – does go on to write discriminatory things about all different types of people."

Berets and briefs rock the 2xist underwear show at NYC fashion week.

You've seen the video, now meet the Missionaries. And watch the MSNBC report.

Led Zeppelin to reunite for one-off comeback concert in London.

Google founders get private jet parking space from NASA.

Ann Arbor, Michigan man pleads guilty to a misdemeanor assault and battery charge for shouting homophobic slurs and hurling a dresser drawer at a pair of pedestrians.

Conservatives protest gay textbook bill in Sacramento: "'The Campaign for Children and Families' claimed students would be forced to read about gay history and exposed to 'bisexual propaganda.' The group called for a veto. 'This is not teaching them the birds and the bees,' said Randy Thomasson of the Campaign for Children and Families. 'This is saying a boy can wear a girl's dress. This is saying you might want to engage in bisexuality or transsexuality. This would revolutionize sex education.'..The bill's supporters said they believe the bill would build tolerance and non-discrimination in public schools."

180?: CNN shortens Anderson Cooper's "ambitious programming block" to one hour. UPDATE: Variety report debunked...

Sphere: Related Content

Gay In South Florida: a Tale of Two City Commissions

I received an interesting email this morning from Anthony Niedwiecki, whose organization Fight OUT Loud, has been spearheading the campaign to flush anti-gay Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle. Niedwiecki and his partner, Waymon Hudson, attended two city commission meetings last night — one in Fort Lauderdale, and the other in Oakland Park, to the north.

His experiences at the meetings of the adjacent communities was, as he calls it, "a tale of two cities."

Oakland Park: "Last night, the city first voted to add gender identity and gender expression to its non-discrimination policy with an unanimous vote. The commissioners all have said that it is a no brainer because discrimination should not be tolerated in any form. It became one of the first cities in Florida to add these protections. Later, a few of us spoke to the commission about Naugle and the need to lead the region in sending a strong statement of support for diversity. After Waymon and I spoke about how Naugle's statements have made us feel less safe and that we have received some threats on the phone and through email and mail, the chief of police for our city came up to me and said that he had not heard about any of this and that he would make sure that we are protected. They have previously offered to check our house several times a day to make sure that nobody is bothering us. After a discussion on passing a potential resolution, the commissioners came to me and said that they want to pass an even more inclusive one to show to all people that they are welcome in our city. Among the commissioners, there was a clear disdain for what Naugle was doing, and that they wanted to strongly show that Oakland Park is different. It makes a difference when we have a mayor that is openly gay and commissioners that truly care about the city and the region. Waymon and I walked away with a sense of pride for our city because of the feeling of community and inclusiveness that is so clearly lacking in Fort Lauderdale now. That became even more apparent when we drove to Fort Lauderdale's commission meeting."

Fort Lauderdale: "All of the news cameras were in the meeting room waiting for Naugle to say something stupid again. One of the commissioners had 'walked on' a resolution earlier in the day celebrating the diversity of the city without saying anything about Naugle. The statement was not a pure censure, but it was something. When the final vote came, the mayor made a speech and focused on the word 'dignity' to launch into another one of his offensive and anti-gay tirades. He said that he could vote for the resolution because it included this word, and that we need to stand for the dignity of our families and how they need to be saved from all of the sex, blah, blah, blah (you know the drill by now). The meeting then quickly ended and Rev. Dozier and the mayor quickly jumped to the cameras. Rev. Dozier, who is now the mayor's best friend and biggest supporter, told me and Waymon that our family is not a family in his eyes. He said that he felt sorry for our foster son because he is surrounded by sin and that he is missing what it is like to be in a real family. This 'reverend', mayor, and their crazy supporters started lecturing all of the gay men in the hall, telling us that we are going to hell, that we make god throw up, and that we hate Christians because we disagree with the mayor. Waymon and I just put our arms around each other and I gave him a kiss on the cheek. The day before, as you already know, the mayor held a press conference with militant religious figures that want to turn Fort Lauderdale into the new bible belt of the south."

Finally, Niedwiecki has some advice for people who may have decided not to visit the region because of Naugle's anti-gay comments: "I know that many of your readers are deciding not to come to Fort Lauderdale because of the statements of the mayor and the weakness of the city commission to take stronger action. I just want them to know that Fort Lauderdale is just one small part of the region. Instead of not visiting at all, stay in Oakland Park or Wilton Manors where the gay community is strong and the cities not only welcome LGBT individuals, but they celebrate the diversity and openness of our community. These are also the cities where many (if not most) of the gay and gay-friendly accommodations, restaurants, and bars are located. We also need to remember that some of the strongest statements have come from boards and commissions that have gay or lesbian members, such as Oakland Park and the Broward County Commission. I take away two lessons from last night: 1) we do have some great open and inclusive cities here, such as Oakland Park; and 2) to prevent crusades like we have seen in Fort Lauderdale, it is essential that we elect gay officials at all levels of government."

Background
Mayor Jim Naugle Flushed from Broward County Tourism Board [tr]
Defiant Ft. Lauderdale Mayor Will Risk Tourism for Anti-gay Views [tr]
Christian Hate Groups Join With Anti-Gay Ft. Lauderdale Mayor [tr]
Fort Lauderdale Gay Businesses Concerned About Naugle Effect [tr]
Hundreds Rally Against Anti-Gay Fort Lauderdale Mayor Naugle [tr]
Fort Lauderdale Mayor Angers Gay Community Hours Before Rally [tr]
Flush Naugle: Gays in Fort Lauderdale Call on Mayor to Resign [tr]

Sphere: Related Content

Mayor Jim Naugle Flushed from Broward County Tourism Board

As signs began to appear that Mayor Jim Naugle's disparaging remarks about gay people were having an effect on the city's tourism, the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, with whom Naugle met last week, decided to strip him of his seat on the group's board, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

According to the group, "A gay-oriented convention that was to draw 200 attendees this fall is on hold. A group that plans black family reunions has voiced concern about whether the mayor was sending a message of intolerance. Bookings of college and high-school sporting events is also down compared to last year."

Naugle met with the board last week and they pleaded with him to end his hateful campaign. 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."

Said County Commissioner Stacy Ritter following Naugle's ousting: "I had hoped that this would die on its own, but Mayor Naugle continues to push his own agenda and that is having an increasing impact on our community. He has continued to escalate his rhetoric, and we cannot be silent."

Naugle responded to the board's actions: "Sometimes the easiest thing to do when you don't want to hear something is to shoot the messenger, but that doesn't mean that there is not a problem out there that needs to be addressed."

In July, Naugle proposed installing a timed, $250,000 robotic toilet in Fort Lauderdale public restrooms. Naugle, who claims he uses the word "homosexuals" to describe gay men rather than "gay" because gay people "are unhappy," has said that an added plus to having the toilets is that they would keep gay people from using the facilities.

The Sun-Sentinel adds: "In additon to the comments on public sex, Naugle has described gays as unhappy, contended the gay Stonewall Library should not be housed in a city building because its collection contains pornography and questioned whether the county should market itself to gay tourists because of the high rate of HIV infection in the area. His comments have been reported across the nation."

How ironic that the only folks who seem to be going after gay sex in public restrooms are closeted politicians with anti-gay agendas.

Anti-gay remarks cost Naugle his seat on tourism board [sun-sentinel]
Mayor Naugle thrown off Broward tourism board [miami herald]
Naugle Stripped Of Tourism Post [cbs4]

Flush Naugle [official site]

Recently...
Defiant Ft. Lauderdale Mayor Will Risk Tourism for Anti-gay Views [tr]

Sphere: Related Content

Florida Rep. Bob Allen Pleads 'Not Guilty' to Gay Sex Charge

Florida Rep. Bob Allen, who was arrested for solicitation in after offering an undercover police officer $20 for the opportunity to perform oral sex, entered a written plea of not guilty in court on Thursday. Neither Allen nor his lawyer were present at the hearing. Court records were released on Wednesday which detailed Allen's explanation following his arrest.

Florida Today reports: "According to the report, Allen said he went to the bathroom to avoid a lightning storm that was about to start. The National Weather Service said there had been inclement weather in the area. The undercover officer went into a stall next to Allen's. Allen knocked on the officer's stall door to ask if he was all right, according to Lau's report. Allen told Lau he was afraid he was going to be robbed and suggested going across the A. Max Brewer Memorial Parkway. 'Mr. Allen stated that he wanted to lure (the officer) with him and ultimately get to the guard shack entrance to the Space Center where there was security,' Lau wrote. 'Mr. Allen claimed he was in fear of (the officer) which is the reason he wanted to have (him) get in the car with him so that Mr. Allen could drive to the security gate.' That route cuts through the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The nearest KSC gate is about eight miles from the park along a paved two-lane road lined with native Florida brush and wetlands. The Titusville Police Department is about the same distance away. According to Lau's account, Allen did not ask for an attorney until after describing the robbery scenario. But Eisenmenger said the recorded interview indicates Lau knew about Allen's earlier request for a lawyer."

He is set to appear in court on Monday to see if he can have the charges dismissed.

Allen says he sought security of KSC guard post [florida today]
State representative Allen to go to court [tcpalm]

Background
Florida Rep. Bob Allen Apologizes to NAACP [tr]
Lawyer: Resignation Not in the Cards for Florida Rep. Bob Allen [tr]
Rep. Bob Allen Cites Fear of Black Men, Weather in Oral Sex Arrest [tr]
Fla Rep. Bob Allen to Fight Solicitation Charges, Plead Not Guilty [tr]
Florida Rep. Bob Allen to Discuss Men's Room Activities [tr]
GOP Florida State Rep. Allen Charged in Gay Oral Sex Solicitation [tr]

Sphere: Related Content

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]

Sphere: Related Content

Christian Hate Groups Join With Anti-Gay Ft. Lauderdale Mayor

As Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle, and "religious leaders" from the newly-formed group healthypublicplaces.com held a news conference on the steps of City Hall to continue their hate-based fear-mongering regarding gay sex in public toilets, Michael Rajnor, a member of the Campaign to End AIDS, exploded in a vocal tirade aimed squarely at the mayor.

Shouted Rajnor: "He should be serving the people. He should be standing up for people. He should be fighting for funds for housing, for substance abuse, for vocational training. Who the hell do you people think you are?" (video)

In July, Naugle proposed installing a timed, $250,000 robotic toilet in Fort Lauderdale public restrooms. Naugle, who claims he uses the word "homosexuals" to describe gay men rather than "gay" because gay people "are unhappy," has said that an added plus to having the toilets is that they would keep gay people from using the facilities.

According to CBS4's Ted Scouten, "No one seems to be able to produce the stats proving all the gay sex in public. The mayor says there have been eight arrests over the past two years and the police department says there have been only two in three years."

Today, Naugle stood with Rev. O'Neal Dozier, who said: "We want the homosexual community to know that we love them and that God loves them also. But God hates the act of homosexuality."

Said Rajnor: "To have African-American members stand there while this mayor has disregarded the Sistrunk community in funding and not made certain initiatives go forth to help the African-American community, they're hypocrites to use the Bible."

Healthypublicplaces.com is basically a coalition of "ex-gay" and Christian right-wing hate groups masquerading as a community health organization. Those involved include Americans for Truth, Christian Anti-Defamation Commission, Christian Interactive Network, Concerned Women for America, Coral Ridge Ministries, Faith2Action, Stephen Bennett Ministries and the Worldwide Christian Center. (Download their press release here - PDF)

Background...
Fort Lauderdale Gay Businesses Concerned About Naugle Effect [tr]
Hundreds Rally Against Anti-Gay Fort Lauderdale Mayor Naugle [tr]
Fort Lauderdale Mayor Angers Gay Community Hours Before Rally [tr]
Flush Naugle: Gays in Fort Lauderdale Call on Mayor to Resign [tr]

Sphere: Related Content

News: Wolfgang Tillmans, Fort Lauderdale, Chris Evans, Tyra Banks

America's Next Top Candidate? Barack Obama to appear on The Tyra Banks Show on September 27.

Photographer Wolfgang Tillmans out with massive new monograph, entitled Manual: "Tillmans, who won the prestigious Turner Prize in 2000, uses the edition to highlight his own experimental approach to photography. He combines photographs with paintings, texts and newspaper articles. Also offering insight into his process, the book shows how the artist displays pictures on long tables in his studio while he preparing for an exhibition or a publication."

Chris Evans well-suited for GQ.

The New York Times scrubs up on the Fort Lauderdale "Flush Naugle" campaign: "In an interview, Mr. Naugle — who described himself as 'extremely' conservative despite being a registered Democrat, like half the city’s registered voters — said he had received 4,000 e-mail messages in recent weeks, mostly supportive. A “climate of permissiveness” has developed in the city, he said, similar to when Fort Lauderdale was a magnet for rowdy spring breakers several decades ago. 'It has become kind of like the days of spring break,' he said, 'when we ended up clamping down because people were jumping off balconies and other things. We are kind of going in that direction with the gay tourism.'"

Jodie Foster opens up to More magazine about the ring she wears and media scrutiny: "My life is my life. I'm not going to change my life for anybody. I don't have any problems with it. I just don't talk about my health, my dad, who I voted for or what I think of the death penalty, because that would be trivializing my life, selling it for a magazine. I don't have any problems with anybody reporting on my life. It's just that I'm not going to bring my family into that."

Lance Bass renting out his Beverly Hills mansion while he hits Broadway to play Corny Colliins in Hairspray.

The odd "Gays for Giuliani" activist ad, which trotted out gay stereotypes to expose Giuliani's supposed liberal leanings, is to actually air in South Carolina.

Labor Day ain't here yet! Elton steps out in white.

New documentary looks at San Francisco's "Stonewall": It began on the first day of 1965, when a festive Mardi Gras costume ball was about to begin in the City at a rented venue on Polk Street called California Hall. The high-profile fundraising gala was to be a sort of coming out party for the city’s underground gay culture, with hopes, for the first time in history, to publicly reveal itself in a thoroughly respectable yet visibly queer and overtly political fashion. ...The police promised not to interfere with what was, in fact, a legal, private event held on private property. But that promise was quickly broken. As eyewitnesses on the film described the incident, no sooner did the party begin, than paddy wagons sealed off the streets around California Hall. SFPD officers armed with cameras and spotlights, as well as guns and batons, formed an intimidating gauntlet through which every partygoer had to pass, to be filmed and photographed upon arrival. The cops then entered the building without cause and without warrants."

Star Jones tells Diane Sawyer why she had gastric bypass surgery: "I didn’t want to die fat. Because that's not happy."

Sphere: Related Content

News: Great White, Uganda, Matthew McConaughey, Singapore

Singapore bans gay picnic, saying politics not welcome in public parks: "It was never meant to be political, and this testifies to the paranoia of the government. They automatically assume that anything gay is a political challenge to them. It speaks volumes about the political climate in Singapore."

Beckham pays a visit to the Yankees and Blue Jays' clubhouses to see what American sports are all about.

British Great White Shark photo exposed as a fake: "The man who took the picture, which was featured prominently in the Sun, admitted he had snapped the creature during a fishing trip in South Africa rather than off Newquay, northern Cornwall. 'I took the picture while I was on a fishing trip in Cape Town and just sent it in as a joke,' Kevin Keeble told the Newquay Voice newspaper. 'I didn't expect anyone to take be daft enough to take it seriously.'"

Five continents to see lunar eclipse on August 28th: "The event begins 54 minutes past midnight PDT (0754 UT) on August 28th when the Moon enters Earth's shadow. At first, there's little change. The outskirts of Earth's shadow are as pale as the Moon itself; an onlooker might not even realize anything is happening. But as the Moon penetrates deeper, a startling metamorphosis occurs. Around 2:52 am PDT (0952 UT), the color of the Moon changes from moondust-gray to sunset-red. This is totality, and it lasts for 90 minutes."

Fred Phelps' Westboro Baptist Church to picket funerals of Minneapolis bridge collapse victims.

A look at Matthew McConaughey's pocket rocket?

Retired bishop who supported gay rights causes reaction after he is identified attending Catholic mass in Uganda: "The Rt. Rev. John Baptist Kaggwa mentioned Ssenyonjo among the important guests in the congregation, drawing mixed reactions from Catholics who also condemn homosexuality. One of the celebrants said Ssenyonjo should not have been recognised during the mass because the public could think that the Catholic Church sympathises with gay activists."

What's next for Apple TV?

Broward County Commission blasts Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle over homophobic comments, but stops short of censure: "Using words such as bigoted and despicable, commissioners united in chastising Naugle, then signed letters that will be sent to gay news Web sites and convention planners reaffirming their commitment to diversity. The symbolic reproach individually by the nine commissioners, though, stops shy of them formally voting to censure him, which is what some gay political activists want. The county's tourism czar, Nicki Grossman, said Tuesday's actions were vital in light of the growing national tumult over Naugle's views. She and other tourism executives had hoped the area's long-standing reputation as a gay-friendly destination would avert any negative effect."

Sphere: Related Content

Fort Lauderdale Gay Businesses Concerned About Naugle Effect

Hotel owners and other business in Fort Lauderdale that court gay travelers are concerned about the effect Mayor Jim Naugle's recent statements about gay people could have should the controversy be picked up by national news outlets.

The Miami Herald reports: "So far, the media coverage appears confined to Florida outlets, gay news sites and bloggers of all stripes. But as the controversy escalated, tourism officials braced for bigger fallout. Nicki Grossman, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, said staff contacted paid media watchers in New York and Europe to see how far the story had spread. She also consulted with the bureau's New York public relations firm, which advised against drawing extra attention. 'Some are urging responses,' Grossman said of local tourism-dependent businesses. 'Right