Thursday, August 02, 2007

Outspoken Florida Mayor Cops Flak

We read:

"Mayor Jim Naugle issued a public apology on the steps of City Hall Tuesday afternoon, but it wasn't the apology the gay community was looking for.

Naugle apologized for underestimating the problem of men having sex with each other in public restrooms, and urged people to call police to complain when they come upon it. He also said Broward County leads the nation in the incidence of new AIDS cases involving men having sex with men, and questioned whether the county tourism office should be welcoming them here.

Gay activists and others have been calling for a public apology form the mayor, and for his resignation, since the South Florida Sun-Sentinel published Naugle's comments earlier this month about gays. In article about a proposed self-cleaning, automatic toilet the city was going to buy for the beach, Naugle said an added benefit would be that it would deter men from using it for "homosexual activity,'' which he said was a problem in public restrooms.

He also said he uses the term "homosexual'' rather than "gay,'' because gays are "unhappy.''

The mayor's comments led to formation of a group called Unite Fort Lauderdale, which is holding a rally tonight at City Hall, where a long list of elected officials and others will be speaking.

Source