Pro-diversity rally in Ft. Lauderdale today to counter the $250K robo-potty mayor

by: Pam Spaulding

Tue Jul 24, 2007 at 14:00:00 PM EDT

People are keeping the pressure up on Ft. Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle. There's a large rally, led by UNITE Fort Lauderdale. The coalition includes Equality Florida and other pro-LGBT forces to show the $250K robo-potty mayor that he doesn't speak for the residents of the city. It's at 4:00 PM at City Hall.

The UNITE Fort Lauderdale Rally continues to gain momentum with its strong line-up of speakers. Large crowds from every part of our community are expected to come together in solidarity against the mayor's long string of bigoted and insensitive comments.  Speakers include:

* Michael Albetta - President of GLBT Democratic Caucus, Vice-President of the Dolphin Democrats
* Ken Keechl - Broward County Commissioner
* Matt Foreman - Executive director of The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
* Mitch Ceasar - Chairman of the Broward County Democratic Party
* Lori Parrish - Broward County Property Appraiser
* Carlton Moore - Fort Lauderdale City Vice-Mayor
* Diana Wasserman-Rubin - Broward County Commissioner
* Mike D Payne - Vice-President of Longshoremen's Local #1526
* Howard Simon - Florida Executive Director of the ACLU
* Nadine Smith - Executive Director Equality Florida
* Stacy Ritter - Broward County Commissioner
* Durrell Watkins - Senior Pastor of the Sunshine Cathedral
* Andrew L. Rosenkranz - Florida Regional Director from the Anti-Defamation League
* Scott Newton - Mayor of Wilton Manors
* Rabbi Greg Kanter - Jewish Light
* Suzanne Boisvenue - Oakland Park City Commissioner
* Stephan Lampasso - Chairman of Human Rights Campaign Florida Committee

Mayor Naugle once again showed his true colors at a press conference at City Hall.  Flanked by the divisive Rev. O'Neal Dozier, Naugle once again used stereotypes and hate instead of facts in his "apology for not acting sooner on the problem of homosexual sex in public restrooms."  When asked why his assertions run counter to what the police department has repeatedly said, he simply pointed to an incident in South Beach and vague "calls of complaints from concerned citizens" instead of answering questions with facts.

The mayor again dodges questions on his comments and actions towards all citizens of the city he supposedly represents.  When asked if he wanted to apologize for his previous comments about affordable housing, the environment, and other important issues, he refused to answer and instead chose to focus on a problem that DOES NOT EXIST.  When our city needs real action and leadership for the issues facing it, the mayor has chosen to latch on to an issue that he created in his own mind.

Instead of answering to the concerns of the citizens of Fort Lauderdale, he has aligned himself with one of the most divisive religious leaders in Florida, Rev. Dozier.  In fact, the mayor was apparently unable to find a church in Fort Lauderdale to support his bigoted statements, so he had to reach out to the Pompano minister.  Dozier has made several comments over the last couple of years, including calling Islam a ?cult? and "dangerous religion", and said that being gay is "something so nasty and disgusting that it makes God want to vomit" and that HIV-AIDS was God's punishment.  (Broward New Times, November 27, 2003).  In fact, Gov. Bush and Gov. Crist have removed him off of advisory boards for his divisive and disparaging comments.

UNITE Fort Lauderdale is embarrassed and ashamed of Mayor Naugle and his continued string of divisive, hate-filled comments.  His press conference today shows that he has no respect for the citizens of Fort Lauderdale or the damage he is causing the city and region. 

This reaction at Incertus is priceless.

Fuckin'... Did you just fuckin' see that? Fuckin' what the fuck? He apologized for underestimating how widespread non-existent homosexual hook-ups in public places are! This problem that only exists in his head... he's apologizing for not spending more time and money on solving it! I mean... fuck, man! Just... wow! Fuck!

As you can see, I'm beyond rational thought and expression at this point. He's been raked over the coals for this for weeks now. He's become a laughingstock on a national level. And now, he calls a press conference designed to make people laugh at him even harder. I mean, who does that? Surely, he's sick of being mayor and wants to be impeached or recalled or something, right? I mean this is the kind of stupid that history's going to remember, you know?