Jim Naugle: Obsessed With Public Restrooms

Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle must be mad that Ronda Storms gets all the media attention. He has launch an anti-gay campaign. It is also killing Fort Lauderdale's tourism industry.

Broward County tourism officials couldn't possibly have anticipated that their worst nightmare in 2007 would be Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle. The mayor seems determined to alienate every gay and lesbian potential visitor to Broward with his contemptible anti-gay campaign.

Contrary to the mayor's claims, men having sex in public restrooms is not a problem or an epidemic in Fort Lauderdale. The city police department cites two arrests for sexual activity in public restrooms since 2005. The mayor claims the arrest number is eight. Yes, people having sex in public bathrooms is offensive, but there is no crime wave here.

Now a group of narrow-minded clerics and medical professionals has latched onto the mayor's cause. They held a press conference Tuesday to rail against public and promiscuous sex. We can all agree that such activities are to be discouraged, but this sanction applies equally to heterosexuals. Mr. Naugle and his clerical backers are specifically targeting gays and lesbians with their unwarranted criticism and, often as not, half-informed comments. The mayor apparently enjoys playing the provocateur. He refuses to let it die, as it should.

There are more productive things for the Mayor to do. Such as get potholes fixed and run an efficient government.