The mayor of Fort Lauderdale, Jim Naugle, shows no remorse for being a racist, homophobic bigot, despite the fact
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Since taking office in 1991, Naugle, a Democrat, has spewed overtly hateful views against LGBT people. He has promoted the bigoted view that homosexuality is a crime. These positions have caused an outcry from the LGBT community.
On July 11, Naugle voted at a city commissioners meeting against transferring the Stonewall Library to a city owned building after waving a stack of magazines he deemed “hardcore pornography.” The magazines are not housed in the archives.
The library, one of the largest archives of LGBT literature in the country, is a “cultural and educational resource that preserves, interprets, and shares the remarkable heritage of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.” (Stonewall-library.org)
Naugle’s most recent actions justifying the city’s purchase of a $250,000 robotic restroom on the beach as a way to curb “homosexual activity” in public bathrooms launched a series of town hall meetings, demonstrations and a large rally on July 24 at city hall.
The July 24 rally drew over 1,000 protesters calling for the mayor’s resignation. Protesters included several elected officials, the ACLU, a strong contingent from the International Longshoremen’s Association and many others. The Party for Socialism and Liberation mobilized for the action as well.
A small counter protest of about 20 people was led by organizations that have organized a campaign against the passage of a federal hate crime bill.
Naugle, who’s made millions as mayor through his Fort Lauderdale-based real estate business, also has a record that directly attacks the city’s working class.
While battling a bill in 2006 that would have would made residential developers pay for affordable housing, Naugle said, “I’m supposed to subsidize some schlock sitting on the sofa and drinking a beer, who won’t work more than 40 hours a week?” (South Florida Sun-Sentinel, May 20, 2006)
In an October 2000 interview, when asked about the death penalty, Naugle stated: “I think a strong rope and a stiff tree would be better than wasting all that electricity.”
The July 24 demonstration was an important step toward pushing back the mayor’s bigotry and forging a united movement for equality in Fort Lauderdale.
