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The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau's tourism board is setting its sights on Jim Naugle, the conservative Fort Lauderdale, Fla., mayor who in recent weeks has launched a bizarre, seemingly antigay crusade.
The tourism bureau is demanding the mayor stop his "hurtful, mean-spirited rhetoric" regarding the gay community and that "damage has been done" by his comments. Travel leaders have been inundated with e-mails saying that potential visitors are considering pulling their business from Fort Lauderdale. According to the travel board, one specific 200-member group has put their South Florida travel plans on hold in addition to $250,000 in payment. Supportive straight travelers have also threatened to boycott Fort Lauderdale, but the mayor's response has been that he will not "back down."
Naugle caused a firestorm when he gave an interview to the Sun-Sentinel newspaper on July 4 where he called for pay toilets to be installed at Sebastian Beach, a popular gay spot. "Homosexuals...they're engaging in sex, anonymous sex, illegal sex," Naugle said in the Sun-Sentinel article. He then added, "I didn't use the word 'gay.' I used the word 'homosexual.' Most of them aren't gay; they are unhappy."
Naugle's words infuriated locals who began a "Flush Naugle" campaign. The mayor called a press conference where it was assumed he would apologize to LGBTs. Instead, he apologized for not taking more seriously the so-called issue of gays and public sex.
On Thursday, Naugle held another press conference, this time with right-wing religious leaders. The conservatives, Naugle included, urged the public to report public sex to the police and for the tourism board to stop promoting gay bathhouses. (The Advocate)
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