The Story Stalls Here

As Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) was figuratively dragged out of the restroom and into the spotlight this week, the media have been ignoring another compelling story about sex in public toilets.

Fort Lauderdale's Democratic mayor, Jim Naugle, has incurred the wrath of homosexual activists for publicly addressing the problem of men having sex in public places.

It all came to a head, so to speak, in July, when the mayor backed an idea that would frustrate the thrill seekers: switching to automated stalls. Automated stalls make it difficult for trolling swingers to hook up, and they protect small boys from walking in on lewd behavior.

The reaction was brutal. The local South Florida Sun-Sentinel ran a piece effectively accusing Naugle of gay-bashing. Predictably, the "gay community" came out of the woodwork, attacking the mayor as "homophobic," "bigoted" and full of "hate." Critics said Naugle was undermining Broward County's carefully cultivated reputation as a "gay-friendly" vacation destination.

Responding to the media-fed flood of criticism, the mayor, like so many pols before him, announced that he would apologize at a press conference on July 24. The local press gathered, notebooks ready and cameras rolling, to enjoy the latest example of self-immolation on the pyre of political correctness.

Naugle delivered an apology all right, but not the expected groveling before the rainbow flag. Instead, he apologized to "the children and parents of our community" for not being informed about "how serious the problem was of sexual activity that's taking place in bathrooms and public parks."

Then he made a shocking assertion: that Broward County leads the nation in new AIDS cases.

Say what? Did he just do what we think he did? How many Americans do you suppose would have found this interesting: a newsy city's mayor under siege who, instead of kowtowing, comes out fighting and even raises the stakes?

National press coverage of the Naugle saga has been skimpy. CNN finally covered the story on August 6. In a news segment of 5 minutes, 10 seconds, CNN gave Naugle a total of 35 seconds to speak. Reporter Susan Candiotti noted Naugle's explosive claim that Broward has "a record increase of new AIDS cases in the county, the highest in the nation," but she didn't explore the significance of the statistics.

Here's what Candiotti ignored: According to the Broward County Health Department, AIDS Surveillance data, in 2006, 70.2 percent of new HIV cases involved men having sex with men (MSM) and another 2.8 percent involved MSM who inject drugs intravenously, for a total of 73 percent.

On August 13, CNN gave the story another 5 minutes, 12 seconds. Anchor Rick Sanchez affected a skeptical, aggressive tone, but to his credit, Sanchez gave Naugle time to make his case. Sanchez showed no interest in the public health concerns.

The New York Times finally ran an article on August 16. Reporter Abby Goodnough quoted several critics but not a single supporter of Mayor Naugle. Goodnough mentioned Naugle's claim that Broward County led the nation in new AIDS cases, but again, no exploration of the shocking statistics.

The compassionate media don't seem to care that homosexual men are dropping like flies. To them, it's more important to appear "inclusive" and "tolerant."

By contrast, ABC, CBS and NBC collectively ran 19 stories on the Craig scandal within the first 48 hours. CNN had 32 segments on it, and Fox clocked in with 12.

Naugle staged a feisty followup press conference on August 21 featuring several local activists and religious leaders, along with Dr. John Diggs, a Massachusetts-based physician. Diggs is the author of a white paper considered threatening by homosexual activists: "The Health Risks of Gay Sex," which cites voluminous data in major health journals.

On August 23, Bill O'Reilly brought on Naugle for a 4-minute, 47-second interview. O'Reilly treated the mayor respectfully, challenging his premises but allowing Naugle to elaborate on his concerns about the health risks of promiscuous homosexuality.

On August 24, the Miami Herald editorialized that Mayor Naugle's actions were "contemptible," noting that police have arrested only a few men for having sex in public bathrooms. The Herald, utterly ignoring the appalling HIV/AIDS statistics, accused the mayor and the "clerics" supporting him of "maliciousness" and said the mayor "refuses to let it die, as it should."

Perhaps in light of the deadly AIDS epidemic in Broward County, we should rephrase it: "the mayor refuses to let them die." The Herald actually called Mr. Naugle a "hate-monger." Is it any wonder people are losing faith in the "mainstream" press?

In the next few days, as the networks beat the Craig drum, they should also spend a little time with Mayor Naugle, who was just kicked off the Broward County tourist board. They'd find it instructive. They might even share with their audiences Mr. Naugle's well-documented concerns for the health of Broward County's homosexual visitors: the men whose lives Broward County is recklessly putting at risk in the name of tourist dollars.

The story might even generate some compassion for Sen. Craig. Well, we can dream, can't we?

(Robert Knight is director of the Culture & Media Institute, a division of the Media Research Center, the parent organization of CNSNews.com.)

Exchanged a few emails with Mayor Naugle, and with one of the Tourism Board members (the only one who replied to my email, even though I addressed them all. I'll share them with you.

----------------------My first email:

Mayor Naugle, I just finished reading about your news conference concerning homosexual sex in the public bathrooms/spaces of your city, at http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1872390/posts.

We applaud your firm, straight-forward comments on the issue, and your attempts to stop this terrible behavior on the part of homosexuals (and heterosexuals if caught doing such things).

Apparently you are already under attack from radical homosexuals for your comments and position on the issue. Stay firm in your commitment, it was, and will continue to be, the right one.

Additionally, you should be commended because you may be saving some lives in the homosexual community, and may be reducing the probability of some married homosexuals getting caught and forcing their wives and children to bear the public scrutiny and humiliation of such public disclosure.

Your firm commitment to public decency and public safety, as well as defending people's efforts to shield and protect their children from such activities should make you, and your constituents, proud.

We wish the best for you and your city.

-----------------------Mayor Naugle's response:

Thank you for your support.

Jim

--My Email to the Board with an info copy to the Mayor:

Broward County Tourism Board Members:

We just read about your unanimous decision against the Mayor here:

=================================

From the article: "At the center of the controversy are the mayor's comments on what he calls "MSM" -- men having sex with men in public restrooms and parks in Fort Lauderdale.

Board members described the mayor's comments as hurtful, wrong and mean-spirited." "Naugle said he will not back off the comments and will be outspoken as long as public health is an issue in Fort Lauderdale."

===================================

We are amazed that you would support the reputation that your city will now have (without the Mayor's efforts to counter it) as a city who agrees with this terrible behavior on the part of homosexuals (and heterosexuals if caught doing such things) in public bathrooms.

You all should be supporting the Mayor as he attempts to save some lives in the homosexual community, and to reduce the probability of some married homosexuals getting caught and forcing their wives and children to bear the public scrutiny and humiliation of such public disclosure.

His firm commitment to public decency and public safety, as well as defending people's efforts to shield and protect their children from such activities should make you committed supporters of the Mayor.

Neither a homosexual group, nor for that matter a heterosexual group, should be able to force you into concurring that sex in public bathrooms is acceptable.

If you manage to get back your "lost" $250,000.00 from some homosexual group boycotting your city, will you sleep better at night knowing that you have put children in danger of encountering two (or more) sweating, panting adults openly performing sex acts, just because the children needed to go to the bathroom at a public facility.

Shame on all of you for not standing up to the homosexual pressure group and telling them "You're welcome to come to the city and do all of the legal things other citizens/visitors are welcome to do, but we will not condone, nor allow sexual acts in our public bathrooms.

If you can't stand up to this issue because of "lost tourist dollars" threats from homosexuals, we shudder to think of what the next pressure group will force you into acceding to in the future.

Mayor Naugles decision was, and will continue to be, the right one.

We wish the best, but fear the worst, for your city.

----------------------One Board Member's response:

Dear :

Thank you for sharing your opinion.

Your e-mail is a perfect example of the false impressions that have been created in our County.

According to Mayor Naugle's own police department, there has only been two such cases in the city in recent years.

Thus, I feel pretty comfortable that we are not a haven for illegal or immorale activities.

Ilene

--------------------------My followup with the Mayor:

Mayor Naugle,

We received the following reply to our email to the Board. Clearly Ilene Lieberman's argument is that you are highly exaggerating the situation, and that data from your police department supports her statement.

Do you have any comments you could share with us? Thanks,

----------------------The Mayor's response"

She is quoting an early news article that was wrong.

We have had 11 arrest in my city, but there have many in south Florida.

Our goal is not to rack up arrest, but to change behavior in public places.

If the county wants us to do more arrest, perhaps we will go in that direction.

Jim

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