Jim Naugle: merely an asshole, or the biggest asshole in politics?

I'm not sure what the next item on the "gay agenda" is (Jeebus, I hate that expression), but freakishly bigoted Fort Lauderdale mayor Jim Naugle (right) had a few words to say this morning to local hate radio station WFTL* about the possibility that his successor -- he leaves office this year thanks to term limits -- might be gay. Two openly gay candidates, Dean Trantalis and Earl Rynerson, are in the race to replace the hateful douchebag.

Here's a transcript of Naugle's conversation (.mp3) with WFTL hosts Russ Morley and Michael Woulfe, starting at about 2:05 into the audio. You will not believe what this fucking idiot Naugle says. Seriously.

MORLEY: Let's talk about your legacy here for a second. How long have you been the mayor of Fort Lauderdale?

NAUGLE: I've been mayor for -- I'm in my 18th year, and on the [city] commission I'm in my 24th year.

MORLEY: Your 18 years as mayor of Fort Lauderdale -- obviously a very popular candidate, winning reelection year after year ...

NAUGLE: Well, many years no one really wanted the job, so ...

[laughter]

WOULFE: Who could blame 'em?

MORLEY: And a courageous guy at that. So, you talk about -- I know you're not the president of the United States, but you've been a good mayor of Fort Lauderdale, represented the city well, and you talk about "legacy" -- do you want to be remembered as the guy who said "No gay sex in public restrooms?" That's the only thing you're gonna be remembered by?

NAUGLE: Well, you know, I would like to be remembered as one of the first politicians who rejected political correctness and did what's right, and I think that as time goes on, more and more -- you know, political correctness can have deadly consequences, and that's what happening in Broward County, where county elected officials are ignoring the problems, the explosion that we've had in new cases of AIDS among men having sex with men, and they're ignoring that out of political correctness because they don't want to get the rap of the radical gay lobby.

And ... but I've been willing to stand up and say, hey, look, this is a problem, people are dying. It's a very costly disease, and we've been reducing activity in our parks and public places in the city. We've made arrests, we've gotten the county Convention and Visitors Bureau to quit spending tax dollars attracting visitors to the bathhouses, so -- no, I think being remembered as someone that didn't let political correctness get in the way of doing the right thing is a pretty good legacy.

WOULFE: Hear, hear!

MORLEY: But on the other hand, you know, you're also being viewed as anti-gay, especially with the remark about gay people not being happy, or not being "gay," that they're unhappy, and things like that ...

NAUGLE: Well, you know, that remark was not made, and it was ...

MORLEY: Was not made at all?

NAUGLE (continuing): It was printed by a reporter at the Sun-Sentinel who has a history of taking things out of context and misquoting, and what I did say was that I use the term -- I prefer to use the term "homosexual" instead of the Sun-Sentinel-approved word "gay," and they made a big deal out of that.

But I've had calls and letters and e-mails of support from many members of the homosexual community that say, Jim, you're absolutely right, it's disgusting that men would go to a park and perform sex acts in front of children, and many -- I have many supporters in the homosexual community that reject this kind of behavior.

MORLEY: Well, you know, Jim, you're not the first person I've heard say that -- 'cause we're all three old enough here, Mike and I and you are all three old enough to remember that the term "gay" used to mean "happy" at one point in time, and how the male homosexuals got "gay" and the women got "lesbian" I'll never know. I guess they get first pick.

NAUGLE: And the poor people on that island in Greece that have to put up with that ...

MORLEY: And "gay Paree!" I mean, is the whole city homosexual? I don't think so. All right, let's ask you this here this morning ...

NAUGLE: Well, back to the two gentlemen running for mayor. I think that a homosexual does have a chance to be elected mayor in Fort Lauderdale, if they reject that notion that it's okay to take over our parks and public places with that kind of activity -- I mean, if a responsible homosexual can run for office and reject that kind of activity, if a responsible homosexual were to run for office and do something about the AIDS crisis here, recognizing that promiscuous activity has a heavy, you know, cost on human life and dollars, I think that they would have a chance to be elected.

MORLEY: Jim, we're running out of time here this morning -- tell us, when's your last day as mayor?

NAUGLE (laughing): Oh, some day in March -- I think it might be March 16th or 17th, somewhere in there.

MORLEY: Oh, that far away? Oh, great!

NAUGLE: No countdown clock.

MORLEY: All right. Always a pleasure to talk to you. Mayor Jim Naugle, Fort Lauderdale's mayor, on News-Talk 850 WFTL.

I find it difficult to believe that there can be a bigger assclown in any elected office anywhere (well, outside of Washington, D.C., at least) than this lunatic Jim Naugle. His endless, creepy obsession with gay life and AIDS and the ridiculous perception that all gay men (and, presumably, only gay men) are promiscuous would be hilarious if it weren't so deranged.

A typical disgusting conservative shit-for-brains, Naugle conveniently ignores facts, or contorts the facts so grossly that they are barely recognizable, all to justify his skewed, backwards, fascist worldview. Regarding the gay/happy mess, here's how the Sun-Sentinel originally reported it a year ago:

"The homosexual newspaper said it's the 'gay parking lot.' That's not me saying that," Naugle said in the interview, "that's what they said. I don't use the word 'gay.' I use the word 'homosexual.' Most of them aren't gay. They're unhappy."

Yes, Jim, as you pointed out today, you use the word "homosexual" instead of "gay." But you also explained why you do that, you dumb cretin: because they're not "gay," they're "unhappy." As for the "poor people on that island in Greece," I guess you're referring to Lesbos, and guess what, Jimbo? The word "lesbian" really comes from Lesbos, you stupid fuck!

What's a "responsible homosexual," Jim? And how do you define "political correctness?" If it means "respecting all people despite their differences with me," then I guess you can count me as "politically correct," too -- of course, I prefer to think of it as "being a decent human being and member of society," which would pretty much count you out.

And, Jim, do you have any idea that AIDS hasn't been a "gay man's disease" since, like, the 1980s?! As of June 2008, "men who have sex with men" accounted for barely a third of HIV/AIDS cases in Broward County (PDF) -- did you know that? No, of course not, because who gives a shit about facts, right? Not only that, Jim, but according to Broward County's own statistics (PDF), the incidence of AIDS has decreased among males (by percentage vs. females) over the last ten years:

click image for larger version

No, Jim, all of this would be news to you because you're just an ignorant asshole.

Look, I realize I'm an uncivil lefty blogger, but I don't normally spew invective like this even against the worst offenders in the Bush crime syndicate. There's just something about the visceral hate that Jim Naugle has for certain segments of society (not just gays) that makes me truly, deeply angry. I'll celebrate when he leaves office -- and thereby leaves public life for good.

P.S. Fuck you too, Russ Morley and Michael Woulfe.

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* WFTL's lineup rogues' gallery includes Dr. Laura, Bill O'Reilly, Michael "Savage" Weiner, Laura Ingraham, and Dennis Miller, plus a whole gang of local wingnut assholes.