Miami Herald - July 11, 2007
Ani Martinez, armartinez@MiamiHerald.com

Naugle said the Stonewall Library, which bills itself as one of the nation's largest collections of gay and lesbian literature, may include "hard-core" pornographic material.

Last week, Naugle angered gays by telling The Sun-Sentinel that the city should purchase high-tech, electronic toilets for the express purpose of discouraging users from engaging in "homosexual activity."

That statement elicited denunciations in the gay community. Activists have urged supporters to send rolls of toilet paper or photos of toilet paper rolls to the mayor as a form of protest.

As for the library, Naugle quickly reignited tensions Tuesday night even though library officials explained Stonewall visitors must be 18 or older to enter the private library.

A group of 40 or so gays in the crowd sighed and laughed as Naugle said he felt "uncomfortable and shocked" about the material he saw. "When I showed the materials to the city attorney, he said it was likely hard-core pornography. I feel troubled a city building would be housing materials with content we have arrested people for in the past."

He declined to specify the titles he was referring to.

And when he asked City Attorney Harry Stewart to speak up at the meeting, Stewart declined.

The crowd fiercely applauded his silence.

"His comments were unfortunate," said Jack Rutland, the library's director. "There's material that people would feel uncomfortable with just as I would feel uncomfortable and queasy reading a medical journal. Our duty is to represent every aspect of our community."

To check out a book or one of Stonewall's 600 movies you must fill out a membership form. Archives and periodicals are not available to check out, just like the public library's policy.

"Someone coming to do research about gays can find anything they want," Rutland said. "If someone is looking for information on religion and gays, the lesbian revolution, aids activists or every issue of the Advocate dating back to the 1960s, they'll find it."

"It's a historical research archive," Rutland added.

In the end, the commission voted 3-2 to allow the Stonewall Library to move into space in the city building at 1300 E. Sunrise Blvd., which also houses a Broward County Library branch.

Commissioners Cindi Hutchinson, Carlton Moore and Charlotte Rodstrom voted for the agreement.

Naugle and Commissioner Christine Teel voted against it.

SPLIT ON DAIS

"I don't share the mayor's opinions on the gay community or his opinions on censorship," Rodstrom said.

Besides the pornography, Naugle and Teel said there's no reason that so much public space should be devoted to a nonprofit organization when the state is asking cities to roll back taxes.

Stonewall officials would like to be in the ArtServe building by the end of the year.

"I'll use the analogy of the African American Research Library," said Jack Latona, who addressed the commission at the meeting. "You don't need to be African American to appreciate the library. You don't need to be gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender or even homosexual to benefit from Stonewall."

When the Rev. O'Neal Dozier, a church leader in Pompano Beach, spoke out against the the gay community, the crowd erupted, just to hear Naugle quiet them down.

"I have some homosexuals in my church," he said. "Some of them are trying to become straight. Some have become straight already."

Before running out of time, Dozier said, "I love homosexual people," but he added that since he is representing God he needed to oppose the library because God opposes the homosexual lifestyle.

The following speaker, Dean Trantalis, who was the first openly gay city commissioner when he served on the panel, lightened the mood by saying that, like the reverend, he, too, loves homosexuals.

The library's former home on North Andrews Avenue in Wilton Manors was purchased by developers.

The site is slated for condominiums and an adjoining new facility for the Gay and Lesbian Community Center.

"The library came to us and said this space might be available," said Jack Rutland, Stonewall's director.

COUNTY APPROVED

Broward County leaders approved the move last month. The Stonewall Library annually draws about 9,000 users for reading and research.

Stonewall has been seeking the right location for more than a year and believes the 4,350-square-foot space at the library is a perfect fit.

The move will be partially funded through the John C. Graves Charitable Trust, named after a late historian, writer and philanthropist in the gay community.
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