Anti-Gay Candidate Calls for Open-Mindedness

Though his views on gays feel stuck in the slurs of the early Nineties (See this July Riptide blog post), Miami Beach mayoral candidate Bill Smatt showed some out-of-the-box thinking with his pitch for improving Miami Beach. The 76-year-old, who sports long white hair and a beard a la Father Time in his candidate mug, suggested building “golf cart roadways” in a recent Neighbors section of the Herald. “Senior citizens, disabled persons, and the less active can enjoy outdoors too, with golf cart roadways not just bicycle paths.”

And just how would he pay for those “golf cart roadways” if he was elected mayor? By welcoming gambling and bingo to the beach. “The revenue is there if we are more open-minded,” he is quoted as saying. Hmm…being open-minded. Novel idea from a man who posted a “God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve” banner in his front yard. Perhaps, he’ll talk more about the plan at the mayoral candidate’s debate tonight at 6 p.m. at the Miami Beach Public Library, 227 22nd Street, Miami. —Janine Zeitlin