Mayoral Candidate Criticized For Anti-Gay Banner

MIAMI BEACH - Driving down Alton Road, one might notice a large banner in front of a home that some have called homophobic and offensive. It reads: "God created Adam + Eve, not Adam + Steve." The occupant of that house raised it as part of his campaign to become the next mayor of Miami Beach, a city that has a large population of gay and lesbian residents.
"I promise you, when I become mayor, we're going to clean up all this funny business going on down there," mayoral candidate Bill Smatt said about the large presence of gay and lesbians who find South Beach a welcoming place to live, work and party.
Smatt wishes they didn't, and the sign in front of his house confirms it.
"What's wrong with it?" Smatt asked Local 10's Michael Putney in an interview Monday.
For one, the sign offends Save Dade and other gay-rights groups. Some of Smatt's neighbors are also offended.
"I don't think it should be up there because it offends a certain part of our community and I really think that it should be taken down," neighbor Rosie Menendez said. "It's not right."
The 76-year-old native of Jamaica sees himself as a moral crusader.
"I am bringing back Miami Beach for the families," he said.
But Miami Beach officials see him as a nuisance and a code violator.
"We have a code of laws in the city of Miami Beach," Assistant City Manager Hilda Fernandez said. "They regulate what we can and cannot do in single-family residential neighborhoods. He is permitted to have a sign of a certain size. He's not allowed to have a banner."
Smatt's campaign controversy comes during gay and lesbian pride month. To honor the occasion, city hall has an art exhibition on display, including an autographed photograph that reads, "Love you, Tiffany Hilton."
"Miami Beach is communism," Smatt said.
When pressed as to whether he meant Miami Beach is a communist city, he replied, "Sure it is."
A spokesman for Save Dade said Smatt is not representative of Miami Beach residents and that his views are "bigoted and despicable." Smatt said he is merely willing to say publicly what others say or think privately.
from WPLG