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Politics,
politics,
politics,
it’s
all
about
the
politics
in
this
week’s
issue
of
The
Express.
Big
news
is
coming
out
of
Fort
Lauderdale:
Dean
Trantalis,
a
former
city
commissioner,
is
hitting
the
campaign
trail
to
become
the
city’s
first
openly-gay
mayor,
and
he’s
counting
on
all
the
angry
GLBTs
to
vote
for
him.
Not
that
we
should
vote
for
him
because
of
that
in
itself.
There’s
also
a
whole
city
out
there
to
run.
Sometimes
the
gay
community
forgets
about
everything
else
out
there.
Where
does
Trantalis
stand
on
the
issues?
We’ll
be
finding
that
out
as
time
goes
on,
with
the
debates
and
the
political
ads
and
the
mudslinging.
But
I’ll
tell
you,
we
met
him
here
at
our
offices
and
he’s
a
heck
of
a
nice
guy,
so
that
counts
for
something.
He’s
well
aware
of
the
beating
Fort
Lauderdale
has
taken
this
past
year,
with
all
of
Jim
Naugle’s
nasty
comments
about
how
gay
people
spread
diseases
through
our
constant
public
fornicating.
How
nice
of
him
to
think
our
lives
are
really
that
interesting.
I
would
love
to
bring
Mayor
Naugle
to
my
apartment
and
show
him
the
boring
domestic
life
I
live,
with
my
little
garden
outside,
and
my
cat
Gorgeous,
and
the
Latin
guy
who
seems
to
like
my
bed
since
I
can
usually
find
him
lying
in
it.
Although
he’s
currently
breaking
all
sorts
of
federal
laws,
working
at
an
illegal
job
to
save
up
enough
money
to
pay
a
woman
to
marry
him
so
he
can
get
US
citizenship,
so
it
would
probably
be
best
to
not
introduce
him
to
the
mayor.
guy
and
I
just
returned
to
my
apartment,
after
going
on
a
walk
together
to
“get
a
cake.”
With
him,
“get
a
cake”
means
he
could
want
any
number
of
things:
coffee,
ice
cream,
perhaps
an
actual
piece
of
cake,
it’s
anyone’s
guess
when
we
head
out.
“You
wanna
cake?
I
wanna
cake.
Les’
go
get
a
cake.”
I
just
follow
along.
He
listens
while
I
rant
and
rave
about
local
gay
politics,
how
Jim
Naugle
and
the
Fort
Lauderdale
police
make
my
blood
boil.
He
nods,
asks
what
certain
words
mean.
And
then
we
come
back.
This
time,
we
bought
herbal
tea,
which
he
is
now
sipping
loudly
whilst
talking
on
his
phone,
jabbering
away
in
his
native
language.
He
has
a
trip
home
planned
to
see
his
family,
and
he
says
he
needs
to
come
back
through
the
US
border
to
renew
his
visa.
He’s
also
bringing
a
wad
of
cash
to
his
aging
mother,
which
he
has
saved
over
months
of
selling
ugly
clothes
in
a
Lincoln
Road
store.
“My
city
is
very
bad,”
he
said,
as
we
walked
to
buy
our
teas.
“Lots
of
the
corruption,
everyone
is
so
poor,
there
is
no
working.
Is
so
much
better
here.”
He
looked
up.
“Is
full
moon
tonight,
you
make
a
wish?
I
made
mine.”
And
we
shuffled
along,
holding
hands.
When
he
leaves,
he’s
also
moving
out
of
his
apartment,
and
he’s
taking
all
of
his
belongings
with
him
(a
total
of
three
suitcases),
so
I
told
him
he
could
leave
some
things
at
my
apartment,
just
to
make
his
trip
easier.
But
really,
I
wanted
to
make
sure
he’ll
come
back.
He
said
no,
but
thanks.
And
we
walked
in
silence
for
a
while
after
that.
south
Florida,
dear
readers.
This
weekend
in
the
very
merry
month
of
June,
we
celebrate
all
things
gay
with
the
Stonewall
Street
Festival
and
Pride
Parade.
Granted,
it’s
only
one
of—what
is
it,
four
Prides,
or
five?—in
the
south
Florida
area,
as
each
city
has
its
own.
Fort
Lauderdale
even
has
two.
But
pay
no
mind
to
the
rest!
There
is
a
party
this
weekend,
and
we
shall
go
forth
and
be
proud
of
our
gayness
at
it.
And
really,
despite
the
police
officers
that
seem
to
make
up
charges
to
arrest
gay
guys,
or
our
mayor
who
is
NOT
coming
to
the
Stonewall
Street
Festival,
we’re
doing
alright.
The
Express
crew
will
have
a
booth
at
the
Festival,
so
please
stop
by
and
say
“hello.”
Y’know,
our
“Best
of
Gay
South
Florida”
is
in
the
works,
and
we’ll
have
surveys
for
you
to
fill
out.
We’re
a
democracy
here
at
the
Express,
we
value
your
opinion.
Let
us
know
what’s
out
there,
we’re
sure
the
world
is
full
of
surprises.
Thanks
for
reading.
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