Image of James part of CREDO Action post.
Matt Comer at QNotes live-Tweeted tonight’s Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners meeting (the Charlotte area) where an equality and tolerance resolution passed unanimously, and the night included debate — with overwhelming condemnation — over anti-gay commissioner Bill James’s notorious recent “homosexuals are sexual predators” remarks.
From Matt’s QNotes report:
The resolution, proposed by Cogdell and approved Tuesday night, read, in part: “…the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners affirms, proclaims and declares its public support for community values that embrace and promote equality, diversity, tolerance and inclusion; and stands united in firm opposition to inflammatory speech that may cause bullying, intimidation, harassment, persecution or discriminatory treatment of any individual because of their race, color, sex, religion or creed, national origin, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, veteran status or disability.”
The unanimous vote marks one of the first times all Republicans on the Mecklenburg County board have voted in favor of a pro-equality statement. Several GOP members also made strong statements condemning James’ remarks.
…GOP Commissioner Karen Bentley also voiced her support for the resolution and said James’ comments were “beyond reproach” and “out of line with my Christian principles.”
James, as usual, blew off the criticism (and probably enjoyed the attention). He was incredibly rude, not bothering to look up from his terminal to make eye contact with those addressing him.
During his debate on the resolution, James said homosexuality was “perversity, not diversity,” and cited several laws and court cases he said showed homosexuality to be illegal. He also cited a 1988 study he says showed gay men more likely to molest children. The study, conducted by a Minneapolis-St. Paul medical center, contained less than 300 study participants and in no way connected homosexual men to molestation.
