In The Wake Of Bill James Anti-Gay Hate Mecklenburg County Considers Resolution Opposing Discriminatory Speech Based On Sexual Orientation; James Responds By Comparing Gays To Pedophiles And Prostitutes

The Charlotte Observer reports that one week after Mecklenburg County Commissioner Bill James categorised homosexuals as “sexual predators,” the board announced that it intends to consider passage of a resolution that, among other things, opposes discrimination or inflammatory speech based on sexual orientation. The proposed resolution, drafted by Commissioner Harold Cogdell, a Democrat, said that he hoped to change the public perception of Mecklenburg County after James’ dangerous and disturbing comments, Cogdell saying “I felt that the image of our community was being impacted in a way that did not reflect the core values of what Charlotte-Mecklenburg is really about. And I think Commissioner James got a good deal of, frankly, press, and he’s certainly entitled to his opinion, but I don’t think his opinion reflects mainstream thinking in Mecklenburg County.” James, a Republican, counters that the Democrats on the county board of commissioners are pandering to “homosexual activists,” whom he contends have called for him to be censured. “This isn’t about, I don’t think, some sort of consensus,” James said Sunday. “This is about the speech police and controlling an issue that they have gotten a lot of heat over, because you can’t go around censuring people for having a different opinion, or for expressing it. It’s like having a resolution saying we’re going to be uber-sensitive to prostitutes and pedophiles because we don’t want them to get mad.” County Board Chairperson Jennifer Roberts, who says that a number of citizens have signed up to speak at a scheduled board meeting Tuesday regarding James’ hateful remarks, said by way of explanation, that the resolution is less about James and more about according all respect. “He’s going to do what he’s going to do,” she said, referring to James. “And he’s shown in repeated instances that he doesn’t mind what kind of language he uses. And, in his mind, he’s just speaking the truth.”