If one wanted to find a stellar example of the callous, mean spirited, and homophobic mindset of the typical Christianist who cares nothing for others and cares nothing for the religious beliefs of others, one would not need to look beyond Mecklenburg County, North Carolina County Commissioner Bill James (pictured at left). My former partner lives in the Charlotte area and sent me a link to a story about James' refusal to apologize for horrible comments he made to a fellow Commissioner, Vilma Leake, who lost her gay son to AIDS. James' comments were outrageously cruel and what's even more outrageous is that he will not apologize to a mother who has lost a child. Unfortunately, behavior like James' seems to be the norm rather than the exception among religious extremists of the far Christian Right. They are devoid of charity and devoid of even a minimal level of common decency, not to mention Christian love. Pam Spaulding has a good take down on James here. Meanwhile, here are highlights from Fox News Charlotte that show the vileness of James' comments:*
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Mecklenburg County Commissioner Bill James has responded after referring to another commissioner's son as a 'homo' during Monday night's debate on domestic partner benefits. During the discussion, Commissioner Vilma Leake, a Democrat, spoke in support of providing benefits for the domestic partners of county workers in same-sex relationships.
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Shortly after Leake's speech, James could be heard (on recorded audio) saying the following:
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James: "Your son was a homo?"
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Leake responded, "Don't make me hurt you. Don't do that to me. Don't talk to me about my son."
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Following the incident, FOX Charlotte received a statement (via email) from Bill James, who says, "I can type but I can't talk." In the statement, James says:
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"Vilma is a religious hypocrite."
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"She was married to a Bishop in the AME Zion church. This church has historically opposed homosexuality."
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"In justifying her position last night in public she used her son’s ‘lifestyle’ and his death from HIV-AIDS to justify voting for benefits to allow individuals to use tax dollars to engage in the same behavior that resulted in her son’s death."
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"It is akin to someone whose son is an alcoholic and died from the disease, using his death from drinking as justification to have the taxpayers pay for more booze."
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"Her position was that her ‘faith’ demanded that she do this to support her son and his ‘lifestyle’ which she acknowledges killed him."
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"In doing so, it is legitimate to ask her what ‘lifestyle’ and in particular whether her son was a homosexual. Her response was to threaten me with physical violence (typical for her). Of course, this isn’t the first time she has threatened elected officials. On the School Board she had a long and checkered history threatening to harm those she disagrees with."
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"Well, if she didn’t want to make her ‘son’ an issue – why did she use him, his lifestyle and his tragic self-inflicted death from AIDS as the reason for her vote?"
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James: "Your son was a homo?"
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Leake responded, "Don't make me hurt you. Don't do that to me. Don't talk to me about my son."
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Following the incident, FOX Charlotte received a statement (via email) from Bill James, who says, "I can type but I can't talk." In the statement, James says:
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"Vilma is a religious hypocrite."
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"She was married to a Bishop in the AME Zion church. This church has historically opposed homosexuality."
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"In justifying her position last night in public she used her son’s ‘lifestyle’ and his death from HIV-AIDS to justify voting for benefits to allow individuals to use tax dollars to engage in the same behavior that resulted in her son’s death."
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"It is akin to someone whose son is an alcoholic and died from the disease, using his death from drinking as justification to have the taxpayers pay for more booze."
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"Her position was that her ‘faith’ demanded that she do this to support her son and his ‘lifestyle’ which she acknowledges killed him."
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"In doing so, it is legitimate to ask her what ‘lifestyle’ and in particular whether her son was a homosexual. Her response was to threaten me with physical violence (typical for her). Of course, this isn’t the first time she has threatened elected officials. On the School Board she had a long and checkered history threatening to harm those she disagrees with."
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"Well, if she didn’t want to make her ‘son’ an issue – why did she use him, his lifestyle and his tragic self-inflicted death from AIDS as the reason for her vote?"
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Pardon me, but if anyone is a religious hypocrite, it's James, not Ms. Leake. But then again, James is all too typical of the Christianists who wrap themselves in religion yet act in the most henious and insensitive ways towards others. WWJD?
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