More than 1,500 New Yorkers gathered today in Manhattan to mourn the death of a 32 year-old gay man, who was shot down on Friday just blocks away from the historic Stonewall Inn in an apparent act of anti-gay bias.
N.C. Commissioners Approve Diversity Resolution
Wednesday, January 5, 2011 - 11:04am by Daryl Hannah, Director of Media and Community Partnerships
Members of the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners unanimously adopted a resolution pledging their support for creating a diverse, tolerant, and inclusive community after publically denouncing their fellow commissioner republican Bill James for his recent anti-gay rant.
James, who recently made headlines after calling gay people “sexual predators” while criticizing the repeal of "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell," said he believed the measure was a way to put up a “nice, glossy, fancy façade” as the community bids to bring the Democratic National Convention to town, according to The Charlotte Observer.
But other members of the board see the resolution as an attempt to oppose speech that could hurt others.
“We’ve taken the strongest action we can by offering this resolution,” George Dunlap said.
Karen Bentley, who is also a Republican, said that while she supports free speech, she felt James’ remarks were “out of line and beyond reproach.”