Meeks: Not "Bored" Enough for Gay Rights

An early prospective candidate for Chicago's mayoral seat who has often expressed antigay views says he would deal with gay rights issues as mayor only if he were "bored."

State senator and vocal gay rights opponent James Meeks, when asked by Fox News Chicago if he would address local gay issues, like "how police would deal with hate crimes, whether to register civil unions, and what rights to grant city employees with came-sex partners," said he would be too busy. "Now if I were sitting around bored with nothing to do, that stuff might come up. But I expect to be so busy with schools, crime, and budget problems during my first term that I won't have any time."

State representative Greg Harris, who is gay, fired back and said he did not believe Meeks "can represent the entirety of Chicago" because of his views.

"The fact that he could roll back the clock on rights that people have had for decades because he got 'bored' is totally unacceptable," he told website Progress Illinois.