Rev. Meeks running for governor...

In 2002 Rev. Meeks won a state Senate seat representing the far south side of Chicago and the south suburbs defeating a long time political player Dolton Mayor Bill Shaw. He just won a primary for his state senate seat and now he is talking about circulating petitions to mount an independent challenge for governor. I like how he thinks too, there isn't much to distinguish Topinka (GOP nominee) and Blagojevich (the incumbent), who Meeks says both support gay rights and abortion. Here's a quote...

“You’ll have Judy Baar Topinka, who believes in abortion and gay rights . . . and Rod Blagojevich, who believes in abortion and gay rights,” says Meeks, who opposes both. “Theologically, politically, for the white conservative voter, I’m their guy. I have their philosophy.”

I read Capital Fax blog today and I understand that he is anti-gun though. In a way it makes sense his church is based in the Roseland/West Pullman communities and has worked to make changes down that way. Even going so far as to build a new church (more like a stadium) closer to the Bishop Ford (sorry I still refer to it as the Calumet) Expressway but this is actually in the historic Pullman neighborhood. But the hopes here is that the House of Hope can host conventions and the conventioneers may stay near the House of Hope. We'll see on that.

My response to Meeks anti-gun views would be that do he know people get shot in the ghetto. I say this to say the law abiding folks want protection from those who will violate the gun control laws. Personally I don't think gun control makes anyone safer. It's better to pursue those with guns, who will use them in the commission of a crime.

Either way I'm not sure this is a smart move on his part, but while I may not like his alliances I truly believe Meeks has what's right at his heart. I may not like the fact that he appears to be running upset that Gov. Blagojevich won't raise taxes to fund public education, but I do believe his heart is in the right place on the issue. He wants the kids on the far south side of Chicago to get the best education they can.

Finally Laura Washington column from today's Sun-Times touched upon a Meeks gubernatorial candidacy in the very last paragraph...

Memo to Gov. Blagojevich: Don't fret about an independent challenge from state Sen. James Meeks, who doubles as the pastor of Salem Baptist Church. Black voters don't want a tax increase, and most prefer their preachers in the pulpit.

How this will work, we'll know eventually. There is more good stuff in this column, I'd like to write about that a little bit later. I just had to write about my guy James Meeks.