Dave Agema, a former Michigan state
representative, on Monday argued that his comments against
homosexuality were “really more about caring.”
Agema created an outcry after he posted
an article titled Everyone Should Know These Statistics on
Homosexuals on his Facebook
page.
In the article, writer Frank Joseph,
M.D. asserts that gay people are promiscuous, responsible for the
spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, and that “many
homosexuals admit they are pedophiles.”
“[P]art of the homosexual agenda is
to get the public to affirm their filthy lifestyle,” the article
states.
The uproar included calls for Agema to
step down from his post as a Michigan Republican National
Committeeman.
During an interview on local radio,
Agema refused to back down.
“[I]f you really love somebody that's
in this lifestyle, you want to ask them and try to get them out
because they're not going to live as long,” said
Agema. “It's going to hurt them emotionally and physically.”
“That's what it's about. So It's
really more about caring than it is hate,” he said.
Agema said that he has “been involved
in this issue for years.”
“Way back when I worked for American
Airlines this became an issue, because we had, you know obviously we
had a lot of homosexuals in the flight attendant realm, and, uhh, we
had issues.”
And he added that he has been labeled a
“bigot” for speaking out.
“I never heard such amount of
name-calling, threats and bigotry on their part, calling me a bigot,
for bringing up this information,” he said. “I've been
threatened just by speaking out. And that's the key: They are trying
to shut anyone and everyone down from saying anything. That's what
they do. … What you get thrown back in your face is nothing but
hate.” (The video is embedded on this page. Visit
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