Embattled Michigan Republican National Committeeman Dave Agema, who has faced sharp criticism for posting an anti-gay article on Facebook, said in an interview that his comments are appropriate because the GOP’s national platform endorses traditional marriage.
“Since it’s part of our national platform — marriage between a man and a woman — this is perfectly appropriate,” Agema said in an interview with Michigan’s MIRS political newsletter (subscription only), published Monday. “People ought to be looking at the statistics that are out there. If the Supreme Court passes this law and allows same-sex marriages, you can expect many things, in my opinion.” Agema continued:
You can expect your health care costs to go up. You can expect your kids to be indoctrinated in schools. You can expect that if you say anything against it — if you look down the road — hate crimes.
I think it’s appropriate we look at it and we look at all the studies and there are numerous studies out there about the psychological and health effects of the lifestyle. I think if people knew that, they’d have a different opinion.
If they taught that in schools, they’d have a different opinion.
Agema posted the article — which described the lifestyle of homosexuals as “filthy” — last week on Facebook. The article listed alleged statistics about gays, including a claim that “50% of suicides can be attributed to homosexuals (10).”
Agema has stood by the post, and has even continued to engage on Facebook on the issue of gay marriage.
In the MIRS interview, Agema said he doesn’t “hate homosexuals, but I definitely want the people to be aware of the health hazards in that lifestyle. To me, that’s what people need to hear and what kids need to hear.”
