GOP official stands by his 'filthy' homosexuals post on Facebook

A former state representative who serves on the Republican National Committee continues to fight off calls for his resignation after he posted a controversial article on his Facebook page that denounced “filthy” homosexuals.

Dave Agema, who was one of the most conservative members of the state House, particularly on social issues, posted on FB an article entitled "Everyone Should Know These Statistics on Homosexuals." The article, supposedly written by a medical doctor, depicts gays as sexually promiscuous and claims that they are to blame for "half the murders in large cities."

In response to the controversial post, 21 Republicans publicly called for Agema's resignation from the RNC, and the list is growing. They released a statement written by Dennis Lennox, a Grand Traverse County Republican precinct delegate.

“This isn’t about what we believe either politically or as women and men of faith,” the group said. “This is about common decency and realizing that you cannot win an election by insulting a wide swath of the electorate whose votes our Republican Party needs to once again form a national majority.”

Agema made a statement of his own, blaming the growing controversy on “liberal Republicans” and asserting that the Dr. Frank Joseph article was “worth sharing” at a time when the U.S. Supreme Court is weighing same-sex marriage issues.

Slate’s Dave Weigel on Wednesday first reported that Agema, a West Michigan Republican who was term-limited at the end of 2012, had posted a commentary that claims “homosexual sexual encounters occur while drunk, high on drugs, or in an orgy setting,” and that “50 percent of suicides can be attributed to homosexuals.”

The RNC has remained largely mute about the furor.

In a statement sent to Time magazine earlier today, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said: “The party’s position on traditional marriage is clear but as I have been saying, all human beings deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.” he said. Priebus stopped short of directly condemning Agema.

Michigan GOP chairman Bobby Schostak was a bit firmer, according to Time, but he did not repudiate the FB post or call for Agema to step aside. “Our party remains in support of traditional marriage but that should never be allowed nor confused with any form of hate or discrimination toward anyone,” Schostak said in yet another statement. “Any statement or message in contrast undermines our party’s platform and our common-sense conservative message.”

Lennox, a Republican activist and a columnist for the Mount Pleasant Morning Sun, blasted the RNC for the tepid response to Agema’s actions.

“It’s clear that Republicans need to learn a lesson in the wake of Todd Aiken, Sharron Angle, and other candidates who have said deplorable things like this,” he said. “They spit in the face of voters whose support we need if we’re going to win the White House again.”