FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from Progress Michigan
Monday, April 1, 2013
Contact: Jessica Tramontana, jessica@progressmichigan.org, 517-974-6302
After hateful Facebook post against LBGT Americans, Agema continues discriminatory rhetoric in radio interview on WPIQ morning show
LANSING – Citizen watchdog group Progress Michigan is calling for Republican leaders to condemn Republican National Committeeman Dave Agema for openly discriminating against Michigan’s LGBT community. Following a Facebook post claiming that LGBT Americans are pedophiles and responsible for over half the murders in inner cities, Agema didn’t back down in a radio interview this morning with WPIQ, charging that “Things have changed since then, there’s more drugs they have to keep them alive longer and so forth….if 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…”
“This kind of bigoted, unhinged language is disgusting, and needs to stop. It’s time for Republican leadership to speak out,” said Jessica Tramontana, Communications Director of Progress Michigan. “The self-proclaimed “tough nerd” has a chance to prove his mettle and that he won’t stand for intolerance or hate from a party leader. Gov. Snyder and other Republicans need to stand up to bullies like Agema.”
Last week 21 Republican activists signed a letter calling Agema to resign after his comments ignited a national firestorm. In another snippet from the radio interview, Agema makes it clear he’s worried about the Supreme Court’s decision and its impact on tax-exempt status of churches. “…if you speak against it what I fear, it will be called a hate crime. And the next thing I fear is they’ll come to your churches and say oh, you won’t marry same-sex couples? Well that’s interesting. This is a hate crime, you just lost your tax-exempt status. This is going to go from one step to the next, it’s part of the plan.”
“Agema is continuing to smear Michigan’s reputation on a national stage, and Republicans must speak out against him,” continued Tramontana. “Republicans claim to stand for bold leadership and tough decisions, yet they are allowing one of their party leaders to bully LGBT Michiganders. This outdated frame of mind isn’t going to move Michigan forward.”
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BACKGROUND: See an amended transcript of the interview here.
Listen to the interview below.