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WATCH: Antigay Pol Says Devil's Behind His Troubles

WATCH: Antigay Pol Says Devil's Behind His Troubles

Dave-agema-x400

Dave Agema says calls for his resignation from the Republican National Committee are the devil's work, and he reiterates that the U.S. should adopt a 'gay propaganda' law like Russia's.

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Calls for antigay politician Dave Agema to resign from the Republican National Committee are the work of the devil, Agema said in a recent speech in which he made additional statements on familiar themes, such as his opposition to LGBT rights and support for Russia's ban on "gay propaganda."

"This is the devil's way -- this is the Democrats' way -- to split the party," Agema, who represents Michigan on the RNC, said of demands for his resignation when he spoke to the American Decency Association, a right-wing group based in Fremont, Mich., February 7. The calls have come from as high as RNC chairman Reince Priebus, but Agema has so far resisted.

Over the past couple of years, Agema, a former Michigan state legislator, has made numerous antigay remarks in various venues, including his Facebook page and speeches to Republican groups. He has posted inaccurate, pseudo-scientific articles to Facebook, endorsed Russia's antigay laws, and said gay men want Obamacare because they die at a young age.

He returned to these topics in his American Decency Association speech, video of which was posted to YouTube. He denounced "indoctrination" by the entertainment industry in support of LGBT rights, such as the mass wedding of same-sex and opposite-sex couples at the Grammy Awards, and said "political correctness" is seeking to stifle free speech, using the uproar over Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson's antigay comments as a case-in-point.

Of the Russian law that prohibits "propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations to minors" -- which basically criminalizes any statement of support for LGBT equality -- Agema said, "We ought to have that law. ... It's a good law." It would keep gay "pornography" and other "propaganda" out of the hands of young people, he said.

Agema also took aim at many other targets: Muslims, abortion, gun control, government spending, Obamacare, and President Obama himself. If you dare, you can watch his entire speech below.

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Trudy Ring

Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.
Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.