Michigan can be proud of a lot of things. But one of them is not Dave Agema, the Republican from Grandville, Michigan. Agema somehow made his way to the National Republican Committee, and since being there has displayed his true colors. And they aren't pretty.
When Agema first ran for the RNC he claimed he wanted to be a voice at the table for activists who weren't being heard. He claimed that the [made up only in deluded minds] "liberal media" were out to keep out the voice of various individuals. "This "liberal media,"is "pushing buttons trying to shut people up, talking about important issues that we need to talk about."
Apparently the important issues he thinks were not being talked enough about were racist, sexist, neo-nazi propaganda. Because these are the sort of things he's been diligently posting on his
Facebook page - outrageous offensive comments. I guess the issues he wanted "heard" were questioning whether "any Muslim has contributed any value in American society." How "homosexuals were responsible for half the murder rate in large cities", and most recently his rants about how black people are inferior.
This offends Democrats and most thinking people. And most thinking people includes liberal and moderate Republicans. (Yes, there are such creatures, but they stay under the radar.) Your average Republican, the person that really thinks he's in it to make government smaller etc., and is not one of the right wing extremist wing-nuts, is horrified along with the rest of us. They have in fact called upon the RNC to show Agema the door. These folks include Governor Rick Snyder, legislative leaders, congressional delegations, and Michigan state party Chair Bob Schostak. Even Betsy DeVos, one of the party's most generous donors indicated she might not be inclined to donate if the GOP didn't give Agema the boot.
Now, finally the National Republican Party has had enough. They were scheduled to vote during their San Diego meeting on Friday on a resolution demanding Agema's resignation. (I've been scouring the internet, but can't find any results of what happened.) They were faced with his outrageous posts including his New Year's Day re-post from some schlock site called "American Renaissance." Agema has since scrubbed it from his page. The racism here was straight out the the 1950's.
The writer, who claims to be a "public defender", derided blacks for their limited intellectual capacity, poor work ethic, cultural de-evolution, and their just plain inability to follow the law. The thrust was that Americans [apparently this means white folks], have a right to defend their culture against such evil-doers.
Now before he can cry, "I was just pointing out how people, but not me, think" as his justification, he had posted it glowingly with "Very interesting article by a public defender. We are in a cultural battle. Very enlightening for anyone concerned about crime in America...."
This wasn't just a mis-step. This wasn't his one dalliance into unknown territory. It is consistent with the rhetoric of his social media ignorance. And folks, this is not about free speech. Don't even go there. He can think and say whatever he wants. But then the RNC and other party members are equally free to decide if they want a douche-bag like this representing them.
This is a party who understands that they desperately have to garner minority voters. The "Browning of America" will occur in our life-times. White people are not going to be a majority anymore, sooner than any us can fathom. And hey this is not about upholding Republican or Christian values like Agema is trying to contend. Hating people isn't in my Bible.
Racism, bigotry, sexism, and hateful nonsense are not the core values of either Republicans, conservatives, or Christians. Agema represents this narrow, FOX News watching, right wing extremist crazies, who have somehow attached themselves to the Republican party. Much in the way a barnacle attaches itself to a luxury liner. But sadly the folks that feel this way, and I know several personally, truly in their heart of hearts believe that most of Americans feel exactly the way they do, but that his tiny little minute speck of the population have somehow managed to elect people who do not agree with them.
But here's the rub. Party rules apparently don't allow the committee to eject a member short of a felony conviction. I doubt whether a narcissistic "I'll stand for what's right!" crazy like Agema will take the hint and bow out gracefully. There is talk that the GOP might convene an emergency session just to change their rules to rid themselves of this maggot.
As a moderate Democrat, I'm glad that Dave Agema is out there spewing ill will about the Republican Party. But I am hopeful that the party will kick this bum to the curb. Apparently, as should be, most thinking Republicans want to take a stand against this kind of racist, bigoted, sexist hate-mongering.
I really want to beat Republicans without the help of loonies. But if my Republican brethren really believe that Agema or other right wing extremists represent the party of Lincoln, T. Roosevelt, and Eisenhower, they are seriously kidding themselves.
