Pittsburgh Council President Doug Shields late yesterday fired off an angry e-mail demanding an apology from, and the resignation of, an Oklahoma state representative who made recent comments criticizing homosexual elected officials and including Pittsburgh in a list of cities gays are "infiltrating."

"I was thoroughly disgusted by what you had to say and astonished that someone who presumably took an oath of office to uphold the U.S. Constitution and the laws of this nation would espouse hateful, bigoted and un-American views," Mr. Shields said in his e-mail to Oklahoma Rep. Sally Kern. He sent copies to many of that state's state representatives and news reporters.

"New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer resigned his office for far less an offense than the ones you committed in your remarks," he continued. "I would hope that you, too, would recognize your offense and do likewise -- resign."

Ms. Kern's remarks were reportedly made to a group of 50 Republicans who invited her to speak at a closed-door event. Someone recorded her remarks, and they emerged online in the past week. In press reports she did not repudiate them.

"Gays are infiltrating city councils," she said. "Have you heard that the city council of Eureka Springs is now controlled by gays? There are some others. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; . . . Kensington, Maryland, West Palm Beach, Fla., and a lot of other places in Florida. What's happening? And they are winning elections."

Bruce Kraus' inauguration in January marked the first by an openly gay man to Pittsburgh Council.

"Not everybody's lifestyle is equal, just like not all religions are equal," Ms. Kern said. Homosexuality is "the death-knell of this country. I honestly think it's the biggest threat that our nation has, even more so than terrorism, or Islam, which I think is a big threat."

"I sit here in my office and only wonder who else might be on your 'less equal' list," Mr. Shields wrote. "I also wonder, if we should follow your illogic, what it is we should do about this 'threat' to the nation? Round them up and put them in extermination camps? . . . Of course you always have the option to relocating to a country that embraces polices of persecuting those who are 'less equal.' But then again, you to may run the risk of being persecuted yourself.

"As the president of the Council of the City of Pittsburgh, I require an apology from you for your senseless, mean-spirited attack on one my colleagues and the council as a whole," he continued.

Ms. Kern could not be immediately reached for comment.

More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.