Obama's Call

From USA Today:

"Obama calls for African nations to treat gays equally"

 

President Obama called on African nations Saturday to confer equal rights to gays and lesbians, kicking off his first full day in the nation by undertaking a topic that remains highly sensitive on the continent. Kenyan President Kenyatta dismissed the importance of gay rights, calling it a "non-issue" in the nation. Speaking at a joint news conference after bilateral talks between the two leaders, Obama said he is "unequivocal" on the question of treatment of gay and lesbian citizens. "The idea that they are going to be treated differently or abused because of who they love is wrong," Obama said. Obama drew a parallel to the treatment of blacks in the United States during the period of segregation and Jim Crow laws, saying he is "painfully aware of the history when people are treated differently under the law." "That's the path whereby freedoms begin to erode and bad things happen," Obama said. "When a government gets in the habit of treating people differently, those habits can spread." Kenyatta was dismissive of the topic of gay rights, saying, "This issue is not on the foremost mind of Kenya — and that is a fact." For weeks, Kenyan leaders and locals have threatened to demonstrate and disrupt the president's first official trip to Kenya if he brings up gay marriage, legalized in the U.S. by a Supreme Court ruling in June. "We want to warn Obama to steer clear of any comments on same-sex marriages during his visit," Bishop Mark Kariuki said in Nairobi ahead of the speeches. "Any attempts will lead to a call for mass demonstrations across the country and disrupt his meeting." In the majority of Africa's 54 states, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people have to hide their sexual orientation for fear of persecution or criminal prosecution. In Kenya, homosexuality is illegal and gay marriage unconstitutional South Africa is the only African country that permits gay marriage.

 

^ There  seems to be two sides to Obama. He stayed almost silent within the US (he didn't make these kinds of speeches to the states that didn't allow gay marriage before the Supreme Court forced them) but in Africa he makes it a big deal. Of course I think gay marriage is part of giving homosexuals equality and it should be legal around the world. I would have liked Obama to start in his own country (or perhaps he did - - wink, wink.)  ^

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/07/25/obama-kenya-visit/30658425/