"Obama clashes with African host over gay rights"

[newworldafro]

News from The Associated Press

Jun 27, 9:45 AM EDT

Obama clashes with African host over gay rights

By NEDRA PICKLER
Associated Press

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) -- President Barack Obama on Thursday praised the Supreme Court's ruling on same-sex marriage as a "victory for American democracy" but clashed with his African host over gay rights in a sign of how far the movement has to go internationally.

Obama said recognition of gay unions in the United States should cross state lines and that equal rights should be recognized universally. It was his first chance to expand on his thoughts about the ruling, which was issued Wednesday as he flew to Senegal, one of many African countries that outlaw homosexuality.

Senegalese President Macky Sall rebuffed Obama's call for Africans to give gays equal rights under the law.

"We are still not ready to decriminalize homosexuality," Sall said, while insisting that the country is "very tolerant" and needs more time to digest the issue without pressure. "This does not mean we are homophobic."

Obama said gay rights didn't come up in their private meeting at the presidential palace, a mansion that looks somewhat similar to the White House. But Obama said he wants to send a message to Africans that while he respects differing personal and religious views on the matter, it's important to have nondiscrimination under the law.

"People should be treated equally, and that's a principle that I think applies universally," he said.

A report released Monday by Amnesty International says 38 African countries criminalize homosexuality. In four of those - Mauritania, northern Nigeria, southern Somalia and Sudan - the punishment is death. These laws appear to have broad public support. A June 4 Pew Research Center survey found at least nine of 10 respondents in Senegal, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda and Nigeria believe homosexuality should not be accepted by society.

Papi Nbodj, a 19-year-old student who stood by the road to the presidential palace to see Obama's arrival, said homosexuality is against the religious beliefs of most in Senegal.

"We are in a Muslim country, so we certainly cannot have it here," he said. "And for me it's not OK to have this anywhere in the world."

Sall sought to reassure Obama that gays are not persecuted in Senegal. But under Senegalese law, "an improper or unnatural act with a person of the same sex" can be punished by up to five years in prison.

Ndeye Kebe, president of a human rights organization that works with homosexuals called Women's Smile, disputed Sall's contention that gays are not discriminated against.

"I know of around a dozen people who are in prison for homosexuality as we speak," she said. "There wasn't any real proof against them, but they were found guilty and they are in prison."

And as recently as February of 2008, police rounded up men suspected of being homosexual after a Senegalese tabloid published photographs of a clandestine gay wedding in a suburb of Dakar. Gays went into hiding or fled to neighboring countries, but they were pushed out of Gambia by the president's threat of decapitation.

As for Wednesday's court ruling, Obama said he's directing his administration to comb through every federal statute to quickly determine the implications of a decision that gave the nation's legally married gay couples equal federal footing with all other married Americans.

He said he wants to make sure that gay couples who deserve benefits under the ruling get them quickly. Obama said he personally believes that gay couples legally married in one state should retain their benefits if they move to another state that doesn't recognize gay marriage.

"I believe at the root of who we are as a people, as Americans, is the basic precept that we are all equal under the law," he said. "We believe in basic fairness. And what I think yesterday's ruling signifies is one more step towards ensuring that those basic principles apply to everybody."

Obama also offered prayers for former South African President Nelson Mandela, who is gravely ill, ahead of Obama's planned visit to his country this weekend. Obama said he was inspired to become political active by Mandela's example in the anti-apartheid movement of being willing to sacrifice his life for a belief in equal treatment.

"I think he's a hero for the world," Obama said. "And if and when he passes from this place, one thing I think we'll all know is that his legacy is one that will linger on throughout the ages."

Later Obama plans to reflect on the ties many African-Americans share with the continent as he takes a tour of Goree Island, Africa's westernmost point. Africans reportedly were shipped off into slavery across the Atlantic Ocean through the island's "Door of No Return."

Thousands of boisterous revelers welcomed Obama's motorcade Thursday morning in Dakar, cheering and waving homemade signs as the first African-American president made his way to the presidential palace. A large sign outside his hotel gate had pictures of smiling Obama and Sall that read, "Welcome home, President Obama." Some in the crowd drummed, danced and sang, and many wore white as a symbol for peace.

Obama's focus in Senegal is on the modern-day achievements of the former French colony after half a century of independence. Sall ousted an incumbent who attempted to change the constitution to make it easier for him to be re-elected and pave the way for his son to succeed him. The power grab sparked protests, fueled by hip-hop music and social media, that led to Sall's election.

"Senegal is one of the most stable democracies in Africa and one of the strongest partners that we have in the region," Obama said. "It's moving in the right direction with reforms to deepen democratic institutions."

But such people-powered democratic transitions are not always the story of the African experience. Fighting and human rights abuses limited Obama's options for stops in his first major tour of sub-Saharan Africa since he took office more than four years ago. Obama is avoiding his father's homeland, Kenya, whose president has been charged with war crimes, and Nigeria, the country with the continent's most dominant economy. Nigeria is enveloped in an Islamist insurgency and military crackdown.

Obama's itinerary in Senegal was designed to send a message, purposefully delivered in a French-speaking, Muslim-majority nation, to other Africans in countries that have not made the strides toward democracy that Senegal has. Obama plans to meet with civil society leaders at the Goree Institute and visited the Supreme Court to speak about the importance of an independent judiciary and the rule of law in Africa's development.

 

[Mr. Somebody]

This article was so embarrassing i couldnt even finish it.

 

[Kuro]

they cant leave the gay shyt alone for a minute so barack can pretend to care about africa...if he wasnt responding to a direct question and brought it up on his own...

 

[Blackking]

http://i1.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/004/862/nikka-you-gay.png

 

[Swagnificent]

can't believe this is the first shyt this nikka gots to say in Africa

now we know the gay cacs got this nikka like a puppet

with all the problems in Africa, gay rights ain't no where near the top

 

[Mowgli]

This nikka. This nikka. This nikka. No wonder Michelle is always cutting her eyes at this dude. Haw man. He cant stand up to the cacs in America but shows some balls to tell Africans to accept homosexuality. WTF FOR. Is that where Africas problems begin, accepting fakkitry?

This proves to me that the cac needs more homosexuals in nations because they make the best agents/infiltrators. Homosexuals are officially a race. Its bigger than a lifestyle. fakkits setting up chess pieces and using this part time to do it. Dude just busted out with accept fakkits. Where are you comin from with that? Glad i never gave this cat 1 vote.

 

[IrishBrother]

This nikka. This nikka. This nikka. No wonder Michelle is always cutting her eyes at this dude. Haw man. He cant stand up to the cacs in America but shows some balls to tell Africans to accept homosexuality. WTF FOR. Is that where Africas problems begin, accepting fakkitry?

This proves to me that the cac needs more homosexuals in nations because they make the best agents/infiltrators. Homosexuals are officially a race. Its bigger than a lifestyle. fakkits setting up chess pieces and using this part time to do it. Dude just busted out with accept fakkits. Where are you comin from with that? Glad i never gave this cat 1 vote.

My dude.

My country is the most charitable, on a per capita basis, in the world - Ireland is the most charitable country in Europe · TheJournal.ie

This shyt only came to light recently. The lgbt community are lobbying for our elected reps to stop sending aid to the 3rd world. Like its fair that we stop providing food and education to hungry kids - just because their elders dont agree with the gay agenda.



shyt is putrid.

 

[Mowgli]

My dude.

My country is the most charitable, on a per capita basis, in the world - Ireland is the most charitable country in Europe · TheJournal.ie

This shyt only came to light recently. The lgbt community are lobbying for our elected reps to stop sending aid to the 3rd world. Like its fair that we stop providing food and education to hungry kids - just because their elders dont agree with the gay agenda.



shyt is putrid.

Yea, it all comes from the heart of the beast though.

Britain has threatened countries that ban homosexuality with losing aid payments unless they reform, David Cameron has said.

But he conceded that "deep prejudices" in some countries meant the problem would persist for years.

The prime minister said he had raised the issue with leaders of some of the states involved when he attended the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Australia.

Britain was "putting the pressure on", he said. But it was not a problem that would be solved by the time Commonwealth leaders are next due to meet, in Sri Lanka in 2013.

Cameron warned Sri Lanka to improve its human rights record or face boycotts of the 2013 summit. He declined to discuss whether the UK could stay away but said he shared a "similar view" to that of the Canadian prime minister, Stephen Harper, who has said he will not attend.

Ending bans on homosexuality was one of the recommendations of a highly critical internal report on the future relevance of the Commonwealth, written by experts from across the member nations.

"We are not just talking about it. We are also saying that British aid should have more strings attached," Cameron said on BBC1's Andrew Marr Show in an interview recorded at the summit in Perth.

"This is an issue where we are pushing for movement, we are prepared to put some money behind what we believe. But I'm afraid that you can't expect countries to change overnight.

"Britain is one of the premier aid givers in the world. We want to see countries that receive our aid adhering to proper human rights. We are saying that is one of the things that determines our aid policy, and there have been particularly bad examples where we have taken action."

Cameron said he had spoken with a number of African countries and that more pressure had been applied by the foreign secretary, William Hague, who deputised for him during parts of the summit.

Asked about the prospects for the 2013 summit, Cameron said: "I think we will have moved on this but I don't suspect that in two years' time this issue will be solved. We are dealing with deep prejudices in some places."

Asked directly if he would stay away from the 2013 summit, Cameron said: "I don't want to get into all this. The message I have given is: the Tamil Tigers have been defeated, you're in government, you have an opportunity to show magnanimity and also to show a process of reconciliation and demonstrate to the rest of the world that you don't have things to hide. It is very important that pressure is applied.

"I think they should be aware of the fact that they are holding this Commonwealth summit in 2013 and it is up to them to show further progress so they can welcome the maximum number of countries."

Cameron also announced plans to deploy armed guards on British ships to protect them from pirates.

Under the plans, the home secretary will be given the power to license vessels to carry armed security, including automatic weapons, currently prohibited under firearms laws.

The prime minister said radical action was required because the increasing ability of sea-borne Somali criminals to hijack and ransom ships had become "a complete stain on our world".

Asked if he was comfortable with giving private security operatives the right to "shoot to kill" if necessary, Mr Cameron said: "We have to make choices. Frankly the extent of the hijack and ransom of ships round the Horn of Africa is a complete stain on our world.

"The fact that a bunch of pirates in Somalia are managing to hold to ransom the rest of the world and our trading system is a complete insult and the rest of the world needs to come together with much more vigour.

"I want to help lead this process and as part of that we are going to be taking the step of putting armed guards on our ships."

 

[Mowgli]

Thats a thread in itself

SHOULD CHILDREN IN 3RD WORLD NATIONS STARVE IF THEIR LEADERS DONT ACCEPT HOMOSEXUALITY.

 

[IrishBrother]

Thats a thread in itself

SHOULD CHILDREN IN 3RD WORLD NATIONS STARVE IF THEIR LEADERS DONT ACCEPT HOMOSEXUALITY.

Im not British.

The f*ck?

The British tried to brainwash and destroy my adopted people.

 

[GoPro]

Thats a thread in itself

SHOULD CHILDREN IN 3RD WORLD NATIONS STARVE IF THEIR LEADERS DONT ACCEPT HOMOSEXUALITY.

Hey, Im pro no homo. But if the country is receiving aid from another country, it has to abide by its rules. I wish we'd start adding stipulations to all the welfare and food stamps in this country

 

[Mowgli]

Hey, Im pro no homo. But if the country is receiving aid from another country, it has to abide by its rules. I wish we'd start adding stipulations to all the welfare and food stamps in this country

THen i guess they'll have to make it on their own.

Just pathetic seeing the leader of the free world running to africa, to tell them this. Basically threatening them.

 

[GoPro]

THen i guess they'll have to make it on their own.

Just pathetic seeing the leader of the free world running to africa, to tell them this. Basically threatening them.

Aye. I'm done with that nikka and probably the Dems for good. They're allowing libs to run roughshod over the party

I swear, if we get a repub in 2016 who calls out the bigots in that party and rejects their vote, I'm riding with him/her

 

[Chris.B]

With the acceptable of gay marriage USA will be going the way of Rome.

What a disgrace...oh well it was good while it lasted.

 

[kevm3]

GEORGE BUSH gave more aid to africa than obama, which is sad. Then obama conveniently ignores the blacks here, talking about how he isn't the 'black president', he's the nation's president. Couldn't even make a statement after whitney or michael passed away, but he absolutely needs to go defending homosexuals and pushing it on other nations.

I used to clown the guy during the first election, but what's really sad is that Pastor manning was probably right with a lot of the things he said and the larry sinclair story was probably true.