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| Courtesy of the Obama Diary. |
President Barack Obama on Saturday lectured Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta about his country's gay rights record.
"When you start treating people differently not because of any harm they are doing to anybody, but because they are different, that's the path whereby freedoms begin to erode," Obama said at a joint press conference with the Kenyan leader in Nairobi. "And bad things happen."
Under Kenyan law, sexual activity between men is illegal and punishable with a maximum imprisonment of 14 years. Many Kenyan leaders had encouraged Obama not to discuss gay rights on his first trip to the country as President.
But Obama equated legalized discrimination of gays to legalized racism in America.
"And when a government gets in a habit of people treating people differently, those habits can spread," Obama continued. "As an African-American, I am painfully aware of what happens when people are treated differently under the law."
The president of Kenya did not exactly welcome these remarks, saying in effect "It is very difficult for us to be able to impose on people that which they themselves do not accept."
However the fact is that President Obama undoubtedly feels a great deal of responsibility for the anti-LGBT sentiment in the continent since much of it is due to American evangelicals coming over and spreading their hatred among the people of Africa.
The President also visited with some of his family members while in Kenya which will quite likely start a whole new round of "Obama was born in Africa" conspiracy talk among conservatives.
By the way here is President Obama doing a little dancing in Nairobi.
Damn I am going to miss this man!
Kenyan anti gay laws brought to you by American evangelical leaders like Franklin Graham who can't seem to keep their mouths shut and are getting people killed!
ReplyDeleteExactly, and they would bring the same laws here if they could.
DeleteGo watch the documentary God Loves Uganda which is about the evangelicals influence in that country. Somehow I don't think this is the way Jesus would minister to people. And I had read something that the way these "Christian" groups try to influence laws in other countries is illegal.
DeleteI expect, were the cameras not running, my fantastic President could cut a rug with the best of them. Won't see anyone like him again in my lifetime. sigh
ReplyDeletePresident Obama's half-sister is doing very valuable work with the children in Kenya. I watched the interview with her and was impressed with her intelligence and the education she managed to receive against opposition.
ReplyDeleteEvangelicals have done terrible things in Africa. Gays are executed in Uganda because of the efforts of these hate filled people.
President Cool.
ReplyDeletePresident Obama continually amazes me with his
ReplyDeletecoolness. He is definitely comfortable in any situation.
Here's a longer version of the dancing:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgnIYc1b2Z0
President Barack Obama’s sister Auma Obama watches as he proposes a toast to Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta #ObamaInKenya @POTUS
ReplyDeletehttp://theobamadiary.com/
This is completely OT and gave me a belly laugh. Alaska is famous.
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/mirandajetlagg/status/612626727576047616
I feel so privileged to be alive during his presidency. Despite all the slings, arrows, and temper tantrums thrown his way to try to derail anything he approved of, this man has more than earned the Nobel Peace Prize he was awarded earlier in his tenure as Commander in Chief.
ReplyDeleteMy parents felt this way when JFK was in office, and I never quite understood why until THIS first family hit the ground running.
I agree with you. I am 72 and am grateful to have known this man as president. He is a rare individual and leader.
DeleteMy heart soars like an eagle.
ReplyDeleteImagine how many countries Presidentess Palin couldn't enter, imagine how few invitations she would get to visit any country at all.
ReplyDeleteBut don't imagine what an embarrassment she would be, leave the wrinkles to Sarah.
at last. It did not outlaw woman on woman. Just guys on guys are illegal.
ReplyDeleteI am very proud of Obama's stand on equality for all. He has the guts, the heart, and the mind to do the right thing. However, that trade agreement with China is... I totally disagree with. Not good for America because it is not to our advantage.
ReplyDeleteTo still connect to the people of his father, who abandoned him and his mother, and who saw him once in the rest of his whole life -- it says all there is to say about President Obama. He is a whole person.
ReplyDeleteI am so proud of this man who represents the US. Through all the disrespectful acts the gop has waged against him, he is always upbeat, gracious, CLASSY. A REAL "Man of the People". Dubya could only dance when he was drunk. Not a single member of the clown car running for the office of President could replace President Obama. His personality, ability to connect with people anywhere can not be faked. He is the genuine article.
ReplyDeleteMy heart bursts with pride and love for our President. He should be our leader for life. There is nothing he can't do. What a classy man!
ReplyDelete