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, yahoo.com and AP report. 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.” 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.”
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