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When Kenyans Proved More Self-Respecting Than Indians

When Kenyans Proved More Self-Respecting Than Indians

When Barack Obama came to visit India as Chief Guest for the Republic Day celebrations, he was accorded a welcome befitting a king.

In return, Obama spat on our hospitality by lecturing India on secularism and the importance of preserving the ideals of Gandhiji.

It was not a general sermon but a thinly veiled criticism of the Sangh Parivar. In doing so, he had lost himself the dignity of a guest.

But nobody in India bothered to rebuke him at that time for his unwarranted advice (criticism). Perhaps after witnessing the Indian response, he thought that he could do the same everywhere.

Recently, Obama visited Kenya for a two day visit where he chose to speak on gay rights in that nation, a naturally sensitive issue.

“I believe in the principle of treating people equally under the law, and that they are deserving of equal protection under the law and that the state should not discriminate against people based on their sexual orientation,” Obama said.

He further added, “If you look at the history of countries around the world, when you start treating people differently — not because of any harm they’re doing anybody, but because they’re different — that’s the path whereby freedoms begin to erode and bad things happen,” he added.

Now most African countries do not approve of gays and lesbians it is a cultural thing for them. But in the wake of the US President himself lecturing them, do you think the Kenyans were silent in deference? Nope! Not at all!

Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta was very forthright in rejecting Obama’s lecture. In a rare public display, Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta strongly disagreed with President Obama’s call for the African nation to prioritize gay rights, saying it is currently a ‘non-issue’.

While acknowledging that Kenya and the U.S. share many of the same values, Kenyatta said that “there are some things that we must admit we don’t share — our culture, our societies don’t accept.”

“It is very difficult for us to be able to impose on people that which they themselves do not accept,” Kenyatta said.

“This is why I repeatedly say that, for Kenyans today, the issue of gay rights is really a non-issue,” he added.

“We want to focus on other areas that are day-to-day living for our people,” Kenyatta continued, citing the economic inclusivity of women and the improvement of education, infrastructure and entrepreneurship.

“These are the key focuses,” Kenyatta said. “Maybe once, like you have overcome some of these challenges, we can begin to look at new ones. But as of now, the fact remains that this issue is not really an issue that is on the foremost mind of Kenyans, and that is the fact.”

Now what is Kenya compared to India in terms of military might, economy, size of population or size? Yet, this tiny African nation has displayed something which we failed to do so during Obama’s visit: self-respect.

They stood up to the US President and politely but firmly negated his sermon while he was still on Kenyan soil. Obama merited a similar approach from us.

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