Obama's Support of Marriage Equality May Mean More in Africa than in the US

On June 25th my Facebook feed, like that of many other Americans, lit up with rainbow flags as friends, family and "acquaintances" celebrated the Supreme Court decision to uphold the right to same-sex marriage. It had been a long fight and I personally knew many people whose lives had been put on hold because of the government's refusal to recognize who they loved.

But amid the celebratory posts were missives warning of a terrible doom.

"Obama Supports Gay Marriage! This is the end of days people!" "Obama, WHY???"

These posts were not coming from conservative America. They were from Africa. I have worked in West Africa for more than a decade and a third of my Facebook friends are African. Almost as one, they were inflamed.

"Why should these things happen during a black man's leadership? Where is the world heading? It's an abomination!" raged one. "He blocked aid to African countries then passed anti gay law. I am getting to believe what those that opposed him said in the past that he himself is a gay and his wife, a lesbian. I am so sad that it has to be the guy I love so much and pray for always turn out to be the fulfillment of anti Christ." And another: "America is about to fall, this is the same reasons for which God Almighty destroyed two great Cities in the past. God please have Mercy upon the faithful ones."

Never one to pass up an opportunity to beat up on his old nemesis and fan populist flames, Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, in an odd response, offered to divorce his wife and propose to the American president.

European Christian missionaries found fertile ground in West Africa over centuries of colonization and exploitation. God has a central place in every aspect of people's lives here. He is invoked to protect people from every tribulation no matter how small, and given credit for every positive thing that happens in their lives. And like the schooling system bequeathed to West Africa, Christianity and Islam have not been allowed to adapt over the years. In school, as in church or the mosque, people are taught to rote learn and not question. Religion is practiced as it was when it was passed on years ago. Of course then, homosexuality, Obama, America are also viewed through this lens.

But amidst this month's uproar there have been voices of reason, such as this from an unnamed cartoonist:

Or this on a Liberian Facebook group:
"Marriage rights in America is not about sex its about commitment, local rights, inheritance, support, beneficiary rights and so on, basically about money. A sin is a sin and if you are have sex out of wedlock, according to the bible it is a sin. How many of you can claim that you are not fornicating right at this moment? Especially some of you who are in Africa, with girl friends all over the place and have children with different women without marrying them, you women who claim to love the Lord but sleeping with married men for money and even having children for them in the process? What do you have to say for yourself? Do you think your sin is somehow more acceptable? Lets talk about that first then you can start condemning the acts of others. Marriage today is not about sex so please stop using that as an excuse to discriminate. Obama is showing that he can see past our differences and give equal protection under the law which is what a leader is supposed to do. As a Christian I will never go to a gay wedding, I will not attend any ceremonies that celebrate that and I will teach my children the way of the Lord, but as a citizen I believe that everyone has the right to be treated equally. ROBERT MUGABE is an IDIOT and wants to use this as a way to seem like he is relevant or a good leader. He needs to address the issues of poverty, oppression and dictatorship in his country. Why is he pre occupied with the sexual act of homosexuality? Is he afraid that he will become gay? Or is he a closet homo? Why will he think or say that he wants to marry Obama? why are others not questioning his manhood? come on ma people, its time we stop destroying each other out of jealousy because thats all this is about."

Africa has just begun the journey that America and other rich countries have taken over the last 50 years on this issue. There will be a lot of fear, hate and sadly, death, before this is through. But these conversations mark a start down the path. For a long time much of Africa hadn't put a foot on the starting line. 

Countries around the world have legalized gay marriage without so much as a squeak from Africans. But this is Obama - Africa's American president. For every African ranting about him being the Anti-Christ, there is another having doubts in the back of his or her mind. "If our hero Barak Obama backs this maybe homosexuality isn't as bad as I thought." 

The impact of President Obama's pronouncements on gay marriage this month may be far more profound in the homeland of his father than of his own. 

A quadruple national?

I sent off my twenty-month-old son's application for Irish citizenship today. That will be his third nationality. He's also Australian and American. He's eligible for French citizenship through his paternal grandfather and I fully intend to apply for that too.

This nationality collecting has caused my single-national husband great amusement. It's caused consternation among his uber-patriotic family who don't understand why one would want to be anything but American. But to me it makes a great deal of sense. I am a triple national too.

It's been some time since I fully identified myself by one nationality. I was born in Australia and spent the first 27 years of my life there. My entire family is there. In many ways my heart is too. But ten years ago I left. Since then I've lived in New York and Africa. I've become an Irish citizen and an American. Work and leisure have taken me to 35 countries. My friends and colleagues come from all over the world.

I've long since felt a greater kinship with that band of international travelers who see the world as their home than I do with people of any particular nationality. When you view the world as your home you find it hard to hear "This country has the best healthcare," or "Americans are all uncultured imperialists". You understand that there are good and bad in all peoples and definitive statements are just stupid if you have no experience to back them up.

You are interested in the welfare of people everywhere, not just in your backyard. You are more concerned with the extraordinary suffering of Haitians or Congolese or Darfurians than keeping illegal immigrants out of your country.

So until we can have passports from the nation known as "the World" my son and I will collect as many as we can. At least when our US health insurance excludes us from coverage for a spurious pre-existing condition we'll have other options.