Freedom of religion isn't a reason to deny Americans their constitutional rights, President Barack Obama said Sunday at a Democratic Party fundraiser in Manhattan.
Obama appeared to be referring to Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk who refused to issue marriage licenses to gay couples. Davis said such unions violated her religious beliefs.
She was jailed for several days over her defiance of the Supreme Court ruling that gay couples have a constitutional right to marry.
Obama said it's important to recognize that some parts of the country remain uncomfortable with same-sex marriage. Americans cherish the right to freedom of religion, but it can't be used to deny a person's constitutional rights, he said.
The president was the featured speaker at Sunday's Democratic National Committee LGBT fundraising gala.
