A number of folks have reported about the recent decision by the University of Notre Dame not only to invite President Obama to give the 2009 commencement address, but also to bestow upon him an honorary degree. In particular, David Freddoso over at NRO has been particularly good in covering both this topic and the President’s dubious background on issues of life.
Well known are his recent decisions to force American taxpayers to subsidize both the destruction of embryos for stem cell research and the destruction of babies via abortion throughout the world. A little less well known, but equally disturbing, were both his recent efforts to repeal the Bush Administration’s strengthening of conscientious objections for doctors not willing to carry out anti-life measures, and his efforts as an Illinois State Senator to stop a bill that would have prevented the killing of a baby born alive (i.e. living fully outside of the womb).
Instead of succumbing to celebrity and inviting a “cool” President to speak at graduation, perhaps Notre Dame should focus on its core principles. Without its Catholic soul, the University would be relegated to the growing ash-heap of second-rate academic institutions cluttered with self-important academics pedaling their leftist propaganda and politically correct musings.
Notre Dame should be better than that. And, that is why alumni and friends of the school should visit www.notredamescandal.com to register their objection to the administration’s decision – and more, they should step up and firmly withhold financial contributions to the University and stop all pledges to any annual giving or capital campaigns the University is running… including athletics. Money controls. Stop the flow during these tight budgets and send a message that this kind of total disregard for the sanctity of life and disrespect for Christian principle at an ostensibly Christian institution will not be tolerated.
Steve Maley
KnightsofMalta
Dan Spencer
Moe Lane
Dan McLaughlin
An honorary degree in 'Telepromtoricus'
Old_Crow (Diary) Monday, March 23rd at 11:04PM EST (link)is most appropriate. I envision a ceremony similar to the wizard granting a degree to the strawman in the Wizard of Oz. Perhaps they can find a heart and courage for him also.
“Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm.” — James Madison
Agree with the calls of objection and $$$ withholding
bclarkj Monday, March 23rd at 11:46PM EST (link)but make certain if this goes ahead and happens, don’t be like the tactless, selfish professors and employees of Furman University that actually wore t-shirts that said “I Object” to President Bush’s commencement address in 2008. They were allowed by the administration of the University to be in the stadium and do this.
The graduation is for the students. If the students want him there, so be it. However, it still is an honor to have a sitting president give the commencement regardless of whether one disagrees with his stance on issues (even moral ones). Don’t get me wrong. I despise President Obama, but want folks to show the kind of class the scum bag faculty at Furman University chose not to show.
I think his invitation should be protested and revoked if possible given his stands on issues that are opposed to the University’s Catholic values. But, if the administration does not revoke the invitation, class and dignity should be shown.
I’m a Furman alumni. Their handling of the 2008 commencement cost them my contributions for a long time. So, the threat of financial withholding could have an impact.
Just my 2 cents worth. I’d like to see the invitation revoked, however.
I agree, with one note...
hogan (Diary) Tuesday, March 24th at 12:08AM EST (link)I would not attend were I a student, and I think that were students who do attend to quietly and respectfully wear, say pins or some sort of indicator of disagreement, that this would be totally acceptable.
Don't fall into that trap.
Flagstaff (Diary) Tuesday, March 24th at 12:54AM EST (link)We didn’t like what the liftists did to our guy, so we can’t do it to their guy? get real. did you only know about it because your a Furman grad, or because it got on the news? The latter, I imagine.
Students protesting The One’s appearance at Notre Dame is exactly the kind of press that we need, day in and day out. No disruptive behavior, I agree, but visible and newsworthy dissent, ABSOLUTELY. T-shirts, why not? Signs along the route of the motorcade, you bet. Other young people need to know that they’re not alone, and that their voices can be heard just as well as can those of the leftists. And if the Obamacrats decided to take extreme measures to silence dissent, so much the better for the evening news.
I somehow think it will never happen, anyway. There will be some excuse why he won’t go, or ND will dis-invite him because of alumni backlash.
“The press is so powerful in its image-making role that it can make a criminal look like he’s the victim and make the victim look like he’s the criminal. If you aren’t careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.”– Malcolm X, Audubon Ballroom, December 13, 1964
A Better Way
Sean (SIConservative) (Diary) Tuesday, March 24th at 7:04AM EST (link)In the event that this does happen, the students, alumni, parents, and (hopefully) faculty would be well served to start praying the Rosary when he begins to speak. For starters, the Blessed Mother takes priority over the President, especially when she has home field advantage. What’s more, it needn’t be an abusive use of prayer to advance a political agenda, but rather would be an authentic invocation for the conversion of the heart of the leader of the free world.
He is the freely elected President...
liberalrepublican (Diary) Monday, March 23rd at 11:47PM EST (link)of the United States.
It would be a tremendous honor to have him speak.
“Broadly speaking, liberalism emphasizes individual rights and equality of opportunity. … including extensive freedom of thought and speech, limitations on the power of governments, the rule of law, the free exchange of ideas, a market or mixed economy”
liberalrepublican, you're tiresome. There is NO honor
Achance (Diary) Tuesday, March 24th at 12:04AM EST (link)associated with that creature that the 52% of Americans who are mentally defective elected. We respect the office and our traditions of orderly transfers of power, but Honor? For that media generated creature? I wouldn’t walk across the street to pee on his head if his brain were on fire!
In Vino Veritas
He is your president.
liberalrepublican (Diary) Tuesday, March 24th at 6:26AM EST (link)Come on.
The President of the United States is a pretty important person.
The office always commands respect.
I don’t have such a anti-American view (52% are mentally defective).
He won. Fair and square. I thought is was pathetic the way some on the left acted towards Bush (He’s not MY President – yeah, you have your own country sean penn).
Acting a kid in the playground who takes his ball home when he loses isn’t going to change anything.
“Broadly speaking, liberalism emphasizes individual rights and equality of opportunity. … including extensive freedom of thought and speech, limitations on the power of governments, the rule of law, the free exchange of ideas, a market or mixed economy”
That's where you are wrong
Jack_Savage (Diary) Tuesday, March 24th at 7:53AM EST (link)“Acting a kid in the playground who takes his ball home when he loses isn’t going to change anything.”
Wrong. We’re going to take the ball back, and all we need is 3% of the sycophants to wake up and come with us. Trust me, they are waking up like you would not believe.
He was lightly qualified and incompetent before he took office, and he has not done one thing since to change anyone’s opinion. I wouldn’t walk across the street to hear him blabber, and the honor will be when we send him packing to the Multicultural Studies faculty lounge.
No, he is the President of the US, to which I owe
Achance (Diary) Tuesday, March 24th at 8:00AM EST (link)loyalty as a citizen. I respect the fact that he is the chief executive of the Country and in some limited ways has authority over me, an authority I cannot challenge without some risk of consequences. I’d stand up when he walked into a room, shake his hand if he reached out, probably address him as Sir, but that’s about as far as it goes, and I just put those in the good manners category.
Beyond showing good manners, I intend to do everything I can to thwart him and his, to criticize him and his supporters, and to defeat them at every opportunity.
In Vino Veritas
Huzzah, achance. My sediments exactly. nt
Steve Maley (Diary) Tuesday, March 24th at 8:31AM EST (link)The blogger formerly known as ‘Vladimir’.
You oil guys, Vladimir, it's just business all the time, isn't it?
janis (Diary) Tuesday, March 24th at 8:50AM EST (link)My sediments exactly. Obama can have my sediments, too. Usually I put them in the compost pile, but, hey, anything for the Zero.
I agree to a point
Jack_Savage (Diary) Tuesday, March 24th at 8:41AM EST (link)If cornered, my actions and attitude would mirror achance’s and would be placed firmly in the category of good manners. If he walked into a room, I would stand up, but only in order to walk out if at all possible.
I'm sorry.... I just couldn't do it...
larueladue (Diary) Tuesday, March 24th at 5:07PM EST (link)I wouldn’t stand up or shake his hand… Just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I have absolutely no respect for the man, and what he has done so far while in office has dishonored the office enough that I couldn’t do anything that would give honor or respect to him, regardless of the office he holds.
Oddly enough, I felt (and still feel) the same way about Bill Clinton.
Honor?
hogan (Diary) Tuesday, March 24th at 12:04AM EST (link)We are not talking about some reasonable disagreement. We are not even talking about a quiet, but public anti-life stance.
We are talking about a total disregard of fundamental Catholic teachings and Christian principles… A total disrespect for the unborn and the sanctity of life.
It is not an honor to have someone speak who clearly has no respect for the very values for which the institution supposedly stands.
While there is room for disagreement, – especially at institutions of higher learning – there is also a line. That line has been intentionally, repeatedly and violently breached by this President, and it is my heart-felt belief that Notre Dame alumni and friends should object en masse – and do so with their wallets.
5
Bill S (Diary) Tuesday, March 24th at 12:10AM EST (link)well-said.
“It’s such a fine line between stupid, and clever.” – David St. Hubbins
I would rather have Bud Day or any military
Doc Holliday (Diary) Tuesday, March 24th at 12:24AM EST (link)hero “honor” me by speaking over this “freely elected” president. Latte night talk shows are more his game.
Molon Labe!
Yes, he is.
mcg Tuesday, March 24th at 6:42AM EST (link)However, Notre Dame supposedly answers to a power even higher than him.