Last month it was well documented that the University of Notre Dame invited President Barack Obama to speak at their graduation commencement ceremony on May 17th. Presidential commencement speeches happen every year, but this year it was a little different. This year, President Obama said yes, and religion that the University rests its laurels on spoke up, and spoke up indeed.
Several prominent Catholic spokespeople have cried out against the invite of the president. Most speaking to the fact that Mr. Obama’s political platform doesn’t correlate with that of the conservative view of the Catholic religion and Notre Dame. That his views on abortion and stem cell research set the wrong example for the graduating students. Some are even asking that the Domers recognition as a Catholic university get revoked.
While I can see the point that the good folks of the Catholic faith are trying to make, I think that perhaps they should take a step back on this one. Yes, its true, the conservative views and President Obama’s do not match up. However, he’s still the President of the United States of America and you need to respect that. I’m sure that he’s not going to stand up there and stump about the rights and wrongs of abortion, he could, but he won’t. One would imagine that he’ll talk about being open to new ideas and breaking through barriers, just as he’s trying to do in politics, and has already done with race. I think that this is much to do about nothing.
Some students have come out and said they are excited about Obama’s speech as its not everyday you get to see the President. That they are more worried that the protesters will make a spectacle of the day, rather then have it be part of a showcase of their day, of their hard work, and tears for the extremely important accomplishment they have achieved. In the student newspaper it was 70/30 for the President. In letters from the alumni, it was about 50/50 some Notre Dame websites reported.
I think the bottom line is that this could end up to be a black spot on catholicism and its politics, rather then the University of Notre Dame. Now, I’m catholic, and a huge Notre Dame fan, so I feel comfortable commenting on both. Catholicism has always been under fire for sometimes being too old fashioned and not “catching up with the times.” While some diocese are more progressive then others, it still causes people to be critical at some level. As people are to all religions. I can appreciate the fact that they are standing up for the basis of morals that Catholics believe in, I just think there might have been a more eloquent way of doing it.
Either way, Notre Dame has not desided to rescind the invite as of now, and it still seems to be business as usual for the commencement speech. Maybe, those alumni dollars could be a little bit less for next year though.
