Conservatives are coming out of the woodwork trying to jump on the pile in attacking President Obama as a result of this Fox News-manufactured controversy surrounding his commencement address at the University of Notre Dame and his receiving an honorary degree from the institution. That being said, I started to read this column published on the Fox News Web site and written by Paul Kregor.
In May 1995, his first year as Pennsylvania governor, Tom Ridge was invited by Gannon University, a Catholic college in Erie, Pa., to give the commencement address and receive an honorary degree. But the distinguished Republican and native son had a problem: he was a pro-choice Catholic.
Erie Bishop Donald Trautman expressed his “concerns.” Governor Ridge declined the degree.
“The last thing I would want is for those differences to distract in any way from this wonderful day of recognition for Gannon’s class of 1995,” said Ridge. His spokesman explained that the decision “came from the governor.”Ridge did the right thing. He did the character thing.
Ridge exercised his right to choose not to accept the degree (according to the information in this column). However, if anyone thinks the hatred would be any less intense toward President Obama had he turned down this degree is living in fantasy land. This is not about the honorary degree and I almost question whether it is even about the abortion issue for a lot of the people who are hating President Obama. People like Alan Keyes are pimping the University of Notre Dame for their own selfish purposes.
This whole issue is about the hatred of Barack Obama. Abortion, Notre Dame and all the other issues coming up are smokescreens. President Obama has done the character thing. He could have taken the easy way out and run away screaming or decided not to accept the degree. Both would have been, particularly in this case, cowardly. We should not give into a vocal minority playing the role of extortionist and emotional blackmailer. Ridge did what he felt was right and President Obama is doing what he feels is the right thing to do.
Bigotry thrives when people shy away from it.
Fox News:
http://foxforum.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/05/17/kregor_obama_notre_dame/
