President Obama Shows Class In Notre Dame Commencement Speech

President Barack Obama proved far classier than some of the crazy extremists who took protests to the far fringes of our society. The president stood tall as far-right nuts tried strongly to silence him and those who differ (the definition of bigotry) in opinion. While media outlets like Fox News are working hard to pour gasoline on the fire, the president took the high road. Also taking the high road was the president of the university, Rev. John L. Jenkins. Rev. Jenkins showed great courage and strength. He showed the kind of character and the willingness to bring people together. This is what we should want from our leaders. While some are using abortion, Catholicism and the University of Notre Dame to advance their extreme viewpoints on these sensitive issues, the president proved classy and as a person who is more of a uniter – working to build bridges rather than burning bridges.

“I do not suggest that the debate surrounding abortion can or should go away. Because no matter how much we may want to fudge it — indeed, while we know that the views of most Americans on the subject are complex and even contradictory — the fact is that at some level, the views of the two camps are irreconcilable,” Obama said.

“Each side will continue to make its case to the public with passion and conviction. But surely we can do so without reducing those with differing views to caricature,” he said.

We should be able to do that without reducing differing views to caricature, but it will be difficult with outlets like Fox News advancing their own far-right agenda.

“We must find a way to live together as one human family,” Obama said.

Notre Dame President Rev. Jenkins earlier defended the university’s decision to invite Obama and honor him with a degree.

“We honor all people of good will who have come to this discussion respectfully and out of deeply held conviction,” he said.

That’s what it should be like on our college campuses. We should have a free exchange of ideas rather than a close-minded approach that excludes and shuns those who differ.

CNN:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/05/16/obama.notre.dame/index.html

Fox News:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/05/17/obama-urges-notre-dame-graduates-seek-common-ground/

Is Notre Dame A Closed Society?

Fox News has been working hard to drive the controversial nature of President Obama giving the commencement address and receiving an honorary degree from the University of Notre Dame. While media outlets like Fox News may be attempting to use this as an issue to attack the president, what about the collateral damage? What is this doing to the image (particularly in regard to tolerance) of Catholicism in the United States and abroad? Notre Dame and Catholicism are taking big hits as conservatives use the abortion, Notre Dame and Catholicism to attack President Obama.

From Fox News:

According to organizers of ReplaceJenkins.com, a Web site critical of Notre Dame President Rev. John Jenkins’ decision to host President Obama, more than 1,400 pledges have been received from alumni and donors promising to withhold future donations, a tally of nearly $14 million.

“Most of the donors were at least loosely aware of the university’s trend away from its Catholic identity,”spokesman David DiFranco said in a press release issued on Tuesday. “But the invitation of President Obama to speak and to receive an honorary degree, combined with the weak responses presented by Father Jenkins as a defense to those (who) have criticized the decision, is what drives most alumni to our site.”

In “nearly all cases,” DiFranco said, alumni who contacted the group had already decided to cease donating.

Now, Fox News.com has published an article discussing the potential economic fallout related to donations (or, potentially, the lack of donations in the future). The University of Notre Dame will survive the hypocritical bigots who will turn their backs on this great institution because they disagree with one commencement speaker on an issue or two. Notre Dame can do without people like that. Notre Dame should do without people like that. You can be strong with your core values and still be tolerant of those who differ. If some people are that close minded, then what does that say about them and what might it say about Catholicism and the University of Notre Dame? Has the grip of intolerance become that tight? We have a man who has started a Web site dedicated to having the current Notre Dame president dismissed. How sad and intolerant is that? How can people call for a president’s dismissal because he invited the president of the United States of America to speak at graduation. These extremists who think they are doing something good for the University of Notre Dame and Catholicism, might just be doing the very opposite.

Fox News:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/05/17/notre-dames-standing-catholics-risk/