Notre Dame, Obama: Students sitting out

"It's not a political issue -- this is an issue of human dignity, and it's a Catholic issue," says Greer Hannan, a Notre Dame graduating senior. "As a Catholic university, we need to stand up for it."

Perhaps all the innocent young boys who were molested by Catholic priests would've appreciated the Notre Dame campus body taking an equally vigorous position in their defense. Countless lives were destroyed by what Catholic priests did and yet, the Notre Dame hypocrites said not a word.

If you would have stood up against ex-President Bush, when he had ordered the invasion and occupation of the, now, devastated Iraq, we wouldn't have over 5,000 of our bravest, dead and hundreds of thousands, maimed and that is our own heroes, not the innocents of Iraq !! Thanks, you good Catholics, for being so honest to the 5th commandment !! Are you thinking of protesting the next execution, in one of our prisons, any time soon !!? Go home and say 10 Our Fathers and 10 Hail Marys and visit some of our wounded in the VA hospitals. Then, you can call yourselves, good Catholics, not until then !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.

"It's not a political issue"

What garbage! Rev. Frank Pavone is a vocal advocate of involving the church in politics, whether urging priests to tell their congregations to vote based only on abortion or supporting bishops who make pro-choice politicians’ communion into a political football. He is also the one who called Michael Shiavo a murderer. He is an extremist with a clear political agenda and I say tax their a$$es to the hilt. Tax every last cent they bring in.

Perhaps all the innocent young boys who were molested by Catholic priests would've appreciated the Notre Dame campus body taking an equally vigorous position in their defense. Countless lives were destroyed by what Catholic priests did and yet, the Notre Dame hypocrites said not a word.

Posted by: Diane | May 12, 2009 12:22 PM

I would agee that if someone who had been guilty of abuse or looked the other way should not deliver commencement addresses - they should be charged with a crime and judged by a jury of their peers...

Do you recall the names of any of the Catholic priests that were convicted or even accused of abuse that were scheduled to deliver the commencement address where there was no outcry? Good luck finding that...

Using your logic- people of Muslim faith can have no faith based opinions without being hypocritical given the many "Islamic faith based" abuses of women that are still culturally acceptable in Islamic countries...come to think of it- why, again using your logic- aren't all women's groups standing up and screaming at the top of their lungs over Obama's overtures and bowing to heads of state in Islamic countries that continue to abuse women ..? Where is code pink on this one-- ? My suspicion is that they are more concerned about access to abortion than to women’s rights in general -- more hypocrisy

To the Notre Dame issue--Obama has actively- and in fact , radically supported legislation to protect late term partial birth abortions...arguing that not supporting this extreme procedure could possibly limit access to abortions in general. One of the few times as an Illinois legislator that he actually committed to a side of any argument...

He has mindlessly supported the pro abortion left wing screechers in his base and ignored breakthroughs in the science of adult stem cell research in his recent support for federally taxpayer funding of embryonic stem cell research- and then had the nerve to lecture others on how his admin would not ignore science...

He has actively supported abortion and abortion rights, which Catholics are fundamentally against and consider the taking of a human life... Catholics should protest his views-- Notre Dame should never have allowed him this platform.

He has mindlessly supported the pro abortion left wing screechers
Posted by: heartburn | May 12, 2009 1:02 PM

Yes indeed....mindlessly supporting the law of the land. Brilliant!

What kind of America do we want our beloved nation to be? Barack Obama's America is one in which being human just isn't enough to warrant care and protection. It is an America where the unborn may legitimately be killed without legal restriction, even by the grisly practice of partial-birth abortion. It is an America where a baby who survives abortion is not even entitled to comfort care as she dies on a stainless steel table or in a soiled linen bin. It is a nation in which some members of the human family are regarded as inferior and others superior in fundamental dignity and rights. In Obama's America, public policy would make a mockery of the great constitutional principle of the equal protection of the law. In perhaps the most telling comment made by any candidate in either party in this election year, Senator Obama, when asked by Rick Warren when a baby gets human rights, replied: ''that question is above my pay grade.'' It was a profoundly disingenuous answer: For even at a state senator's pay grade, Obama presumed to answer that question with blind certainty. His unspoken answer then, as now, is chilling: human beings have no rights until infancy - and if they are unwanted survivors of attempted abortions, not even then.

And I thought Notre Damers only cared about football...They should have invited Father Cutie of Miami.... oops, he got caught with a woman...

@ Diane:
Obviously you do not know anything about the structure of the Catholic Church. The plague of molestation in the Church fell primarily on the diocesan front, and Notre Dame belongs to an order that has not been implicated. How on earth does the student body protest such a widespread issue? Contrariwise, this protest is pointed at a very specific issue. Also, just as many, if not more Protestant ministers have carried out these same vile acts. The only reason this is not mentioned as much is because the Protestant community is much less organized. This means that (ta-da!) this is a CHRISTIAN issue. BTW, Catholics are just as abhorred at the molestations as you. We remain Catholic because of the faith itself, not the men running the institution.

Some of those students may regret it years later - but peaceful freedom of expression is cherised in the Constitution. A prayer vigil seems like the perfect protest to me. But if I were there, I'd go to commencement. Many people didn't like the commencement speaker when I was graduating but no one boycotted; it was our commencement and the address was just a small blip in time.

ND is a school that, despite being a Catholic institution, has attracted students all kinds of students due to their strong academics and sports programs. I would have assumed or hoped that the school would be more progressive and moderate. Instead, it sounds like they're not to far behind BYU in letting religion completely dictate life on campus. If ND wants to be the Catholic BYU, fine, just make sure all your students, teachers, and guest speakers are Catholic and adhere to the doctrine. it'd be hypocritical to do otherwise (I wonder how many of their past commencement speakers have fully adhere to the doctrine?).

Catholic schools can provide a great education to many, but they either need to realize that not all of there students/guests are Catholic and therefore don't fully follow the doctrine, or be stricter w/ admission and selection

I still love you Touchdown Jesus!

This is a good thing. Boycott the ceremony. The TV cameras will be there and if there is trouble they will look for the opportunity to make it look as if it the fault of those who disagree with bo.

But if they are NOT there - ?

bo thrives on chaos and fuss - silence is one thing he cannot handle.

Please pray for those students - they need your prayers, and while you're at please pray for Obama.

Don,

President Bush spoke at Notre Dame in May 2001, long before he sent anybody to Iraq. Darn those ND students for not being able to see into the future!

What a woman chooses to do with her own body is her own business.

However, the body of the unborn child that she carries in her womb is NOT hers to kill.

Abortion is murder. Plain and simple.

Grotto? Children stay away! You don't want to ruin your purity by following priests who raped kids or a member of the Hitler youth who celebrates antisemites.

"He has actively supported abortion and abortion rights, which Catholics are fundamentally against and consider the taking of a human life."

The point is, if you're going to involve yourself in political matters under the guise of "protecting life," be consistent. It's simple. Don't whine about human lives being taken while neglecting to stand up for those that were destroyed by Catholic priests. It's rather strange that no similar outcry occurred when George Bush delivered the 2001 Notre Dame commencement, despite the fact that he presided over countless executions as governor. Were those not lives taken? Hypocrisy of the most absurd level. Incidentally, Heartburn, does this university ask its entire student body who is or isn't for abortion before allowing each person to enroll? Thought so.

Pope Benedict recently welcomed Prince Charles and his wife to the Vatican where they met for 20 minutes. Does that mean that the Pope implicitly condones divorce? Should the Pope have refused to meet with them because of the divorce? The Pope will eventually meet with Obama. Will these same protesters also protest that meeting?

If Mr. Obama was a Caucasian, this would not be an issue. So much for diversity in our Colleges!!!

I agree Don. Sadly, The term Pro-Life, in their eyes, has a giant asterisk next to it.

But, they are more than welcome to protest against the President. I am sure his talk will bring to light that their lack of discourse and openess to those who think differently than them is the ultimate fault in certain sects of Religion and the religious.

As a graduate of another prominent Catholic college, it never occurred to me that there could/would/should be a lithmus test for commencement speakers who typically also receive honorary degrees... Why should it matter what their position on abortion may be, as they speak to hopeful grads about following their dreams. Have we come so far as to not even listen to anything someone says who may have a different position on an issue than we ourselves hold? Even without this controversy, there was maybe a 0% chance that Obama would have said one word on his position on abortion rights in his commencement address. Each of these families has somehow come up with well over $100K to send their child to this school so that they could presumably develop some critical thinking and life skills that will be helpful to them in the real world. If going to ND is all about Catholic indoctrination (which I don't think it is), then why not just call it a seminary and just have a bishop speak at each commencement. I just hope that people don't protest and ruin this event for those who have worked so hard to participate...

Catholics, blah,blah,blah. You will eventually disappear, just like the Taliban. But unforntunately for us, you'll continue wreaking havoc until your last gasp, just as they intend to.

All I keep hearing and reading, over and over and over again, is how some Notre Dame graduates will not be attending their graduation ceremony. The truth is, for a variety of reasons, NO college graduation ceremony, on any campus, anywhere, ever has anything approaching 100% participation. It seems, however, that this year's ceremony at Notre Dame WILL have the highest participation rate in nearly two decades, if not longer, and probably the highest in the school's history. Two weeks ago, the South Bend Tribune reported that Notre Dame's registrar, who is in charge of the ceremony, says that the demand for tickets this year is the highest that he has seen in his 17 years on the job. In every previous year, graduates have been allocated 4 or 5 tickets for family members and friends. This year, because so many more graduates plan to attend, the university was only able to supply 3 tickets per graduate. Also, for the first time, it was impossible to supply tickets to every faculty member who wanted to attend, and they allocated by a lottery. So far as I know, not one of the national media who keep reporting on the obviously small number of ND students who plan to boycott their graduation, in addition to reporting on Randall Terry, Alan Keyes, and all the other right-wing nuts, not one of these media ever reported these facts, which much more accurately reflect the true state of opinion at Notre Dame. Interesting, huh?

Posted by: bill r. | May 12, 2009 1:15 PM

Well I would not be so arrogant to call myself briliant but I appreciate the sentiment...

Federal funding embryonic stem cell research was not the law of the land until Obama made it so with his executive order...ignoring recent breakthroughs in adult stem cell research..

I always wonder why abortion is such a hot topic. Mostly hotly debated by men who won't use birth control.

Nobody is perfect and that certainly applies to Catholics. If you don't like the President, then you have every right to do something else that day. Do you really need to make such a big stink about it?

Can't we all just wear rubbers and get along?

I am so glad that I am NOT catholic. I love the freedom of choice. Honestly, can any catholic priest, archbishop, etc really give you access to heaven. Do you really believe that Catholic Priest can "save" you from your sins. Only one can do that and his name is JESUS. In Christianity, we can be free to choose for ourselves knowing that consequences are there to face. In Christianity, we are free to have our own opinions and despite any disagreements, we can still love each other and pray for one another. Catholicism is one sided and one mind only. But, they and no one else can stop Christ so no matter how much protesting there is, Christianity is coming to Notre Dame like a lion. God Bless them.

Can't we all just wear rubbers and get along?

Posted by: Hank | May 12, 2009 2:28 PM

I wish it were that simple. Truth is, contraceptives are next on the religious agenda. Oh they say it is pro-life, but there is more coming if allowed to preach their ways to us. Contraception is murder to these followers of each other.

How funny - Just like some of the ND students, I am a Catholic that has chosen to be somewhere else, other than a Catholic church, on Sundays, for the past 8 years. The church and the cardinal disgust me. They are crying about Obama but had no problem when Bush spoke at the university. Bush is responsible for tens of thousands of innocent Iraq citizens being killed. Where was the church when the innocent, less privileged, deprived people needed their help???? I thought that was what my religion was all about....helping those that do not have the means or ability to help themselves. I guess that was the old Catholic Church. They are now too busy worrying about out dated issues.

Funny how a simple protest against Obama brings out the most hateful and vitriolic comments from aetheists and Obama's mind-numb robots...

do we really care - the catholic church is like the GOP - out of touch, out of date and no longer relevant -

But, they and no one else can stop Christ so no matter how much protesting there is, Christianity is coming to Notre Dame like a lion. God Bless them.

Posted by: Angel | May 12, 2009 2:37 PM

Praise be Allah!

Hank: Of course not. Rubbers cause AIDS.

Notre Dame, a fine institution of higher learning where the next generation of workers, thinkers, and leaders can hone their capacity for rational and unbiased thought, free from the burdens of antiquated dogma that depends on faith, even against contradictory evidence, and rejection of reason for its very survival.

Funny how a simple protest against Obama brings out the most hateful and vitriolic comments from aetheists and Obama's mind-numb robots...

Posted by: chas | May 12, 2009 2:44 PM

That's just how those baby killers are...huh?

How many students are going to participate in this "sit-out?" Out of how many total graduating seniors attending the commencement?

Aren't those facts pertinent and newsworthy?

Hey Andy C...
yes President Bush spoke at Notre Dame before he had committed any troops to combat.
But, it was after he had signed off on how many executions as Governor of Texas?

So many of these comments (a lot by former Catholics I might add) point out exactly what is wrong at ND. Poorly catechized generations of Catholics. It's sad and I cannot believe the hatred. I give these poor students that are going to the grotto on THEIR graduation day a lot of credit. You may hate their faith but they are showing that it IS their faith and no hateful posts on some blog are going to take their faith away from them. At least they stand for something. It takes a lot of courage.

As for the constant hateful response to articles like this one, find a new script. We Catholics that understand that we aren't part of a perfect faith will continue praying for you anyway. It's tough for any of us to be perfect.

Good for these students and their free expression if that is a cause they truly believe in. But really, this smells more of political meddling by adults who have blown this into a political issue and a church who is also too entangled in politics to make this into an overblown event that, sadly, should have just been a joyous graduation ceremony where the president of the United States spoke.

"Don,

President Bush spoke at Notre Dame in May 2001, long before he sent anybody to Iraq. Darn those ND students for not being able to see into the future!

Posted by: Andy C | May 12, 2009 2:01 PM"

But well after he oversaw the execution of 153 inmates as Governor of Texas, the most of any governor in history!! Where were the Catholic clergy and death penalty opponents then??

No, the graduates all should go...and sit with their backs to the podium when Obama is speaking.

Angel's comments would be a classic example of someone that is clueless about the Catholic church. Priests don't "save" anyone from sin. What are you even talking about? And as far as your "opinion".....Jesus didn't (and still doesn't) really care about your opinion. He laid things out pretty clear when he created His church before he ascended to Heaven and then sent the Holy Spirit to His apostles to continue His Church.

Why does he need an honorary law degree from Notre Dame?
.
He has one from Harvard.

Do some of you idiots forget that Sadam slaughtered over 500,000 of his own people prior to us helping set free millions? I bet it's the same idiots who could care less about the 3.5 million people slaughtered thanks to us pulling out of Vietnam. Who cares about them right? Selfish and empty comments.

Such a variety of bashing going on here, where do I start?

Hey Don Fitzgerald - got that body count from Afghanistan today? Have you written your letter of protest to president Obama about his (not Bush) increasing US troop's in Afghhanistan by 21,000 innocent American lives to be wasted?

You better put your pen to work, since your mouth is in constant Harpie mode, and let president Obama know how strongly you feel about WAR and wasted American lives!

Oh, forget it, you're a mouthpiece for Obama, not one who would disagree with him even though your hypocracy is running down your pant leg every time you write -

BRING THEM HOME SAFE - NOW!

I am glad to see that some students still have standards and will sit this publicity tour out. Congratulations!

Diane, the article is about students protesting, not the school's policy. This is mainly young adults who were children when Bush spoke there and the sex abuse scandal broke. Should they still protest those things? I guess you can argue that, but that is not a reason for them to be silent now about something they obviously feel passionately about. Are you seriously asserting that these students are so hypocritical for not protesting the other things you mentioned, that they should not protest this? I don't think that's a rational position, and it makes me suspicious of you being just another Obama adorer trying to protect him from any criticism.

So, they refuse to hear him speak simply because they disagree with him on an issue that is in no way related to the event at hand? Guess this means Obama can just refuse to listen to anything Catholics have to say, too. He'll probably take the high road though, while you silly dolts stick your fingers in your ears and scream "lalalalala" like children. All the while laughably pretending your antics are admirable indications of faith, when in reality they say nothing of faith, and rather are disgusting indications of character weakness.

Don,

President Bush spoke at Notre Dame in May 2001, long before he sent anybody to Iraq. Darn those ND students for not being able to see into the future!

Posted by: Andy C | May 12, 2009 2:01 PM

Was anyone complaining at that time about W's endorsement and efficient use of the death penalty as governor of Texas? No idea... but there should have been.

Isn't it ironic that they want to deny him an honorary law degree when it is Obama that wants to uphold democracy and the Constitution, not the boycotters who seem to prefer some sort of theocracy? It is also peculiar that despite all of the research that shows legislation is not only ineffective, but actually results in the proliferation of disease. I'm afraid that while people like Obama are trying to find real solutions to the world's problems, the Catholics will continue to chase their own tails until they are gone. Just like the human rights loving GOP (that's a joke), their ignorance and misapplication of doctrine will be their undoing. The Church teaching is supposed to save lives, not dogma. Besides, if W. were still in office, I don't think there would be nearly as much protest. The Catholics and other conservative Christians played a significant role in his elections despite the fact that torture, capital punishment, and a whole host of other things he did were in clear violation of Catholic teaching.

There is just no satisfying poor rich brats nowadays. Last year we had to listen to them whine at Northwestern about having to settle for Richard Daley. This year, so as not to be outdone, ND students have to whine about settling for a U.S. President.

30 - 40 years from now, these "protesters" will be telling their grandchildren with pride that the President of the United States spoke at their commencement. The issues will fade.

In general, I don't like the idea of "honorary degrees". Whether given to Bush, Obama or whoever. But that is really not the issue. I just see this as the opportunity for ND to give its' graduating seniors the extraordinary honor of having the POTUS speak at their commencement.

I'm a pretty liberal Catholic democrat, but I would have felt honored to have Bush speak at my commencement. Anyone with class can put aside the differences on issues for a few hours, and just enjoy the privelge.

Cornell Forch are you kidding me!! Politics, religion and NOW race!! Get a grip dude, no one thinks this is about BO's color!

"He has actively supported abortion and abortion rights, which Catholics are fundamentally against and consider the taking of a human life."

The point is, if you're going to involve yourself in political matters under the guise of "protecting life," be consistent. It's simple. Don't whine about human lives being taken while neglecting to stand up for those that were destroyed by Catholic priests. It's rather strange that no similar outcry occurred when George Bush delivered the 2001 Notre Dame commencement, despite the fact that he presided over countless executions as governor. Were those not lives taken? Hypocrisy of the most absurd level. Incidentally, Heartburn, does this university ask its entire student body who is or isn't for abortion before allowing each person to enroll? Thought so.

Posted by: Diane | May 12, 2009 2:06 PM
--
You don't want consistency you want dogmatic behaviour based on ideology...when it comes to moral questions most people believe strongly in some things and at the same time do not have as strong of beliefs in other things.
--
Protesting the ending of an unborn innocent life is not the same as protesting the ending of a life with the death penalty...the convicted criminal had numerous opportunities to defend himself, the right to appeals etc. The unborn child has had no voice... in fact the only thing that holds the argument in support of abortion together is the dogma that the aborted child is not yet human- as if the process of birth somehow transforms the fetus into a human child with rights... there is no doubt in the process of convicting a human being to death that we are dealing with a human being.

Having said that- my experience has been that the majority of people protesting the death penalty are typically protesting from a religious point of view...

--
That there were many abuses of children by members of the clergy does not obligate you to protest this before you are entitled to protest Obama's appearance- in fact, how do you know that they didn't?
--
And speaking of hypocrisy- why aren't you as critical of womens groups being almost silent about the abuses of women under Islamic laws and customs? Where are the protestors against the taliban ? Or the Iranian leader? No left wing protests allowed until there is strong consistent poltical opposition against these regimes...

These closed-minded, one-issue students and clergy ignore research, done at the University of Notre Dame, and published in this newspaper that showed that the rate of abortions in this country has actually DECLINED under Democratic administrations. Generally speaking, previous Republican administrations have gutted the very health care programs that provide a safety net to prevent unwanted pregnancies. I remmber this story well because I e-mailed the article during the previous presidential campaign to a rabid, pro-life relaitive who was going to vote Republican on that issue alone! The relative asked how any "good Catholic" could vote for the Democrat? But it was not the aforementioned research that made it an easy decision, it was voting against a war built on lies, rising poverty, corporate greed, and carelessness shown toward our envionment and stewardship of our national resources. I choose life. I voted Democratic.

I agree with what only one other person posted. It's ashame that seemingly intelligent college students are going to protest a commencement address from the President of their country becuase they hold different political/social views...? Something seems off. Really disturbing that the "future" of our country seems destined segregation once again. Not segregation of races but of political party and religion. I am just so sickened that these students would cut of their noses to spite their faces. Yes, I know anti-choice followers are saying that this is a way to voice their opinion, free speech and all the rest. Fine. The point is, they are missing a chance to engage in a moment that will never happen again. They are graduating from college with President Obama to speak at the ceremony. No matter what party line you side with, that is admittedly a spectacle to be seen. Any educated mind would agree. At least, I hope they would.

I'm going to bring some pictures of men having sex with little boys and stand across the street from the anti abortion crowd. The world needs to know that this is nothing more than a "diddlin" lil boys club.

I'm going to bring some pictures of men having sex with little boys and stand across the street from the anti abortion crowd. The world needs to know that this is nothing more than a "diddlin" lil boys club.

Posted by: richard | May 12, 2009 3:40 PM

And I hope you would be arrested-- what an odd post.

Wow, there's some lefty logic for you.

Let's worry more about the lives of 153 convicted murderers and less about the lives of a million innocent children.

I'm against the death penalty, but to equate it to abortion in any way defies logic.

Non-issue. Students skip graduation all the time. I didn't attend my university's graduation (I did attend my program's ceremony) because I was not interested in hearing some corporate blowhard tell me how great life would be. These students, unfortunately, are missing out on a chance to hear one of the world's great speakers. But that's their prerogative.

Hey, maybe we should boycott the Catholic Church for all the past and current pediphiles in it's ranks. bloody criminals. what a joke to boycott a president who has different values....this is america right? let's go after those priests out there who are raping our children!!!!!!

I have two serious questions:
1) How do the science departments at Notre Dame deal with teaching the creation of the Earth? Is it evolution? Creationism? Or a hybrid?

2) How do the science departments at Notre Dame feel about stem cell research? Or does research at Notre Dame not touch on these topics?

Just curious

Hey, maybe we should boycott the Catholic Church for all the past and current pediphiles in it's ranks. bloody criminals. what a joke to boycott a president who has different values....this is america right? let's go after those priests out there who are raping our children!!!!!!

President Obama is not a Roman Catholic. He is under no obligation to follow Catholic doctrine or bow to Catholic arrogance.

As reported elsewhere, the demand for tickets to this commencement is quite strong. The campus overwhelmingly supports the president's appearance at graduation. A few will stay away and get more attention than they deserve. Years from now, they'll regret their decision.

Follow and stay true to what you believe. Some small minded individuals will think this is a political issue. They will call you a racists because Obama is black. They will do everything they can to divert you away form the truth which is, you don;t have the same belief system as Obama and becasue of that, you will not be there for the address. You will be no less of a degreed person but you will have one thing in tact, your dignity. Hats off to those who despite the importance of this day, choose to follow thier moral beliefs.

I'm never surpised at the hypocrisy of these leftists posting on here. They accuse the Catholics of bigotry, and then post anti-Catholic posts.

Good grief, where have you people that keep yapping about the priest sex abuse been for the past decade? The Church has been dragged through the mud on this....and you act like nothing has ever been said or that no one has ever tried to apologize (or that hundreds of millions of dollars was doled out) ? It's a terrible thing.....but the % of priests that were charged with abuse actually is about the same % as the national average of all men. I guess it's easy to keep pulling out these bullets and firing at the Church when you don't stand for anything.

These students have the right to sit out the commencement.
It is rude and disrespectful but within their rights.

Just curious - why is Obama going ahead with the commencement speech when there seems to be so much opposition to it?

All of you whiny a**ed liberals talk about "doing what the people want" except when it something you believe in.

So much for the "change" that Obama talked about. From where I sit he appears to be more arrogant than Bush ever was.

Gov. George W. Bush allowed a retarded person to be executed. He literally had the power to stay executions, yet TX outpaced the nation in executions while he was gov. Picking and choosing "life" issues is hollow and false.

Obama isn't debating abortion issues, he's delivering a speech for college commencement. He isn't Catholic, nor are many of ND's graduation speakers.

Bigotry doesn't become a supposed institution of higher learning. Aren't students in the graduating class equipped to hear someone speak and make their own conclusions about the appropriateness of the speech? To quote Limbaugh, "Get your head out of the sand."

It's a president. Show some respect.

I'm against the death penalty, but to equate it to abortion in any way defies logic.

Posted by: Andy C | May 12, 2009 3:52 PM

You're evading the point. The Vatican opposes abortion. The Vatican also opposes the death penalty. I'm not sure the Vatican espouses the degrees-of-bad logic that you do. Instead, it seems to view both as equally bad.

If you say ND should not host Obama because his views on abortion conflict with the Vatican's, it stands to reason you should say ND should not have hosted GWB because of his (oddly enthusiastic) support for, and carrying out of, the death penalty.

BTW: For all you want to say about Obama, he has never had to make a specific decision whether someone should live or die. GWB did. In pretty much every instance (maybe in all instances), he chose death.

It is so convenient to reduce everything to a position on abortion and make it a test of Catholic orthodoxy and graduation speeches!

Outside of the US, the Church preaches land redistribution - what we call socialism when applied to Obama. Where is the call to follow the preachings of the Church on this issue?

Both of the last two Popes were on the record against the Iraq War -- that it was not a just war and that no good would come from it. Where is the call to follow the preachings of the Church on this issue?

President Kennedy fought hard in his election campaign against the claim that he would be a puppet of Rome if elected, and yet that is exactly what is being expected here - that the President lacks legitimacy unless he follows the rule of Rome. Where is the outrage against that claim?

The Church preaches the integrity of the family, yet permits its own version of divorce through annulment, provided sufficient fees are paid. How many have been made illegitimate by the paid pronouncement that marriages never existed? Where is the outrage over this hypocrisy?

The Church preaches the sanctity of human life yet tolerated the sexual abuse of children and promoted its perpetrators. The result is hundreds of billions of dollars being spent on settlements. Read Cardinal George's deposition on the web and tell me where the outrage is that this man has any leadership over anything!

Is it any wonder why the number of former Catholics will soon rival the number of current Catholics.

I hope that the President follows through and speaks at Notre Dame so he can bring the moral hypocrisy involved in this out in the open for all to see.

President Obama is probably going ahead with it because only a "handful" of students are sitting out. The majority of Americans voted him into office and a majority of people are in support of him speaking at the university. Its pretty clear, jim.

I really love reading the absurd, pandering, and pathetic comments of those that would support Obama and his policies if he stood on his head and sang silly songs. Maybe his unrepentant supporters can get him to sing a song, tell a few more offensive jokes, and get himself on 'American Idol' after Sundays little chat. Entertaining? To some. Ethical and moral leadership? Not one bit. To many.

Ha Ha Ha.

If they held their staff and students to the same standards, the place would be empty. Such hypocrits.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/10/27/politics/uwire/main4546989.shtml

They should boycott the USA
goverment for making abotion legal,. not Obama,
Notre dame is not special
so get off your high horse.

So let me get this straight Heartburn, you're against murder (which is what "catholics" call abortion) but its ok for the priests to molest and rape little boys. Odd religious beliefs you "catholics" have there. Not ok to murder, but rape, your "god" winks and looks the other way. Does your "god" or "imaginary friend in the clouds" approve of this?

another reason why i can't stand anything (or anyone) who is associated with nd.

Just another example of right wing nut cases trying to impose their views on the rest of us, Let me get this: it is official Catholic policy that abortion is wrong (murder in their view - not shared by a majority of the population). So they want to impose their beliefs on everyone - even Obama who is NOT a Catholic. Do they think he will give a pro-life commencement address? (maybe I should have put the period after think) As others have pointed out their stand is full of hypocrisy. "Right to lifers" (when I first heard that phrase back in the 60's, I thought it was a pro-choice slogan) don't care what happens to a fetus once it is born - only to imposing their views on everyone.

If I were a student ready to graduate from my university after four years of hard work and didn’t agree with the selection of the keynote speaker, rather than miss my graduation ceremony I would attend and upon the entrance of the speaker I would simply stand and turn my back to this person for the duration of the speech. I would not forgo the commencement that in part celebrates my hard work.

The university will simply arrange seating so it is not apparent to anyone that any students are missing the ceremony, so while going to the Grotto to reflect and pray in this case is a great thing, it will not garner the attention a more visible sign of protest could garner.

So let me get this straight Heartburn, you're against murder (which is what "catholics" call abortion) but its ok for the priests to molest and rape little boys. Odd religious beliefs you "catholics" have there. Not ok to murder, but rape, your "god" winks and looks the other way. Does your "god" or "imaginary friend in the clouds" approve of this?

Posted by: richard | May 12, 2009 4:59 PM

How you got here based on my postings are beyond me-
--
From my post " I would agee that if someone who had been guilty of abuse or looked the other way should not deliver commencement addresses - they should be charged with a crime and judged by a jury of their peers..."

--
no it is not okay to murder people or molest anyone..

Feel better?

>

OMG 50%?!

Miller,your questions are silly ones if you are over 12 years old. Nonethless they deserve a response because we have alot of pre-pubescent minds on this board.

But before I do-if I hear one more loony compare abortion to the death penalty then please call your mother and have her perform a late term abortion on you.

This is so pathetic. Who do these Notre Dame punks think they are? Newsflash -- your football team hasn't mattered for two decades, and thus everyone has again stopped caring about your little school. Nobody in the real world has any reason to pay attention to a few thousand spoiled, white, rich kids running around the dung heap that passes for a town in northern Indiana. Your school is the most overrated institution in the modern world. Please, Notre Dame students, go back to whatever it is you think you're so good at, and let the adults get back to running the real world.

It's apparent that lib posters here hate Catholics and especially any ND students who would boycott the commencement out of their conviction that abortion is a fundamental wrog. Your folks hate is not constructive. I pity you because you will never find contentment hating your fellow man.

Miller- onto your questions:

1) The Church does not require one to hold or not to hold a belief in the thoery of evolution so your question is a non-issue.

2) The Church teaches that stem cell research can be used for the good of mankind. It only objects to EMBRYONIC stem cell research because humans are killed in the process.

My God, you are having the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES speak at your graduation, you ungrateful people. STOP mixing religion and politics. It's pathetic. Grow up.

What a woman chooses to do with her own body is her own business.
However, the body of the unborn child that she carries in her womb is NOT hers to kill.
Abortion is murder. Plain and simple.
Posted by: Kevin | May 12, 2009 2:03 PM

Then, please, keep it in your pants, Kevin. Don't you just love men sitting on their high horses? The Catholic Church opposes abortion and birth control, but doesn't seem to care about the starvation and suffering of the resulting spawn.

Rudy! Rudy!

I'm going to bring some pictures of men having sex with little boys and stand across the street from the anti abortion crowd. The world needs to know that this is nothing more than a "diddlin" lil boys club.

Posted by: richard | May 12, 2009 3:40 PM

Why do you have these pictures?

The same students who are sitting this one out, are the same people who probably get "stone drunk" on the weekends & act like animals.

You're not doing yourselfs any favors by acting self-righteous & "holier than thou".

I am Catholic. The Catholic bishops and the conservatives do not speak for me. They are an embarrassment. Abortion is not the only pro-life issue. What about this war that has killed and injured hundreds of thousands? Such hypocrits.

The same students who are sitting this one out, are the same people who probably get "stone drunk" on the weekends & act like animals.

You're not doing yourselves any favors by acting self-righteous & "holier than thou".

The same students who are sitting this one out, are the same people who probably get "stone drunk" on the weekends & act like animals.

You're not doing yourselves any favors by acting self-righteous & "holier than thou".

I believe in freedom of speech and have no problem with these students staging a peaceful protest. I am curious, however, whether these students protesting Obama because his views are not in line with the tenets of the Catholic faith have ever protested when an unmarried student has been caught having sex at the university and is not expelled from the university, or is caught in possession of birth control and is not expelled or who eat meat on Fridays during lent and is not expelled. If the premise for the boycott is the fact that the university should not "endorse" an individual who supports views inconsistent with the Catholic faith, then shouldn't these students also challenge the university for accepting students who are not practicing all of the tenets of the Catholic faith. No, of course not -- it's easier to pick and choose which tenets of the faith to believe in, particularly when enforcing all of the tenets might mean that the university is at risk of expelling one of their football gods. I wish that some of these ND students would at least admit that they pick and choose which aspects of the faith are worth following and which can be dismissed out of hand as part of the college lifestyle.

As a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, I am extremely proud of the honor they are about to bestow on President Obama. What if every catholic who voted for Mr. Obama came forth and was summarily excommunicated? I would think that action would be a serious hit to Sunday donations.

Sorry Patty, you ain't Catholic unless you follow the teachings of the Catholic Bishops.

You are however, a heretic and a protestant.

"His unspoken answer then, as now, is chilling: human beings have no rights until infancy."
Posted by: Purdue Alum | May 12, 2009 1:46 PM

It is the Constitution that grants rights at birth, not President Obama's "answer."

My daughter is graduating with a MBA from Notre Dame this coming weekend. Both she and I are appalled that ND chose to disgrace itself by inviting the current radical pro-abortion incumbent of the White House to speak on campus. The President has every right to his conscientiously held views on this deeply contested moral issue. I don't fault him at all; he is a decent man and one whom I can respect, though I candidly admit that I didn't vote for him. I have lost respect for ND's leadership, however, which has deliberately chosen to flout its Catholic ethos and mission in this instance. Apparently, Father Jenkins didn't get the message even when Dr. Glendon declined the award she was to receive from ND because of the invitation to the President. Shame on him; all praise to her.

What a wonderful gathering of open-minded and caring people. I think I'm going to get started on that Ark.

The fact of the matter is abortion wasn't invented in 1972. And don't think that it will end if it is outlawed. It has always been practiced.
It's just that over the last 35+ years you didn''t have to experience your daughters, wives and mothers being mutilated or killed in the process. And, so many have forgotten that part of the equation.

It's funny how important being a Catholic is to Notre Dame. Perhaps they should give back their non Catholic football players.

It's good to see that the religious zealots are being so open-minded and fair. They want non-Christians to sit through prayers at the beginning of the school day. They want Christian decorations on public property during the holiday season while allowing no one elses. But they can't sit through a speech by the President of the United States because they disagree with him. And I guarantee that a few years from now, many of them will be very sorry they did not sit through their graduation. Hypocrites!

Notre Dame ? As if this second-rate college deserves some sort of special treatment because of - what ?

Football nonsense, athletic bullshit - what does this have to do with academic excellence ?

Black athletes netted into ND's athletic horseshit 'cuz their dismal lives might be betterred by a ND connection.

Fine.

But there's no magic stuff here

. Jock nonsense jock worship doesn't translate into business success or cash flow magic for simpleton grads who can't do anything but reps and pushups
.

The silly 'Catholic' asswadds that supported Bush and Hyde, Cheney and Ashcroft, think that supporting murderous Protestant scumdogs like the Republiscum Party was somehow within Jesus' doctrines and yet supporting the Democratic Party which has ALWAYS championed the rights and lives of the downtrodden workers and the lower classes -
this is somehow not good enough.

Republitrash dogs will see, after 32 years of Democratic Party Rule (just like during FDR's reign) that their brand of divisive politics - their attempt at creating some sort of Baptist Theocracy - has failed and will never be allowed in these United States.

Those of us who have never had illicit sex with our first cousins (unlike the Republiscum majority) would never allow it.

As a Catholic, I'm embarrased by a small majority of students who are doing the protest.

These students are a bunch of Republican sheltered babies, who are mad that Grandpa McCain isn't running the country. Ya wanna get mad and protest? Where were you when Bush and Cheney wrecked this country for 8 years????!!!

I guess it's a disgrace to protest against Obama.

Win won for the Obamameister.

I think all he graduating students should attend their graduation ceremony. However, when Obama speaks they should all stand up and face away from him.

What would be even better would be to bring baby dolls of all colors into the ceremony and have nooses around their necks symbolizing the late-term abortion that Obama favors.

Notre Dame, 'nuff said.

Let them sit it out. I could care less.

Don....Maybe they could throw a shoe at him.

Whoever scheduled the President for this little engagement needs to exit with the military aide who scheduled thatplane to buzz Manhattan.

Is it the same one who told Georgetown to cover up the crucifix?

These two items have really infuriated the one issue anti-abortionists, Catholic and otherwise.

They're already referring to the President as the Antichrist.

And the HHS Secy as "that abortionist".

Nothing like a little ecumicalism, is there?

Why didn't ND do like the BYU and invite that exemplary American, Darth Cheney, to speak at their school?

Man--all the 'Jesus Camp' grads came out of the woodwork for this one.

I dont think Obama should be
invited since he is for abortion,
THAT IS AGAINST JESUS
CHRIST AND THE CHURCH.
GOD HELP THIS COUNTRY