(My co-pilot and daughter is at the controls today; buckle up!)On Friday, my beloved Alma Mater Notre Dame (whose full name is "University of Notre Dame du Lac," in case you are wondering about the post's title) announced the identity of the 2009 commencement speaker. How cool. Barack Obama is coming to South Bend, IN -- the armpit of the United States -- to speak at Notre Dame's graduation ceremony.
I started the following Monday morning by reading the letters to the editor of the ND student newspaper, The Observer. The letters were overall very enthusiastic, but in the worst way. It seems that students and alumni are getting their knickers in a twist over this one. On Monday, I was also sent a link to sign an online petition protesting the selection of Obama as the commencement speaker. As I write this tonight, there are over 100,000 signatures. Needless to say I did not sign it.
One letter to editor stated the following: "Inviting Barack Obama to speak on our campus sends precisely the opposite message. The University administration is tacitly encouraging students to view the president with respect, awe and admiration simply by virtue of his election to political office. And perhaps most importantly, it is turning a blind eye to Obama's support of state-sanctioned killing in the form of federal support for abortion and embryonic stem cell research, to his continuation of the Bush administration's reckless foreign policy of interventionism and its disregard for civil liberties and to his irresponsible and destructive economic policies."
Well, if it is one thing I wish my parents had instilled in me it would be complete disrespect for the office of the President. That's really what I hope kids are learning in college - do not admire or feel awe for the President. He's probably some poor schlub that didn't even try that hard to get where he is. And its not like his job is challenging. Further, the author of this post - who incidentially is the co-President of the College Libertarians club, as if that wasn't enough to discredit him - seems to only have a problem with disregard for certain civil liberties with which he disagrees. I don't think people should have the civil liberty of cheering for the Chicago Cubs; he doesn't think people should have the civil liberty of having an abortion. We can't all get our way.
Another post, this one from an alum from the class of '88: "I will be in attendance on commencement day with several thousand others to show my distaste for this decision. We will bring with us the graphic photos of what abortion does to its victims so there can be no doubt about the hatefulness of the man chosen to instruct Notre Dame graduates in how to be a success in life. I would suggest that if the administration does not want to suffer the embarrasment of pictures of dismembered children lining Notre Dame Ave. on what should be the happiest day of our newest graduates' lives, they withdraw this invitation immediately."
Whoa whoa whoa, crazy! Pictures of dismembered babies? That's not so much appropriate, eh? Obama's not coming to extoll the virtues of abortion; in fact, I'm pretty sure the subject won't be on the agenda. I'm sure he'll be way too busy talking about things like serving your community, reaching for the stars, dreaming big, etc., to even be able to broach the subject. Jeez, dude, way to ruin the day for all the parents who want to take pictures with their hungover graduates and their siblings, grandparents, nieces, nephews, etc. The dead babies in the background will look great on the mantle. Psycho. Oh and one more thing, buddy, I'm pretty sure it's not the best etiquette to rescind an invitation to the President of the United States.
Bishop John D'Arcy, whose diocese encompasses Notre Dame, and who has vowed to boycott the graduation ceremony (what a loss!) said the following of Obama's decision to federally fund embryonic stem cell research: "While claiming to separate politics from science, he has in fact separated science from ethics and has brought the American government, for the first time in history, into supporting direct destruction of innocent human life."
Um, the first time in history? The first time? Bishop, I know the New Testament cuts out before the last two millenia, but come on. Obama's decision wasn't even the first time the American government supported direct destruction of human life that week. There are two wars going on, remember?
There are more zealots I could quote, but I'll refrain, because they are all saying the same thing, and quite frankly, it is embarassing. It is people like these that made me less of a Catholic upon my graduation from a Catholic university that I was when I enrolled because I fundamentally disagree with almost everything they believe. My response to everyone disgusted by the selection of Obama as the commencement speaker is this: Are you aware that he is the President of the United States? And are you aware that he's pretty busy back in Washington dealing with wars and a busted economy, and has no ties to Notre Dame whatsoever, and is still coming to campus to address the '09 graduates? Some say that he accepted Notre Dame's offer so he can influence the Catholic community...I say who cares why he accepted. In my view, whatever your beliefs, however you vote, the bottom line is the President is coming to Notre Dame and that is pretty effing sweet.
To conclude, to those who can't get over a couple tenets of Obama's platform, go ahead and sign the petition at notredamescandal.com or come out on graduation day, protest the speech, and litter campus with pictures entirely inappropriate for graduation day. Further, I invite any '09 graduate who is disgusted with his/her commencement speaker, or whose family is disgusted, to give their spare graduation ticket to me. If you can't see how awesome it is to have Obama - who is not even speaking at his own alma mater's commencement - speak on graduation, I certainly can.
