In the FOX News article published Tuesday Critics Blast Obama's Commencement Speech, the author lays out the 64,000 signature backlash to President Obama's graduation day speech at the University of Notre Dame. The outcry raised from many Conservative members of the Catholic community centers around the Obama administrations rolling back of bans on federal embryonic stem cell research and the Democrats pro-choice views on abortion.
The Bishop of Fort Wayne, Indiana has decided not to join the commencement ceremony based on the differing ideological views of the Church and Obama. He states that, "I wish no disrespect to our president, I pray for him and wish him well," the statement continued. "I have always revered the Office of the Presidency. But a bishop must teach the Catholic faith 'in season and out of season,' and he teaches not only by his words -- but by his actions." The Bishop is completely within his rights to not attend the commencement ceremony. But I believe that he is denying the Catholic Church an open forum for opposing viewpoints. With the Pope's views becoming official Church doctrine, I find no fault in the University for wanting an open dialogue between accepted Catholic views and those of another individual.
Six sitting Presidents have attended the commencement ceremony at Notre Dame. Yet, the public has heard no outcry amongst Catholic officials when the President holds their own views. Is our society not one of open dialogue and new ideas? Yes. We absolutely are. No one has the right to silence dissenting viewpoints and I believe it entirely antithetical to religious institutions to try and do so. I'm not saying by any means that the Church is trying to quell Obama's speech violently. But even the attempt at quelling speech, even if one disagrees with it in principal is entirely un-American. Where are these same leaders outcry at George W. Bush's Iraq policy? Does the right to life not include wars? I believe these Catholic Bishops and laymen are making some hypocritical statements. It is my knowledge that the Church opposes the war in Iraq. Yet no fuss was made over W's address. So is it ok then, if you're Catholic, to call for the dismissal of an invitation to a President you disagree with politically and keep the one you do agree with?
The President of Notre Dame has said that the invitation and speech given by Obama will be a "basis for further positive engagement" in the national dialogue about abortion and stem cell research. I can't help but agree.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
1 comment:
I think you make some interesting points in your post. The University of Notre Dame is a prestigious school and I believe students should be exposed to many different viewpoints throughout their college career. These open forums can help students engage in positive discussions and even strengthen their own views on particular issues they feel strongly about. But, I also understand their reasoning for being opposed to his commencement speech. Notre Dame is a school based on Catholic teachings, so it's not surprising that they're against several of the President's views . Yes, healthy discussions with different viewpoints are nice to have, but I doubt that they'd let people like Bart Ehrman speak at their school anytime soon.
Post a Comment