President Obama has some extremely liberal views including the belief in allowing abortion, which traditional Catholics find morally wrong and in violation of the Church. For this reason some of the traditionalists at the University of Notre Dame are disgusted with the thought of him as the principal speaker at the university’s commencement in May. One of the university’s longtime philosophy professors said having Obama speak at the university “is an unequivocal abandonment of any pretense at being a Catholic university.” He goes on to say, “Abortion is an essentially evil act, both from the viewpoint of natural morality and from the explicit teaching the Church…By inviting Barack Obama as commencement speaker, Notre Dame is telling the nation that the teaching of the Catholic Church on this fundamental matter can be ignored.”
I could not agree more. The principal speaker at a university’s commencement should not only embody the fundamental essence of the university’s values and goals in what he says in his speech, but his reputation and personal values and achievements should be a living example of who and what the students are aspiring to become. The founders of Notre Dame, the oldest and most esteemed Catholic University in the United States, certainly would not want their graduates influenced by a man who upholds values that contradict the foundation of Catholic beliefs.
Perhaps Obama would be a better fit for a slightly more liberal school, such as UNC. The UNC law school was split over the decision to have former attorney general in the Bush administration, Michael Mukasey, speak at the official commencement speaker this spring. Students and faculty argued that the felt they were endorsing him and his beliefs by having him as a speaker, and a multitude of individuals strongly opposed his standing on issues. If having an individual speak at a commencement ceremony qualifies as an endorsement, however, then the Notre Dame opposition to Obama speaking at the commencement is certainly justified when they say the decision is “shocking and disappointing.” A Catholic university should not be endorsing an individual who defends abortion. Blasphemy anyone?
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I disagree that President Obama is an inappropriate commencement speaker for the University of Notre Dame. Yes, a commencement address should embody the values of the University; however, narrowly focusing on the religious differences between Obama and traditional Catholic doctrine ignores other important University ideals, such as the strong commitment to education and community service Notre Dame speaks of on its University web site. In addition to encouraging the graduating seniors to continue their intellectual journey outside of a university setting, a commencement address should enlighten and excite the class about their prospects for the future. Given President Obama’s oratorical skills and ability to engage crowds, he would definitely move the graduates and those gathered to celebrate.
I also feel that if a significant portion of the student body supports the President (or any figure coming to speak), it should be allowed. The Catholic community is home to diverse opinions ranging from traditional orthodox believers and more modern views, particularly on issues of life such as abortion, stem cell research, and the death penalty. This fact is implied by an article from US News and World Report claiming 52.6 percent of Notre Dame students (whose total population is over 80% Catholic) who voted in a mock election held in Oct. 2008 supported Obama, a margin which was reflected in Obama’s slight win over McCain in the following month. Student interest should always play a factor in the actions of any university. I agree that Carolina is a more liberal university, however we have hosted conservative speakers such as John Ashcroft (although the heckling from those on the left did become disrespectful) specifically because of the interest the figure arouses on the campus. Even though many members of Carolina’s community may not have agreed with many things Ashcroft said or stood for, they still listened to what he had to say or at least what their friend had to say about Ashcroft. The conversation of conflicting opinions can easily become a compelling discussion, enabling all parties to grow and illustrating the purpose of scholarship. Obama should not be denied the honor of speaking at the commencement ceremony simply because he disagrees on the issue of abortion.
The issue at hand is not Obama speaking at the commencement, but the school’s decision to recognizing him with an honorary doctorate of laws degree. In 2004, the US Bishops published “Catholics in Political Life” which explicitly stated that Catholic institutions should not award, honor or yield platforms which would imply the support of an individual acting in contradiction to traditional Catholic mores. I feel that speaking at the commencement ceremony does not qualify as providing a platform suggesting support; however, the decision to honor him with a university award oversteps the bounds of the 2004 document designed to uphold the tenets of the Church.
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