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Listed below are comments made by bdroste between Thursday, 23rd April 2009 and Thursday, 23rd April 2009.

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The Obama-Catholic row continues 6:45pm on 23 Apr 2009 ^ I would answer to the outsiders-looking-in that everyone is allowed in, but the University certainly attracts its own demographic, just as many private institutions do. The Muslim down the hall from me might not fit the mold at ND just as a Catholic at a historically non-Catholic school wouldn't fit the mold. Both, however, are allowed, and that's a pretty important component to a University.
The Obama-Catholic row continues 5:47pm on 23 Apr 2009 #80 Billy2USA - "He doesn't deserve a free platform to speak unchallenged; it's not like he is participating in a roundtable discussion or debate...Nevertheless, the president was invited so he should speak..."

The President is going to be the keynote speaker at a commencement ceremony. He has every right to speak unchallenged. He is not going to stand up there and prove to everybody that abortion is perfectly fine. He is much more intelligent than that. He is going give a very eloquent and inspirational speech about his thoughts on life, leadership, etc., just as all keynote speakers do at commencement ceremonies everywhere. He was invited as a leader and he is being honored for his achievements as such.

As far as the degree goes, is it more problematic for ND to bestow an honorary degree on a pro-abortion individual or a real degree on a pro-abortion individual? Which really carries the greater weight? I'd certainly argue that it's the latter. Yet countless pro-abortion, non-Christian, homosexual, etc. people have graduated and will continue to graduate from the University with legitimate degrees (and ND is all the better for having their different views). Should the University start rejecting all students who aren't Catholic?
The Obama-Catholic row continues 04:26am on 23 Apr 2009 #17 AndyPost: Thanks for the invite; I'll take you up on that.

#25 glenbarrington: I agree with you wholeheartedly that abortion is murder, but I doubt that Obama speaking at a commencement ceremony "WILL promote abortion." What it will promote, especially at a predominantly pro-life institution, is respectful dialogue about the issue, which is the University President's goal.

#30 KScurmudgeon: "These quibbles, here, in the Church, and in the country and world, are about pride and self-importance. They won't produce good." - Well said. Randall Terry, a radical anti-abortionist, recently threatened to turn our campus "into a circus" on commencement day. Although his intention might be help people, his means appear to be entirely self-serving. Standing up for your beliefs is one thing; overshadowing the achievements of two thousand students to do so is something entirely different...
The Obama-Catholic row continues 01:27am on 23 Apr 2009 As a Notre Dame student, a practicing Roman Catholic, and an avid Obama supporter, I find the whole situation frustrating. The words "atrocity," "disgrace," and "travesty" are getting thrown around like a frisbee without consequence. Perhaps if we used the OED once in a while we'd come across words such as "bigotry" and be a little more careful before labeling others so carelessly.

@ frayedcat: The idea that Notre Dame's invitation to the President of the United States (a longstanding tradition) "shows a lack of cohesion and control" is backwards, I think. The fact that a Catholic institution can freely open its doors to people who have different beliefs shows control and openness to dialogue with the world. If we were to be so cohesive and controlled as to shun all non-Catholics, we wouldn't get very far as a University.

The one thing you have to understand about ND is that we are very proud of our traditions. Thousands of students here are the sons and daughters of sons and daughters of ND graduates, who were probably sons and daughters of ND grads themselves. We pray, learn, and cheer just as generations did before us and we like it that way. Unfortunately, this commonly means that we aren't always open to change, so much so that many are up in arms over the idea of even listening to a different voice.

I just hope we can get past all that and focus on the fact that the President will be coming to honor the graduating class of 2009, not to perform abortions...

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