Should Obama be Allowed to Speak at Notre Dame?

Kurt · #1 (**permalink**) 04-10-2009, 08:11 AM

Should Obana be Allowed to Speak at Notre Dane?

Obama is scheduled to speak at ND, the prominent Catholic college is the US. There is strong opposition, based on Obama's "pro choice" stance on abortion.

Is this a valid reason to "un-invite" Obama?

The Clown · #2 (**permalink**) 04-11-2009, 12:38 AM

Notre Dame has invited every new President to speak going back for a long, long time. I'm sure plenty of those Presidents had views that were opposed to Catholic views...after all, Kennedy is still the only Cathlic President in US history. I think to un-invite him over this would be silly.

That said, I do see the Church's point of view on this as well. This is sort of their #1 issue politically.

Kurt · #3 (**permalink**) 04-12-2009, 04:54 AM

A couple of points:

American catholics support/are against abortion at the same percentages of the general public.

Notre Dame allowed GW Bush to speak, and GW supports the deal penalty and put more people to death as gov of Texas than any other American. The Catholic church is against the death penalty.

Bush also went to war with Iraq, which the catholic church opposed.

MrsLolaCastle · #4 (**permalink**) 05-08-2009, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Clown

Notre Dame has invited every new President to speak going back for a long, long time. I'm sure plenty of those Presidents had views that were opposed to Catholic views...after all, Kennedy is still the only Cathlic President in US history. I think to un-invite him over this would be silly.

That said, I do see the Church's point of view on this as well. This is sort of their #1 issue politically.

Of course President Obama should be permitted to speak at the university. To diss-invite the President would be very bad form. Clearly no officials at the university would be foolish enough to do so.

With regard to the Roman Catholic Church's position on birth control and all things associated with procreation, I will paraphrase a former U.S. Secretary of the Agriculture who once said in reference to the Pope's stance on the matter:

You do not play the game, you do not make the rules! Hmmph!