We were involved in a similiar situation when Pres. Bush was the commencement speaker at my daughter’s graduation (Calvin College) a few years ago.
There was a huge backlash and protest against this from many in the Calvin College community, as many of the students and faculty believed that Pres. Bush was a warmonger (as if the Calvinists have been conscientious objectors throughout history–yeah, sure).
We were and still are admirers of Pres. Bush, and felt that no matter how much people disagreed with him, they should respect the Office of President of the United States, just as we ask visitors to the Catholic Church to at least show respect for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament even if they personally believe it’s just a wafer of bread.
However, the Calvin situation was quite different than the Notre Dame situation, because war is not considered a “grave sin” by the Reformed Churches (the Calvinists do not recognize the idea of “grave sins,” because they believe in predestination, which means that any sin is forgiven automatically for those who are “predestined” to go to heaven), whereas abortion and embryonic stem cell research (genocide) ARE grave sins according the Catholic Church. It is an affront and an outrage for a large, publicly-known institution of the Catholic Church to give a public forum to a person who is a known proponent of abomination.
Anyway, I’m wondering what form the protests on Graduation Day will take. Does anyone know?
At Calvin, it came down to students and faculty wearing buttons that said, “God is not a Republican.”
It’s a delicate situation. It’s not President Obama’s day, or “Pro-Life Day,” but it’s Graduation Day, and no matter what form the protest takes, the graduates should be recognized and honored.
But I can’t see just sitting back silently and allowing this to happen. It gives assent, and I see that as chicken-hearted and ball-less.
I would like to think that there will be a bit more than buttons at the Notre Dame graduation. But I’m not sure what’s appropriate. It would be a huge insult to the Office of President of the United States for students, faculty, and parents to turn their backs on the President during his speech, but that’s what I would be tempted to do.
I’m wondering if it would be appropriate for pro-life students, faculty, and parents to keep their heads obviously bowed and pray the Rosary silently during the President’s speech, or possibly even kneel throughout the speech (I would have to bring knee-pads!) To me, that would express our grief and outrage over his pro-abortion agenda without actually insulting the Office of the President.
Another option would be to not applaud for the President either when he is introduced, or certainly after his speech. To me, that would not be insulting to the Office, but it would express our disdain for his viewpoints.
Also, will there be any written protest in the form of signs, messages written on mortarboards, leaflets, etc? Would this be considered inappropriate for the occasion and insulting to the graduates?
And how about the vocal and visual protests–students and others who are not graduating standing outside the graduation venue and carrying signs, chanting slogans, and doing some of the effective theatrics, e.g., carrying a tiny coffin, or displaying the models of the infant at various stages of pregnancy?
It’s a little worrisome to me as a parent of a student (grad school) at St. Louis University, another Jesuit school. I’m afraid we could find ourselves in the same boat next year. I am wondering if perhaps I (and other SLU parents) would be wise to start writing letters now to ask the SLU officials to please not invite pro-choice speakers to daughter’s graduation. When she graduated with the Bachelor’s Degree a few years ago, the speaker was Joe Buck, who was pretty cool.
