There was plenty of controversy about Obama speaking at Notre Dame today. There was one heckler who was promptly BOOED by a majority of the crowd, while President Obama himself did what he does, which is remain cool while everyone else seems to be going nuts around him. Anywhoo, I haven't done a photo diary in a while, so here you go :o) BTW, you'll notice that most of the graduates don't look to angry to have him speaking. There are some with anti-abortion symbols on their hats, but I think this one is my fav:
You have an Obama hat right next to the anti-abortion hat :o)
BTW, I'm declining to post photos of the protesters outside.
Slideshow:
Receiving Honorary Degree:
Here is the text of today's speech. I'm putting the part that I think will be most talked about here(emphasis is mine):
The soldier and the lawyer may both love this country with equal passion, and yet reach very different conclusions on the specific steps needed to protect us from harm. The gay activist and the evangelical pastor may both deplore the ravages of HIV/AIDS, but find themselves unable to bridge the cultural divide that might unite their efforts. Those who speak out against stem cell research may be rooted in admirable conviction about the sacredness of life, but so are the parents of a child with juvenile diabetes who are convinced that their son's or daughter's hardships can be relieved.
The question, then, is how do we work through these conflicts? Is it possible for us to join hands in common effort? As citizens of a vibrant and varied democracy, how do we engage in vigorous debate? How does each of us remain firm in our principles, and fight for what we consider right, without demonizing those with just as strongly held convictions on the other side?
Nowhere do these questions come up more powerfully than on the issue of abortion.
As I considered the controversy surrounding my visit here, I was reminded of an encounter I had during my Senate campaign, one that I describe in a book I wrote called "The Audacity of Hope." A few days after I won the Democratic nomination, I received an e-mail from a doctor who told me that while he voted for me in the primary, he had a serious concern that might prevent him from voting for me in the general election. He described himself as a Christian who was strongly pro-life, but that's not what was preventing him from voting for me.
What bothered the doctor was an entry that my campaign staff had posted on my Web site — an entry that said I would fight "right-wing ideologues who want to take away a woman's right to choose." The doctor said that he had assumed I was a reasonable person, but that if I truly believed that every pro-life individual was simply an ideologue who wanted to inflict suffering on women, then I was not very reasonable. He wrote, "I do not ask at this point that you oppose abortion, only that you speak about this issue in fair-minded words."
Fair-minded words.
After I read the doctor's letter, I wrote back to him and thanked him. I didn't change my position, but I did tell my staff to change the words on my Web site. And I said a prayer that night that I might extend the same presumption of good faith to others that the doctor had extended to me. Because when we do that — when we open our hearts and our minds to those who may not think like we do or believe what we do — that's when we discover at least the possibility of common ground.
That's when we begin to say, "Maybe we won't agree on abortion, but we can still agree that this is a heart-wrenching decision for any woman to make, with both moral and spiritual dimensions. So let's work together to reduce the number of women seeking abortions by reducing unintended pregnancies, and making adoption more available, and providing care and support for women who do carry their child to term. Let's honor the conscience of those who disagree with abortion, and draft a sensible conscience clause, and make sure that all of our health care policies are grounded in clear ethics and sound science, as well as respect for the equality of women."
Understand — I do not suggest that the debate surrounding abortion can or should go away. No matter how much we may want to fudge it — indeed, while we know that the views of most Americans on the subject are complex and even contradictory — the fact is that at some level, the views of the two camps are irreconcilable. Each side will continue to make its case to the public with passion and conviction. But surely we can do so without reducing those with differing views to caricature.
Open hearts. Open minds. Fair-minded words.
Wise, wise words. So many times the abortion debate is turned into an either/or proposition. I believe all life is sacred, but at the same time I believe women can and should be able to make the choice for themselves whether abortion is right for them. I know a couple of people who have had abortions, and I know those decisions didn't come lightly. In fact, I remember crying with one of them after she told me about it. It's not an easy decision to make, but it's not for anyone to make other than the woman.
Update Politico points out his reception:
Obama has just entered the Joyce Center at Notre Dame to a huge round of applause. Students stand on their chairs, some take off their hats and hold them in the air. Family members and students take phoographs. Obama waves and mouths "thank you." The university provost pauses so he the president gets three rounds of applause before the ceremony begins.
I'm looking for a video of his intro. . .
UPDATE Bonus, pics of Michelle Obama's speech yesterday in California (click link from transcript/video):
Oh, and more Bonus, Notre Dame's Valedictorian had this to say:
"This issue has not divided the campus by any means," says the Catholic, pro-life biology major who will be attending Harvard Medical School after graduation.
In an interview with the Huffington Post, Bollman stressed that her peers do not view the president's overall values as inconsistent with Catholicism. In fact, Bollman says Obama is practicing Catholic values in his administration. Like Jesus, Bollman says, Obama is trying to invite "everyone to the table."
[snip]
Bollman called Cardinal George's statement out of tune with Catholicism. "We know exactly what it is to be Catholic because we are inviting President Obama to speak to us." She said the University's President, Father Jenkins, had even sent a letter earlier in the week to all graduates affirming he's proud that campus dialogue had not "led to divisions."
Bollman stressed that even though the student body is overwhelmingly disconnected from the outside furor over Obama's visit, there is a healthy debate on campus. She explained that the debate is less about abortion and more about Obama's policies towards "advancing this human life" after it's born. Bollman, who voted for Obama, says she and many of her fellow students support the president because of the respect he has "given to human life through many of his policies." Bollman did point out one group, Notre Dame Response, that would be holding a peaceful demonstration during the commencement.
Exactly, right, look at what he's doing for the people who ARE born. Sounds like the actual STUDENTS at Notre Dame are a lot smarter than people OUTSIDE of Notre Dame gave them credit for.
You can see the full video of Obama's speech on icebergslim's blog here
Update Here's the pic of his getting the picture (also updated the slideshow):