I was happy to see that, for the most part, President Obama was received with open arms at Notre Dame’s Commencement over the weekend. However, the controversy surrounding Obama’s visit has prompted a number of questions, not only about abortion rights but about the value of speech and the value of tolerance.
Speech
Speech is extremely essential to any society. The right to free speech is one of the most celebrated and long-lasting rights in America. The First Amendment explicitly prevents the government from abridging our right to free speech. Additionally, society generally shuns private individuals (who are not obligated to observe the 1st Amendment) who try to censor speech.
The purpose behind this celebrated right is that we recognize that humans are fallible, and that the government is not all-knowing. We recognize that no single person or group of persons can always be right about everything. Rather, we recognize that new, unpopular ideas may turn out to be correct. See Galileo. Simply because an overwhelming majority of scientists believe that climate change is man-made does not mean that we should censor the dissenters. A belief of a large crowd can often be wrong, and if we refuse to believe that we could ever be wrong, then we risk severe harm to human civilization.
Additionally, speech is often the vehicle by which people can come to optimal solutions. Theoretically, when we debate important ideas, and we allow many people to speak, the best ideas will rise to the top as more and more individuals become convinced. Furthermore, speech can help us strengthen our convictions in our own beliefs. If we learn the best and most convincing arguments of people that believe differently from us, but we can rationally reject those ideas, then presumably we must reject them because we believe our views are even more convincing. We could not realize our own views’ strength if we did not compare them to those of others.
Although Notre Dame is not the government, and does not need to obey the 1st Amendment, Notre Dame should have been shunned if it decided to keep Obama away purely because some students do not like his views on one issue. Keeping him away would be asserting a kind of infallibility in both the school and in the students themselves. It would encourage students to believe that they do not need to recognize that any beliefs other than their own, and it would encourage students to shelter themselves only with those that believe the same things they do. It would prevent the students from learning other ideas that could either strengthen their own convictions or change their mind.
Obama was not at Notre Dame to convince Catholics that killing babies was a good idea. Primarily, he was there to say congratulations for graduation. As a secondary matter, he was there to respond to the protests at Notre Dame, and say that although perhaps pro-lifers and pro-choicers will never agree on the issue of abortion, they still have to live with one another and be able to speak with one another. Moreover, if there is ever to be any serious abortion-related legislation, both sides are going to have to work with each other. If you never speak to the other side, that will never happen, and neither side will ever be able to compromise.
Tolerance
Obama’s visit also raised questions about tolerance in society. By tolerance I do not mean that Catholics should believe that Obama’s pro-choice view is just as correct as their pro-life view. Rather, they need to accept him as a human being despite having conflicting views with their religion. I am a recently-confirmed Catholic. One of the most important lessons that I learned in the Bible is that Jesus did not only associate with saints, but sinners as well. Jesus did not fight with other people; he turned the other cheek. Jesus loved his neighbor, and he loved his enemies.
Catholics who responded to Obama’s visit by handing out hateful pictures of aborted fetuses and calling Obama a murderer did not act the way Jesus wanted people to act. Instead, they shut their minds and showered Obama with hatred. The Golden Rule that not only Christians but many persons claim to obey is “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Would a Catholic who had an opportunity to speak at a school that was very pro-choice have wanted to be showered with this type of hatred?
Conclusion
Those that are pro-life and pro-choice need to put down their weapons. First, abortion is not the most important policy issue going on right now in the world. Both sides are going to have to work together to deal with a number of other important issues. If they refuse to talk to one another because of abortion, that will be a shame, and more important things will not get done. Secondly, humans are not infallible. Assuming that one is all-knowing is extremely foolish and risks a “Galileo situation.” Finally, Catholics who treat others with hate, even those who are their greatest enemies, are contradicting Jesus’s teachings. It sounds tacky to say this, but: can’t we all just get along?
1 Comment for The Notre Dame / Obama Controversy
Anonymous | May 18, 2009 at 9:25 pm
It was difficult to know where to stop quoting these verses, because they’re all so applicable to what you’re talking about. This is in Luke 6, and there’s another version in Matthew. This is a pretty radical teaching, but is also central to the Christian faith in my opinion. I’d also like to point out that there were cultural meanings to these teachings that get lost in our own culture. This is taken from Wikipedia, but can be found in plenty of other reliable sources as well:
“A figurative interpretation relies on historical and other factors.[1] At the time of Jesus, striking someone deemed to be of a lower class with the back of the hand was used to assert authority and dominance.[2] If the persecuted person “turned the other cheek,” the discipliner was faced with a dilemma. The left hand was used for unclean purposes, so a back-hand strike on the opposite cheek would not be performed.[3] The other alternative would be a slap with the open hand as a challenge or to punch the person, but this was seen as a statement of equality. Thus, by turning the other cheek the persecuted was in effect demanding equality.”
Jesus wanted people to use nonviolent resistance in this way, but not to become doormats to be walked all over. He also never had trouble coming up with pretty biting things to say to Pharisees that he thought were hypocitical. Sorry this post is so long, it’s something I have thought about quite a bit. Here are the actual verses from Luke 6:
“But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you. 32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.