Notre Dame’s unwanted guests arriving weeks in advance for Obama speech

[ensho]

http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_4658.shtml


WMR has learned from sources in South Bend, Indiana, that the town and campus have become a magnet for every sort of right-wing opposition group to President Barack Obama, including violence-prone anti-abortionists and pro-gun rights activists.

Obama is scheduled to deliver the commencement address at and receive an honorary degree from Notre Dame on May 17.

Already, an anti-abortion group called the Center for Bio-ethical Reform (CBR) is flying a plane trailing a banner with a photograph of a dead fetus over the Notre Dame campus. CBR has also brought large billboard trucks into South Bend that display photos of dismembered fetuses.

The plane circling over the campus has drawn almost unanimous negative responses from students and faculty.

WMR is told by South Bend sources that the anti-abortion convert to Catholicism, Randall Terry, is the actual ringleader of the group of anti-Obama protesters who are gathering by the hour in South Bend.

WMR has also learned that the South Bend Police Department is complaining that it does not have the resources to provide the necessary security for the presidential visit. Although Notre Dame campus security will supplement Secret Service protection, there is a fear among Notre Dame officials that Terry will obtain some difficult-to-obtain commencement tickets and give them to his most radical supporters to stage a disruption during Obama’s speech.

Protesters outside of and on the campus will not be permitted to get anywhere close to the president, WMR is told by Notre Dame sources.

Notre Dame faculty sources also worry that Notre Dame President Father John Jenkins, who has incurred the wrath of the anti-abortion camp by inviting Obama to Notre Dame, may be subjected to violence off-campus.
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a showdown at the Notre Dame.

[Thrill]

1. Damn. People really need to think about the important things in life. Jeesh

[liberal N proud]

2. The pro-birthers are a scary bunch

[secondwind]

3. I would think that there should be NO flyovers when the President is speaking anywhere, no?

Just sayin'.

Protesters were kept from any Bush function -- by at least 300 yards. Bush never knew how unpopular he was!

I guess Obama wants to let democracy run its course. I hope they have a lot of extra security for our Prez.

[FightingIrish]

4. Now that Bishop D'Arcy is calling for dialogue, they are turning on him.

I just received my alumni mailing from these cretins. I was looking forward to stuffing the return envelop with vitriol and sending it back but the cheap bastards did not even include postage. I went to their web site thinking I could unload on them there. The "Contact Us" button only takes you to their donation page. I did find that now they are taking on the bishop that helped start this mess.

"Our hearts soared when Bishop D’Arcy announced his boycott of Notre Dame’s graduation because President Obama will speak.

Our hearts sank when he urged Catholics to “to stay away from unseemly and unhelpful demonstrations against our nation's President or Notre Dame or Father John I. Jenkins, C.S.C…”

I wish the Bishop had followed biblical teaching, and contacted me before making his public statement against our efforts. Since he has spoken publicly, I have a duty to respond in the same venue.

It is ironic that Bishop D’Arcy chose Good Friday to issue a statement urging Catholics to remain silent in the face of this treachery. Sadly, it appears that he is following in the most regretful steps of St. Peter."

Since I can't even leave a comment on their web site, I'll leave it here:

You people are embarrassing my university, my president and yourselves. You have allowed your cause to be joined by racists and political opportunists who could care less about human life and far less about the University of Notre Dame. You have joined with those who would embrace a murdering war criminal and a champion of capital punishment. Bishop D’Arcy has now called upon you not to protest but to engage in a dialogue with the President yet you persist in this ridiculous theater that can only bring shame to the university. Notre Dame’s credibility as a Catholic university is not at stake. Thanks to you hypocrites, its credibility as a university is at stake. You do not speak for Notre Dame and you do not speak for me. Please shut up and go away.

Your use of the alumni mailing list is illegal and unethical. I will gladly join in any legal action that is taken against you for this abuse.

[Phx_Dem]

5. The Catholic Church and Nortre Dame faculty turned this into a circus with their

screaming hypocrisy and extremely disrespectful behavior toward President Obama's invitation. Now they can reap what they sowed. Unfortunately, they've marred the big event for the graduating students. Hope they're happy.

Larry O'Donnell was 100% right when he called this bunch of hypocrits out for inviting George Bush who supports the death penalty, which the Catholic church opposes. Not to mention their unbelievable hypocrisy and disgusting behavior with regard to the Catholic molestation scandal and their lies to cover for the pedophiles among them. Aborting a fetus is a sin, but having sex with a child is a-okay!

:puke:

[Cha]

7. It's too bad for the graduates and the

officials who do want the President to speak at Graduation.

I'm thinking Prez Obama will turn this into a teaching situation for those who need it.

[FightingIrish]

8. I haven't seen much opposition from the faculty or the students

The threat of disruption is coming from people with no ties to the university such as Randall Terry and Alan Keyes. Even the Bishop that started the idea of boycotting the graduation is saying no to protests. This article by an expert on local politics in South Bend states that the student are overwhelmingly in favor of President Obama's visit.

"Q. So, will these ND Response students join in the promised effort to make the campus a “political mud pit” and turn commencement into “a circus,” with disruptive demonstrations?

A. No. Those threats come from Randall Terry, the professional protester in town to seek publicity and funds for his cause, which he says is “pro-life.” Student spokesmen for ND Response have made clear they don’t welcome Terry and don’t want commencement ruined by mud or circus acts. They and others who want a serious appeal that promotes rather than cheapens the pro-life cause resent Terry’s antics, such as the plane flying over campus, pulling a banner with a large picture of a fetus.

Q. How large is opposition on campus?

A. The Observer, deluged by letters to the editor, found that three-fourths of letters from students support the invitation. Support among graduating seniors was even higher. I teach a class at Notre Dame. This I cite to reveal that I have an interest in the welfare of the university and its students and to provide a basis for this observation: Opposition among students and faculty to hearing the president appears to be scant, even among those who did not vote for Obama."

http://www.howeypolitics.com/2009/05/04/jack-colwell-pondering-obamas-notre-dame-visit/

[Phx_Dem]

9. I think you're right, looking back the opposition was from

many Catholic Bishops and at last one Cardinal. I stand corrected about the Notre Dame faculty.

Thank you.:-)

[Ocracoker16]

6. This is a pretty disturbing situation

The tremendous uproar over the invitation extended to Obama by the President of ND was pretty outragous. However, the protests that are being planned by these hateful people are really sickening. I know that the Secret Service is very competent, but I still am concerned about Obama's safety.