Notre Dame, President Obama and the Anti-Choice Debacle

Notre Dame….the school that gave us Knute Rockne, the Four Horseman, “Win one for the Gipper”, one of the greatest sports movies of all time in Rudy, Touchdown Jesus, “Onward to Victory” and Play Like a Champion Today. That is what people should think of when they talk about Notre Dame, not the limited group of people who wish to push their small-minded opinions on the rest of the Notre Dame community. As an alumna I am personally offended by what ND Response is doing and want to make it clear that their opinion does not reflect that of Notre Dame or its alumni. This group has been brainwashed by the anti-choice movement and perhaps the church, not Notre Dame. That type of brainwashing is what puts women in burkas and beats them when they leave home without a male relative. They are all arbitrary rules used to control people and suppress women.

Although raised Catholic, I do not agree with the Catholic Church. And yet I attended Notre Dame and had the most amazing four years of my life. Religion on campus was based on spirituality rather than a corporate driven monster pretending to be God. As someone who personally had been boycotting church since 8^th grade, I actually found that attending the dorm masses every so often was actually a cool way to hang out, sing and bond with my friends. Religion at Notre Dame never held the same meaning for me as religion in the church, the one that makes a living selling superstitions to those looking for some sense of control in a confusing and sometimes seemingly arbitrary world. But what I am witnessing in this anti-choice disgrace makes me embarrassed. As a school that opened up so many doors for me and gave me so many choices on what I could do with my career and my life, I’m shocked to see the way a small group of people there want to remove choice. Pro-choice…this is your problem with the world? This is what is wrong with society? Open your eyes, leave campus and travel around South Bend, look at the injustices in society and look at the wrong doings in the world. Your ignorance astounds me. Why don’t you protest something that actually hurts people rather than choice, which allows people to healthily and productively live their lives? Furthermore, shall we assume that every single one of you as well as every single person who has given a commencement speech does not swear, has never lied, has never had premarital sex, has never used contraception and most importantly has never judged thy neighbor?

I didn’t vote for President Obama as I think he’s a socialist. However, I join most of the Notre Dame community in being honored to have him give the commencement speech. Regardless of my political beliefs I respect what he’s accomplished and what he symbolizes. And I'm impressed by Notre Dame's decision to recognize him and expand the Notre Dame community.