Notre Dame’s commencement ceremonies may be overshadowed by pro-life demonstrations related to the University’s decision to not only invite Barack Obama as the commencement speaker, but also to grant him an honorary degree. As of 5.11.2009, over 300,000 signatures had been gathered in an online petition against the administrators’ decision. While I don’t think the school should ban him from speaking on campus, the commencement address of a Catholic institution is not an appropriate venue. Even if this were acceptable, there is no logical reason to award him an honorary degree. While inviting the current President to speak during his tenure may have become something of a school tradition, awarding degrees to men who disagree with the major tenants of the university is not.
From the monthly archives:
May 2009
Obama’s Dishonorary Degree
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Minimum Pricing Legislation Doomed to Fail
The Wall Street Journal’s Joseph Pereira recently reported Maryland was considering legislation that would ban minimum pricing agreements between manufacturers and retailers. These agreements allow product manufacturers to guarantee their products will be sold for a minimum price over the wholesale rate, and the tactic is often employed to protect the brand value of luxury goods.
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Youth for Western Civilization not so Extreme
Youth for Western Civilization (YWC) is a new, national, student-run organization with chapters cropping up at colleges and universities across the United States. The group has caused mass controversy and pandemonium at nearly all of its events. It has been labeled as extreme, a hate-group; it’s members have been slandered as white supremacists, and yet the group continues to grow and gain support both on campus and off perhaps because its members offer substantive argument in place of a megaphone rant.
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