To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing to you to express my strong disapproval of the choice of President Obama as the commencement speaker this year and your awarding him an honorary degree. I am ashamed and embarrassed that one of the preeminent Catholic Universities in the United States would provide a pulpit for a man who has so blatantly shown a lack of respect for human life at all stages; throughout his political career and particularly in his term thus far as President of the United States. While I understand the long tradition of Presidents, Republican and Democratic, speaking at Notre Dame, the seemingly targeted attacks on life by President Obama, his support for embryonic stem cell research and federal funding of abortions, seem to preclude him speaking at a Catholic University. I am pleased to see the disapproval by Cardinal Francis George and your own Bishop John D’Arcy and I hope this has consequences for President Rev. John Jenkins and others who made the decision on President Obama’s visit. I will be watching closely the reactions that the board of Trustees and other leadership at the University take with regard to this decision. As a devout Catholic and father of 5 whose children attend Catholic schools, I can assure you that the schooling choices of my children will be heavily influenced by the commitment shown to principals and I know that I am not alone in condemning the lack of leadership shown by this incident.
Nathan Baxley
Sadorus, IL 61872