Text of Obama's Notre Dame speech

AP via Yahoo ^ | 17 May 2009 | AP

[Salman]

Thank you, Father Jenkins, for that generous introduction. You are doing an outstanding job as president of this fine institution, and your continued and courageous commitment to honest, thoughtful dialogue is an inspiration to us all.

[maica]

May God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.

####

Did he choke as he read these words from totus?

[Main Street]

[Victoria Delsoul]

What a bunch of psychobabble and googly gook. I have read through the whole speech and found it to be torturous. This man is a con artist, a manipulator, and swift charlatan.

Here are some highlights of Obama's speech to validate my point:

The soldier and the lawyer may both love this country with equal passion, and yet reach very different conclusions on the specific steps needed to protect us from harm. The gay activist and the evangelical pastor may both deplore the ravages of HIV/AIDS, but find themselves unable to bridge the cultural divide that might unite their efforts.

As a practical matter, what does this mean, exactly?  He says that while the soldiers risk their lives (and sometimes die) in the defense of the USA, a lawyer on equal moral footing can make the case that these actions were morally wrong or whether the soldier should be prosecuted.  While the gay activist keeps policies in place that contribute to spreading aids (like keeping gay bathhouses open), the pastor - on an equal moral footing - should just look the other way and both should work in finding a mutual understanding since they both deplore the ravages of AIDS.

Your generation must decide how to save God's creation from a changing climate that threatens to destroy it. Your generation must seek peace at a time when there are those who will stop at nothing to do us harm, and when weapons in the hands of a few can destroy the many. And we must find a way to reconcile our ever-shrinking world with its ever-growing diversity — diversity of thought, diversity of culture, and diversity of belief.

If it's truly God's creation, why do we need to take drastic steps to avoid changes in the climate? There have always been climate changes and fluctuations in temperatures.  Are we so arrogant as to believe that we can control the climate of the entire planet?  This is just another machination of the left to take more money and resources from us and to exercise power over the population. He also talks about seeking peace when others “will stop at nothing to do us harm, and when weapons in the hands of a few can destroy the many.” LOL!!! We should seek peace with terrorists who not only want to kills us but take aggressive steps to indeed kill us. No, we don't talk about peace when that happens, we should simply and swiftly defend ourselves.

All this talk about reconciling diverse views, culture, and believes means that the rest of us should be tolerant of left's actions.  Though, they feel no moral obligation to tolerate views that differ from their opinions.

There is so much BS in his speech that it's easy to refute.  Clearly, he is tying to pull the wool over our eyes.

And regarding abortion he said:

I do not suggest that the debate surrounding abortion can or should go away. Because no matter how much we may want to fudge it — indeed, while we know that the views of most Americans on the subject are complex and even contradictory — the fact is that at some level, the views of the two camps are irreconcilable. Each side will continue to make its case to the public with passion and conviction. But surely we can do so without reducing those with differing views to caricature.
Open hearts. Open minds. Fair-minded words. It's a way of life that has always been the Notre Dame tradition.

No we shouldn't reduce those with differing views to mere caricature, we should have open hearts, open minds, and fair-minded words. That's why ND had an 80-year-old priest arrested, as well as other pro-life protesters. That's why Obama and crew are anxious to silence those with different political views and call it the 'Fairness Doctrine.' That's why the liberals try so hard to destroy and ridicule someone like Miss California for responding honestly to a politically charged question posed by a flagrant homosexual.

Obama is a caricature of a president.

[pillut48]

Notre Dame is done. I doubt the Pope will condemn Jenkins’ anti-Christian/anti-Catholic behavior. What a bunch of CINOs sucking up to HolyO today!! The Pope might as well retire, HolyO is the leader for all those CINOs at ND, and Jenkins is the worst deceiver of all! >:-(

[pillut48]

You should read the transcript of Jenkins’ introduction speech—he was sucking up so hard and praising HolyO for hanging the moon and the stars that his cheeks were caving in. Good thing I had a trash can next to me so I didn’t spew all over my carpet!! >:-(

Both of these ‘leaders’ can add PROUD HYPOCRITE to their resumes!!

[Victoria Delsoul]

Perhaps it's time for the next Martin Luther to step forward and move the Christian flock away from the political body formerly known as the Catholic Church.

Arghhh! I get tired of reading these kind of posts.

First, don't not confuse the actions of bad Catholics (like the crew at ND) with the actions of the Catholic Church.  They are distinct.  If Notre Dame feels it has outgrown its Catholic tradition, fine - they should just be intellectually honest about it and take those steps.  But if they are going to want to consider themselves a Catholic institution, their actions and policy should reflect Catholic values, as well as a respect for the Catholic hierarchy.

The Catholic Church hasn't wavered from its core Christian teachings in its long history. Some may be critical of the Church's adherence to rituals and other traditions that don't have a specific biblical source, but the Church's core teachings are unquestionably Christian.  The issues here - abortion and infanticide -are against the teachings of the Catholic Church as well as other Christian traditions, though Obama supports both of those practices.  That puts him in direct contradiction to Catholic and Christian teachings.  Having him speak at Commencement is one thing but honoring him with an honorary degree is another.  It's the latter that upsets many Catholics (as well as similar-minded Christians).

Feel free to condemn ND and the actions of its administration, but do not equate the Catholic Church with their frivolous and anti-Catholic actions.

And by the way, the Catholic Church isn't a political body, please get your facts right!

[Theodore R.]

But he impressed the people of IN!

[pillut48]

[Freedom2specul8]

This speech is nothing without the protestors and baby crying sound effects. :)

[Yaelle]

Brilliant point!!

And, BTW, if he's so into dialogue, how about letting the Senate have a full debate on his "health care reform" proposal rather than subject it to the "reconciliation" procedure?

[meyer]

I can't argue a great deal about the Catholic church - as I said, I am not Catholic (though I know a number of professed Catholics that were not embarassed to vote for Obama). But I do find it interesting that the top leadership of the Church has not spoken out against this.

How tight is Notre Dame with the church? Can they not be expelled? Can their ties with the Catholic Church be severed?

[Victoria Delsoul]

Well, several Bishops have been critical of ND, so it's not fair to say that the heirarchy has been silent about the issue.  Also, we don't know what has happened behind the scenes - sometimes that's more significant than comments we see for public consumption.  It would have been nice for the Pope to have been openly critical of ND, but perhaps he has his reasons not to be so vocal, for now.  As for divorcing ND from the Catholic church, I don't know the legalities but I see no reason why either party (ND or the Church) could not go their separate way, if either (or both) desires.  I wouldn't think one episode, even one like this, would lead to that kind of split, but you never know.

I posted this yesterday on another thread but it's relevant to the issue at hand:

Vatican Officials have decried this event and called it a "scandal."  Archbishop Raymond Burke, Prefect of the Vatican’s highest court, said that if we as individuals are not willing to accept the burdens of the Catholic witness to life, we are not worthy of the name Catholic.

He added, "in a culture marked by widespread and ingrained confusion about the most fundamental teachings of the moral law, our Catholic schools and universities must be beacons of truth and right conduct."

When interviewed about ND and what the Catholic Church should do, he replied:

"What it should do is have Notre Dame come clean. Is it Catholic or isn’t it? A Catholic institution, a Catholic university, cannot give honors to someone who is a promoter of things that are opposed to the most fundamental beliefs of Catholics, and so that’s what needs to happen."

When asked by Hoopes how the Church could do this, Archbishop Burke said:

"There’s an apostolic constitution, Ex corde Ecclesiae, which sets forth the requirements for a university to have the name Catholic. I think that Notre Dame has to either follow those norms or say 'We’re not a Catholic university anymore.'"Link

[meyer]

Thanks for the information and the link!

[Scotswife]

Not exactly sure what you’re talking about - but as a catholic it is easy to see this more of a Jesuit “influence” than it is a “catholic” one.

No need for another Luther here - the Lutherans are still around and available afterall.

What they need to do is change the name of the university and drop the “catholic” from it’s identity.

[Victoria Delsoul]

You’re welcome.

[Concho]

Notice his picture on Drudge, how he is holding his hand? That is a gesture of superiority, palm down, pushing down those who he gestures to.

[VA40]

Your generation must decide how to save God's creation

Oh, so now he's worried about God's creation. Where does he think embryos come from?

[cmj328]

Now, understand — understand, Class of 1943, I do not suggest that the debate surrounding concentration camps can or should go away. Because no matter how much we may want to fudge it — indeed, while we know that the views of most Germans on the subject are complex and even contradictory — the fact is that at some level, the views of the two camps are irreconcilable. Each side will continue to make its case to the public with passion and conviction. But surely we can do so without reducing those with differing views to caricature.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Well, see, the underlying thing in all of this, as I see it, is that Obama and his sycophants believe he is the second coming, so by that standard I suppose he gets to decide.

[Salman]

It wasn't framed as a religious issue back when the detailed specific anti-abortion laws were passed in the 19th century.

Once medical science had advanced to the point where routine abortions were technically possible, it was doctors and feminists who organized to get those laws passed.

The Roman Catholic Church was pretty much nowhere politically back then. Catholic doctrine about who has a soul did not enter into the calculation, any more than for the laws against murdering in general.

A non-sectarian no-brainer.