Notre Dame sports: Jenkins’ support of Obama cheered

[FightingIrish]

The loudest cheers on the Notre Dame campus Saturday weren't limited to Notre Dame Stadium for the annual Blue-Gold football game.

When Notre Dame president, Rev. John I. Jenkins, CSC, stated at a town hall meeting celebrating 60 years of black student-athletes at Notre Dame that the university was standing firm in its invitation to President Barack Obama to speak at commencement May 17, the audience shook down the thunder from the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center.

"We are very proud and honored to welcome the first African-American President of the United States in a few weeks as our commencement speaker," Jenkins said of the invitation, which triggered a firestorm of controversy among anti-abortion groups. "This is a tremendous event for us.

-snip-

Tim Brown, a Heisman Trophy winner for the Notre Dame football team in 1987, said that Notre Dame needs to showcase the President's visit to attract minorities, and hopes for more support from Jenkins.

"I appreciate what Father Jenkins said, but he needs to go on CNN and say this," Brown said. "This needs to be said on a national stage. This is important for Notre Dame and what we're trying to do here."

http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090421/SPORTS13/904210387/1001/Sports

That's the Notre Dame I'm proud of

[hedgehog]

1. As near as I can make out, there seems to be a generational divide on this.

Most undergraduates want Obama there, many (most?) alumni do not.

I didn't go to Notre Dame, but this is one senior Catholic proud to see this invitation!

[FightingIrish]

3. The president of the alumni association has expressed her support

of President Obama's address. This ancient alumnus is thrilled with the honor the university receives from Obama's acceptance of the invitation. The most vocal and radical opponents have nothing whatsoever to do with the university. Many of them are using their new found Catholicism as a ticket to speak for an institution they probably couldn't find on the map.

[hedgehog]

4. That's good news. Maybe I should have said that some alumni are

loudly protesting. I think it takes longer for left wingers to get up to speed on issues like this.

[Arugula Latte]

2. Funny how these anti-Obama people have no trouble when a pro-death penalty

person or a warmongering person is invited to speak there.

[sledgehammer]

5. Yep. The Catholic Church is against the death penalty.

But yet they invited Pres Bush to speak, even after he presided over a record number of executions in Texas (note: he had not started any wars by the time he spoke, though I think it would have made no difference).