Comments on: A courageous, principled Christian does the right thing http://www.harmonicminer.com/wordpress/2009/04/29/a-courageous-principled-christian-does-the-right-thing/ Digging for golden resonance, and resonant gold Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:01:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: harmonicminer http://www.harmonicminer.com/wordpress/2009/04/29/a-courageous-principled-christian-does-the-right-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-1740 harmonicminer Thu, 30 Apr 2009 19:17:01 +0000 http://www.harmonicminer.com/wordpress/2009/04/29/a-courageous-principled-christian-does-the-right-thing/#comment-1740 It's a point. However, in the brief time she'd have to speak, it would need to be a real home-run. I'm guessing she considered doing exactly what you suggest. I'd be interested to hear why she chose not to do that in more detail. She did say this: "It is not the right place, nor is a brief acceptance speech the right vehicle, for engagement with the very serious problems raised by Notre Dame’s decision-in disregard of the settled position of the U.S. bishops-to honor a prominent and uncompromising opponent of the Church’s position on issues involving fundamental principles of justice." I suspect her interest was not so much in trying educate Obama or the public as in protesting Notre Dame's decision in the first place to have Obama there. It’s a point. However, in the brief time she’d have to speak, it would need to be a real home-run. I’m guessing she considered doing exactly what you suggest. I’d be interested to hear why she chose not to do that in more detail. She did say this:

“It is not the right place, nor is a brief acceptance speech the right vehicle, for engagement with the very serious problems raised by Notre Dame’s decision-in disregard of the settled position of the U.S. bishops-to honor a prominent and uncompromising opponent of the Church’s position on issues involving fundamental principles of justice.”

I suspect her interest was not so much in trying educate Obama or the public as in protesting Notre Dame’s decision in the first place to have Obama there.

]]> By: enharmonic http://www.harmonicminer.com/wordpress/2009/04/29/a-courageous-principled-christian-does-the-right-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-1739 enharmonic Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:11:31 +0000 http://www.harmonicminer.com/wordpress/2009/04/29/a-courageous-principled-christian-does-the-right-thing/#comment-1739 The beauty of this scenario for Obama is that no one will care that Mary Ann Glendon has chosen to bow out. The precedent has been set for silenceing opposition of this administration. While I agree with her that in ordinary circumstances this would not be the time or place to point out the obvious issues at stake, it would seem to me that: 1. If she refuses this opportunity there will never be another one. This is the kind of reasoning that kept righteous opposition at bay in Germany when the Nazis took over. No one wanted to engage in controversy at the "wrong" kind of event. 2. The graduates and parents who are deeply concerned about the path of Obama will have no one speaking for them now. 3. How many 'conservative' commencement (and other) speakers have been withdrawn from or interrupted at university events because of liberals who hated them (including George W. Bush)? Do we just give in? The beauty of this scenario for Obama is that no one will care that Mary Ann Glendon has chosen to bow out. The precedent has been set for silenceing opposition of this administration. While I agree with her that in ordinary circumstances this would not be the time or place to point out the obvious issues at stake, it would seem to me that:

1. If she refuses this opportunity there will never be another one. This is the kind of reasoning that kept righteous opposition at bay in Germany when the Nazis took over. No one wanted to engage in controversy at the “wrong” kind of event.

2. The graduates and parents who are deeply concerned about the path of Obama will have no one speaking for them now.

3. How many ‘conservative’ commencement (and other) speakers have been withdrawn from or interrupted at university events because of liberals who hated them (including George W. Bush)? Do we just give in?

]]>