I usually host Hot Topics on Tuesday (sometimes) but I wanted to address this today because it is going on today.
Again as I stated when I started the Hot Topics, it is to gain insight and other people's perspective on issues. I have my views, you have yours. We may disagree, but I would like to do it in a pleasant and appropriate manner. I will not tolerate any rude or crude comments.
Anyways, on to the topic...this is an especially hot one that is debated all across the country and where I never believe anyone will see eye to eye.
***
Today in Indiana at America's foremost Roman Catholic University, Notre Dame, President Obama will be addressing the commencement exercises and receiving an honorary degree in law. Sounds simple enough, right?! Presidents' are honored all the time at college commencements and give speeches, no?!
Well today it will not be that simple.
It seems that over the past week, many Pro-Life supporters are protesting and speaking out against President Obama coming to the campus because of his views on abortion and stem cell research ( he believes in the legal right to abortions, but wants to work on reducing the amount). The PLP (pro-life protesters) plan on even showing up on campus to protest during the graduation.This is where I have a problem.
It's fine by me that people have their own views and want to protest in what they believe in but I do think that ruining a college graduation, that these students worked so hard to achieve is wrong.
He is not just showing up unannounced, he was invited.
I know I would be pissed if people were purposely ruining a ceremony that I worked and paid alot for.
As of recently a few PLP have been arrested for trespassing at the campus and for resisting arrest.
What do you think?!?
Is anyone attending these protests?!?
***
Oh, you want to know my views on these issues?
Ok..I don't mind.
This:
("Get your laws out of my drawers!")
Pretty much sums it up.
I don't think that it is cool to kill babies or to end the life of another person but I also don't believe that the government should have anything to do with choices that I make as a woman and that concern my body.
I also don't think that it is fair for people to pass judgement when they don't know some of the circumstances behind why some of these woman choose to have an abortion. Yes, they're crackheads and whores that don't care about anyone but themselves and choose to do it like it's nothing but there are also woman who feel like this is there only choice and is their last resort...to make assumptions that these woman are horrible, selfish creatures is sad. Unless you been through it, you don't know how that person feels, and even at that, everybody is different and chooses and reacts to it in different ways.
I find it strange though that some of the people that oppose abortion, fully support the death penalty. A life is a life right?!? I know that the argument may be that these people committed crimes or murdered someone else and justice is just being served...but it's pretty hypocritical to support one life and not another.
As far as stem cell research. I support it and I am behind President Obama's decision to lift the restriction of federal funding.
"...Women have the right to ... unused embryos created outside the womb for couples who cannot otherwise conceive [and] should be available for stem cell research. Such research holds the promise of finding treatments for some of mankind's most debilitating ailments."
Also a couple months ago while reading a favorite blog of mine ElizabethEsther.com, who has complete opposite views of mine but I still love her work and respect her (go check her out..she is a wonderful writer with published work and has the most adorable twins and family), I came across one of her posts about her opposition to President Obama's lift and this part caught my attention:
This is where I see nothing wrong with it.
If it is going to be destroyed anyway then I see no problem in using it for research and to help better mankind and possibly learn more or cure some of the sicknesses and ailments that many suffer from today.
I understand the moral arguments underneath it but this is just what I think.
***
I know alot of you ladies probably completely disagree with me and feel strongly about it the other way, and I respect your views and would love to hear about them, I just ask that if you decide to comment that their is NO personal attacks or crude comments. Keep it classy please :)
15 comments:
Boy, you did pick a hot topic! Where to begin? Well, I can understand why people would be upset at having a pro-choice commencement speaker at a private, Roman Catholic university. The Roman Catholic church is pro-life, so it does seem odd to have a pro-choice speaker. That being said, I don't think it's all appropriate, and would in fact be counter-productive to their "cause", if pro-life protesters ruined a graduation weekend.
I'm pro-life. That doesn't mean that I think people who are pro-choice are evil or wicked or horrible people. I simply disagree with their point of view. I think that the role of the government should be as minimal as possible in all things, but that they should step in where rights are being ignored or abused. But that's just it - a lot of people do not agree on the rights of fetus. Do they have any? If so, where and when do they begin? When does life begin?
Good topic!
I would be PISSED if there were protesters at my graduation. Graduation is supposed to be a time of happiness and joy.
Honestly, everyone has their differences, so it doesn't really matter who your commencement speaker is, deep down you will have some disagreements, you probably just don't know them because the person isn't as open about all of their beliefs as the President.
That being said, I don't think it is worth protesting a graduation, ruining the special day of individuals who have worked their asses off to get a college degree, just to prove a point that you are pro-life. (not that anything is wrong with being pro-life)
I live in Indiana so this has been a hot topic since they announced it several weeks ago.
I believe it is fine for him to speak at their graduation. Just b/c you don't agree with his ideas or points of view doesn't mean that the graduates shouldn't have the opportunity to hear him speak. I don't think you have to completely believe in or agree with him to have a memorable experience.
It's not like he's going to try and make his speach about pro-choice vs. pro-life.
I think today they should let their differences go and enjoy their opportunity to have the President speak at their college graduation.
That's just my view. I know there are plenty of others out there, too.
I look forward to reading everone elses comments.
Great topic!! :)
I am pro-choice all the way. That being said, I respect ones decision to disagree. I believe there is a "time and a place" to have this debate and I would be super pissed if people came to my college graduation to protest.
In a nut shell, I really feel that people who pull stunts like this are just run of the mill Attention Whores. I hope they get arrested.
This is definitely a hot topic! A professor of mine once said that being pro-choice is not the same as being pro-abortion. No one is really pro-abortion, but it's a matter of letting people make the decision for themselves. That said, I respect people who are pro-life and can understand their viewpoint.
What I can not understand, however, is cheap publicity ploys to promote their cause. This has nothing to do with the graduates or their families, and should be left out of it. There is an appropriate forum to voice these opinions, and this is not it.
I understand the point of contention with the Catholic church, but I assume many other non-Catholics who hold opposing viewpoints have spoken at the school as well. Obama is not there to speak out in favor of the right to choose, he's there to offer encouragement to the graduates.
No comment... but it does remind me of the time where there were hundreds of protestors at Sam's West Point graduation because President Bush was speaking...
humm...this is crazy. i think it is inappropriate for people to form a protest at a commencment ceremony, regardless as to who is speaking. his being there has nothing to do with why he was invited there and it shows a huge lack of respect for the school and the president, regardless as to what my opinion is on this subject, which i will keep to myself.
Hi, I found you via a bunch of the other 20something bloggers - this is certainly a hot topic!
I am personally pro-life, but I've read the laws and I've pretty much settled on supporting the legal basis for the pro-choice position. I wouldn't ever choose it for myself, but that gives me no right to make another woman's decision for her.
That said, I think that this is really touchy. Personally, I think ND made a mistake in conferring the honorary degree on him. I think that asking President Obama to speak is wonderful, and it appears from the polls that he won the Catholic vote pretty strongly. Still, I understand people's anger at the school (which is affiliated with the Catholic Church) "rewarding" someone who disagrees with their views.
I wonder at the decision making process, because it seems like all the bishops and leadership outside the school are against it...were they really not aware of the problems it would create??
I just wonder if this is going to do more harm or good for the university...
but I can tell you I'd be PISSED if protesters ruined my ceremony and I'd be THRILLED to have the President of the United States as my commencement speaker.
Lucky graduates!
I'm definitely pro-choice. And I would be pissed if protesters ruined my graduation.
Ps - I look like a tard in our DVD, too. Can't wait to do the real thing, but I have to make sure we have a will now that we have a baby, just in case =]
i am pro-choice, myself...
but he was invited!! and it's graduation!!
i wish obama would have spoken at my graduation...that would have been SO awesome!!!
ps, like the new look!!!!
your so bold for posting this! yah for you!
ABORTION- I think that there are too many people trying to have babies and they can't. I think if someone doesn't want their baby or doesn't feel the baby can be properly cared for, place the baby up for adoption. My exception-rape, molestation.
PRES OBAMA/NOTRE DAME- I can understand why some people are upset about the diploma thing. They are giving it to someone many feel contradicts the ideas of the Catholic faith and the backbone of Notre Dame. However, I don't see why he shouldn't speak at commencement. His views have nothing to do with the rite of passage of graduation. If he speaks about his views, I'd be disappointed. This is about graduation of these students and their move into the adult world; this is NOT and SHOULD NOT be a political campaign.
Hot topic indeed... Well first and foremost, I'd have to say I am against abortion, though views which may differ from mine. Way back when I was still on my nursing clinicals, I made a choice not to participate or assist in an abortion cases.
But moving on...I would really hate for protesters to ruin my graduation. I think those protesters should respect the special day of these graduates. It's supposed to be a joyful time for them.
I'm a raging democrat - so obviously, pro-choice.
Make abortion illegal, see how high the crime rate goes up 18 years from when you do it.
You know, additionally, Arizona State University REFUSED to give him a degree because 'he hadn't accomplished enough'? REFUSED. And this is the BIGGEST PARTY SCHOOL EVER - not to mention they give anyone, and I do mean anyone, who speaks an 'honorary diploma'. As they said on SNL it holds about as much weight as a "#1 Dad" coffee mug.
I am soooo not the girl to point at things and go "that's racist!" unless it really is - but let's face it, I don't think people made that big of a deal about Clinton giving speeches at colleges... And I loved Clinton, I love Obama - I can't see what other big difference there is between the two of them, other than their race, and the fact that our country has spent the last 8 years reversing keeping religion & government separate, as opposed to the Clinton era when religion & politics were still REASONABLY SEPARATED.
I'll stop myself there because I could go on forever.
I personally think that it is up to a woman what to do with her body not for the government to say yes or not. That's just me. He was invited so I don't think it should have been such an issue.
Nice topic hun
Post a Comment