Sunday, May 17, 2009

Obama Addresses Abortion Issue at Notre Dame Graduation


Last weekend there was a lot of coverage of the controversy over Obama speaking at the commencement ceremony at Notre Dame University.

The issue? He is pro-choice, and the Catholic Church is pro-life. (Notre Dame is the oldest and largest Catholic University in the nation.) I've always given Obama high marks for trying to find some common ground between the pro-life and pro-choice sides. Ultimately, there won't be agreement between the two sides, but if he can tone down the anger, I think there are some things both sides would like to see happen, such as fewer unwanted pregnancies - especially among teens.

Here is a short version of the story:
National Constitution Center: News Feed

Better and more in-depth analysis:

Inside The Obama Notre Dame Controversy

Abortion Debate Has Dominated The Headlines, But Students And Most Americans Are Not So Polarized


What do you think, and what constitutional principles/issues are at play here?

5 comments:

Dirk said...

I think pro-choice is the best way to go. Abortion is a good way to prevent births that lead to children being raised by young parents who aren't ready yet or by other people who are unfit to raise them. People say that it's not right killing fetuses but they're not full grown babies they cant think at that stage. If it can help prevent a child's life from being terrible, people should be able to have abortions.

-Dylan Dislers

starbaby2992 said...

I was very much against abortion. Taking away someones life i thought was in humane and wrong.But now looking at our population and how many young teenagers are getting pregnant i am very much pro- choice now. girls should have a choice and a right to beable to get an abortion if they want. If they feel that they would not be a suitable parent. I think it was very awsome how Obama went and talked to the Notre Dame univeristy , and it is cool how is trying to tone down the angar within people. Everyone has a right to do what they want with their body that is what our country fought for . Everyone has freedom. Abortion allows an option for those teenagers that do get pregnant and that dont want to have a baby to not have one.

Angela Dubnow said...

Current Even #7: I think the fact that many people didn't want Obama to come speak at the graduation becuase of his opinion on abortion is ridiculous. Just by inviting him to speak doesn't mean he is going to make a speach and try to make people become pro-choice. The subject doesn't even have to come up and its just prejudice for these people to want to take back the invitation. I personally don't like abortion but i'm not going to judge any 14 year old girl who has one, becuase its a scary thing to become pregnant, and she is paying the consequences of her actions. Abortion isn't an easy thing to live with, so wether she gets one or not, hopefuly she learns her lesson.

Kelsey Ray said...

Current event # 10: I think it is abolutely ridiculous to not want the president of the Uninted States, Barack Obama who has made history, to speak at a graduation ceremony. Obama has freedom of speech to voice whether he is pro-life or pro-choice. I believe in Pro-choice because although i do not believe in abortion, i understand that not all people in the US will side with me. A woman has the right to pursue happiness and if that means having to choice to get rid of her fetus when she's not quite ready to be a mom then give her that right.

Anonymous said...

i think that it is crazy that a school would not want Obama to give a speech at a graduation ceremony. i think that Obama should be allowed to talk about pro-choice if he wants because he has the right of freedom of speech. i think that people should be allowed to get abortions because it should be there choice if they want a baby or not. i think it is ok because the baby is not fully grown. a baby plays a huge impact on a persons life so it should be there choice if they want the baby or not.
Spencer Truong
Period 5
EXTRA CREDIT