Father Jenkins: Allow me to add my voice in the rising chorus of alumni and others who love our University in expressing my extreme concern and dissatisfaction over your decision to invite President Obama to give the 2009 commencement speech and give him an honorary degree. I am not sure yet whether this is a more egregious lapse than the plan to install Tariq Ramadan as a professor a few years ago. I graduated from Notre Dame in 1995 and like you, love our University. One of the things that makes Notre Dame such a special place is it’s deep roots in Catholicism and it’s tenets. Notre Dame has always stood for something. The tradition of inviting sitting Presidents such as Eisenhower, Reagan, and both Bushes has been a source of pride for our University. However, I do not think that it was appropriate at this point in time to extend this honor to President Obama. President Obama holds views on abortion and stem cell research that are anathema to Catholic doctrine. His example of faith is seen in his twenty years as a member of Trinity United in Chicago,in thrall of Reverend Wright and his wayward teachings. Even if, as you say, this honor you choose to bestow on President Obama is not an endorsement of his policies, you give legitimacy to Obama’s policies by doing so. Worse still, you indirectly bless them from the Catholic standpoint because Notre Dame is so strongly associated with Catholicism. You know this to be true. Maybe you could invite Speaker Pelosi in 2010 and she can discuss her understanding of our Catholic faith with us some more. I also do not understand your statement that you feel President Obama is “…an inspiring leader who has taken leadership of the country facing many challenges: two wars, a really troubled economy, he has issues with health care, immigration, education reform, and he has addressed those with intelligence, courage and honesty.” What examples of intelligent, courageous, and honest addressing of these issues have you seen in the last two months? In all fairness, President Obama did lift the Federal ban on stem cell research and lifted the Mexico City policy that prevented issuing taxpayer monies to international organizations that provide abortions. Somehow I doubt that those are two accomplishments that are congruent with Catholic doctrine. Beyond this, I, like many others, feel that President Obama has been nothing short of an embarrassment to this nation in the short time he has been President. Consider the myriad of problems with his cabinet picks, like Tim Geithner. Look at his disgraceful treatment of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Revel in the silliness of his Secretary of State’s recent Russian trip. Consider his compassion toward people with disabilities as demonstrated during his Jay Leno interview. Do you not see the almost daily examples of hypocrisy that come from his mouth? Why not just bring William Ayers to further sully our University? I understand that the a plurality of views and opinions is the lifeblood of a university and that there are some who support your decision. I realize that it is unlikely that you will reverse course. I ask that you respect the First Amendment rights of students to protest your decision now and at commencement without fear of retribution by the administration. There would most certainly be a large “0” on my mortarboard if I were graduating, that I can assure you. Real courage and real conviction would be to stand for moral principles and actually do the right thing. Withdraw the invitation until such a point that President Obama earns that privilege in the future, if he ever does. Until then, all you accomplish is cheapening the degree that I, along with many others, earned at Notre Dame, by giving an honorary degree to President Obama. Please consider this, reflect on this, and pray on this - then do the right thing. Return the focus of commencement back to the people to whom it belongs, the students who have toiled to earn that Notre Dame degree, and refrain from cheapening that degree by giving one to Obama.