I am shocked, shocked, that Notre Dame, which honored Obama when he opposed gay marriage, blocks the speech of a group on campus that opposes gay marriage. Father Z gives us the details:
Read the rest there and find links.
Apparently there is room under the golden dome for all points of views, so long as they coincide with the current views of President Obama.
While the campus may have acted (overreacted) unfortunately, there seems to be some hint (checking my own sources) that this was a student group not comprised of Notre Dame students who were using a ND student permit to run the table. I do not excuse ND in all things pro-life-related, but here, there seems to have been a violation of campus rules (getting an ND-approved table for a student group for another non-ND student group).
Perhaps the rules are selectively enforced, but that information isn’t available, and I would hesitate (perhaps due to my own charitable desires) to imply it.
Apparently, the group also brought cameras and videocameras, and were recording students, similarly without permission.
Notre Dame is a public square, not a private entity. If some of the people were not Notre Dame students they ought to have been respected as other than students. The abuse to which these other than students were subject to really is a disgrace. Communists and criminals would have been treated better.
As far as video cameras goes, almost every store videos customers. It is the dissemination of the video that needs permission of the captured people.
“Notre Dame is a public square, not a private entity.”
Actually, Notre Dame is NOT a public square. And it IS a private entity. I don’t wish to disagree with you to be argumentative, but rather because it is an important distinction that works to protect Catholics. Private Catholic entities do not have to provide a forum to those whose viewpoints are deemed objectionable to them. Next time, it could be a group seeking to promote teachings contrary to the Catholic Faith, and it is important to emphasize that Notre Dame – or any other Catholic institution – is NOT a public square and do NOT have to provide a forum for such viewpoints.
“Notre Dame is a public square, not a private entity.”
Notre Dame IS a private entity, and as such, can exclude non-Notre Dame students, people, etc., at will. Moreover, it is free to exclude those (such as non-Notre Dame students) who abuse privileges (such as ND student tables) that ND offers to its students.
I think ND reacted exactly how the student group wished – and now the student group can claim that ND is anti-Catholic. That is unfortunate.
However, there are any number of free lectures on pro-life, pro-marriage, pro-Catholic issues that occur at ND, student discussion groups, seminars, etc., that occur at Notre Dame without interruption by the administration (or even with outright advertisement by the administration). These students broke campus rules on student tables and dissemination, and therefore, could be excluded.
See, e.g.,
http://www.queenofpeaceministries.com/queenofpeace/conference/index.htm
http://home.isi.org/events/family-conference
http://ethicscenter.nd.edu/2014-call-for-papers
http://ethicscenter.nd.edu/programs/nd-right-to-life-fund/vita-institute
As leftists have dominated American campuses, they have become citadels of intolerance. FIRE is a good resource:
http://www.thefire.org/category/cases/free-speech/
In regard to Notre Dame and free speech:
http://www.thefire.org/the-state-of-free-speech-on-campus-university-of-notre-dame/
Private institutions have to play by their own self-imposed rules when it comes to free speech issues.
Absolutely, Donald – the keys being in your words “play by their own rules” and in ND’s policy “Notre Dame students and student organizations are free to examine and to discuss all questions of interest to them and to express opinions publicly and privately.”
In this case, apparently, the students involved were not Notre Dame students, and the organization, while working through another group that apparently only acted to set up the table, was not an ND student group. I say “apparently” because details are still coming out.
I suspect the interpretation of this episode most congenial to Notre Dame’s rancid administration is that they blanched when they found out TFP was on campus. Sandra Miesel has referred to TFP as a “RadTrad cult”, and advises all faithful Catholics to stay clear of it. One of their signatures is to stand outside the Church during Mass reciting rapid-fire rosaries, entering only when communion is about to be distributed. Critics such as Miesel have contended that TFP eats up the youth of its members, leaving them approaching middle-age with neither Tradition nor Family nor Property. I know an attorney associated with Una Voce and his local Latin Mass Community who got a visit from a youth in TFP many years ago. The conversation did not go well. It started out thus, “First, if you want to recruit me, don’t show up in my office in a cape….”
The offense to free speech of course Jonathan could also be by the administration’s action depriving students interested in hearing and reading what a group on campus has to say, whether the group consists of students or not. Suits against private institutions over free speech are often highly entertaining because their policies regarding free speech are often full of “feel good” language which the administrators who draft them, I truly hope they are usually not attorneys, fail to understand constitute a contract.
Art.
What a terrible act from a so-called TFP representative. I have had exactly the opposite experience with this group.
I participated in a prayerful protest in Madison WI. that was respectful and dignified. The Catholic priest was local, and rightfully praised the east coast group for its efforts to Stand Up for Jesus when Blasphemy is portrayed as art.
Not many Catholics are willing to give peaceful prayerful protests in the public square. Courage is a rare thing these days. Easier to text tweet and twaddle than stand erect and give good honest testimony.
I’m afraid your friend met a disgruntled TFP drop out.
TFP draws its inspiration from Corrêa de Oliveira, a Throne & Altar Conservative, somewhere to the right of Prince Metterniche and Joseph de Maistre.
Art Deco’s description calls to mind the Camelots du Roi of Charles Maurras and l’ Action Française.
I’ve read Prof. Correa’s book. He’s a great one-man manufactory of obscure verbiage.
I actually agree to some degree with Art Deco.
I’ve heard stories where the followers of T.F.P. can actually see a glowing cross on the founders forehead (in Brazil).
Among other such stories.
The T.F.P. has not asked to operate in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, yet they participate in active recruitment in various archdiocesan parishes.
But that’s the bad I have heard.
I am very impressed by their organizing abilities and the defense of Catholic teachings.
Jay Anderson, Jonathan, and Donald McClarey: Thank you for the correction. I am listening and learning. It does seem, that when Notre Dame threw open the gate to Obama, N.D. threw open the gate to everybody.
TFP has been leading the way in a universal Public Square Rosary campaign. Last year over 12,300 cities around the globe participated. Publicly asking Heaven to intercede for our darkened world. Over 13,000 cities this Oct. is a worthy goal. Each city praying the same formatted prayers and Holy Rosary at noon.
I guess with TFP take the good and leave the bad.
Personally I’ve only witnessed good thus far, but I do value opposing views since this is of mans efforts.
Blessings.
Yes, Mary, that is precisely why I hang out around here, among other reasons. I have had as many eye openers here in the last six months as in all other religious sites combined. Don should be proud.
[…] Colbert – S. Alessi More Catholic Than the Pope? – Ross Douthat, The New York Times Prez of U. of Notre Dame Fr. Jenkins Bans Pro-Marriage Cthlc Gp – TACt Motherhood: The Gift Comes in a Tiny Bundle – Christina Capecchi, OSV Burning […]
Another win for the heckler’s veto.
Hasn’t the local ordinary publicly proclaimed that heathen school isn’t Catholic yet?
ND allows the far left but not the far right? Free speech is free speech. So, ND has right to set their own rules. If the rules were more catholic in their scope perhaps the students would at least have a better chance of hearing all sides. I’d rather not have ND conduit the left, but since they do, it would be good to allow rad trads too.
As much as I would like to file this under “Catholic Administrations befogged by Leftist Lunacy Muzzle Faithful Students”, something seems missing with this story and, as much of a “Taliban Catholic” as I am, I’m not ready to draw my scimitar without a little more information.
How I long for and pray for the days when Catholic nuns and holy Sisters taught in the field of Catholic Education. Not only were the tenets of Catholicism taught, but the respect they commanded by their sacrifice made the public institutions sit up and take notice.
rt Deco wrote, “He’s [Corrêa de Oliveira] a great one-man manufactory of obscure verbiage.”
Crisp, clear statements of Fascist doctrine tended to go out of fashion after WWII, except among the clergy of the SSPX