Thank you Professor Glenn Hendler ("The speech that wasn't," Jan. 26) for that very interesting speech that he along with many others wished happened several days ago. It adds much to the ongoing dialogue that will continue throughout the semester. Currently, it seems like it's Father Jenkins vs. the world. I wish it was not so.
Jack Shephard in the show "Lost" states it best, "Everyone wants me to be a leader except when I make a decision they don't like." We all want Jenkins to be a great president. I don't know of anyone that doesn't want him to succeed as the President of Notre Dame. People like Jenkins and Jenkins likes people.
However, whenever he makes an unpopular decision, people are willing to string him up in effigy and curse everything a simple priest stands for.
As, first and foremost, a Holy Cross priest, Jenkins must stand for the beliefs and ideals of the Catholic Church. It would be a crime to make him deny his very faith in order to appease a crowd. He is not banning anything, rather he is creating opportunities for discussion and opening himself to be criticized. Many leaders wouldn't do that. It takes serious bravery to do that.
Remember that it was only a year ago when people were criticizing him for firing Coach Tyrone Willingham and hiring a man without any major head coaching experience. We all know how that turned out.
Tae Kang
sophomore
Keenan
Jan. 26
