A couple weeks ago, there was an article in The Observer that there was a "disconnect" between the current students and alumni concerning the debate of the granting of an honorary degree to the President of the United States - positing that 70-plus percent of students were in favor, and 70-plus percent of alums were against. Mathematical sophistry. Those numbers only reflect the immediately stimulated individuals from both sides who decided to submit a letter to the editor, and hardly a statistically valid survey. Where is our Math Department when we need them?
I posit the contrary: alums are probably more supportive of POTUS than our current, a bit more conservative, student body. Mr. Donahue ("Slamming the door," April 15) is spot-on. This Church, these critics of this University, are so myopic in being non-Catholic (non-universal) that it drives real Catholics away.
Not only am I Notre Dame '64, but I'm also Georgetown Law '68, where yesterday our President was greeted with a standing ovation and with enthusiasm for his economic policies and social justice in this time of our country's need. Some may joke that Georgetown is not Catholic, but Jesuit. I counter by saying Notre Dame is not Catholic, but wishing to be Arizona State.
I applaud the ten C.S.C. priests who have spoken out in dissent against Fr. Jenkins. As a product of the '60's, I support their right to protest. I have no vow of obedience either, so I can slam my church. I also believe that the senior class and other students should take aggressive action/dissent against those non-Christian activists who have vowed to turn your graduation into a "circus." I, for one, advocate aggressive resistance to this right-wing advocacy to disrupt in the name of a phony, political issue, my University and your graduation. Protest, protest, against your Church's intolerance.
K. Eric Gisleson
alumnus
Class of 1968
April 15
