Despite Notre Dame protests, Barack Obama receives honorary law degree
May 18, 2009 at 6:16 am by Ben Luongo
By Ben Luongo
PoHo contributor
President Obama spoke at Notre Dame’s commencent address on Sunday. There has been some controversy as to whether Notre Dame would honor him with an honorary law degree or not. Some from Notre Dame are opposed to Obama receiving a honorary degree because of his policy preferences, such as abortion, have not reflected the Catholic morality.
The controversy over honoring Obama with a degree may not be the most impacting news story in the world, but it does speak volumes on the issue of morality and religion and how they intersect with politics.
See video of Obama getting his honorary degree at Notre Dame after the jump.
First of all, the honorary degree is a law degree and should be granted based on one’s legal scholarship and experience. Denying a law degree based on a moral judgment is incomprehensible. It no longer serves its original purpose of honoring legal scholarship but becomes politicized by those granting it.
On another note, both Father Jenkins, the president of Notre Dame, and President Obama gave excellent and most appropriate speeches concerning the importance of engaging fair-minded dialogue. Americans can disagree on moral issues, but the important things is that we talk about our disagreements and work on understanding them and reaching common ground. In this context, the honorary degree served as a gesture towards reaching that mutual understanding, which again compromises the original intention of the honorary law degree, but serves a higher purpose to constantly strive for respecting and understanding others. Only then can we recognize our common moral backgrounds and create a higher and more peaceful society.
I first approved of Obama receiving the law degree because of his legal scholarship. I now am glad that it was granted to him upon the gesture of working towards mutual understanding. Such a gesture of respect promises a hopeful future where morality and religion meet politics and society.
