University of Notre Dame students who plan to protest the school's awar-ding of an honorary degree to President Barack Obama on campus during commencement Sunday are calling for a peaceful, prayerful approach.
"We believe a lot more can be accomplished through prayerful, respectful witness than can be accomplished in angry protest," said Michele Sagala, a graduating senior and member of ND Response, a coalition of student groups who oppose the school's decision to award an honorary degree to Obama because of his support of abortion rights and embryonic stem-cell research.
Not all those who plan to be on campus Sunday, though, intend to honour the request by ND Response that they refrain from using graphic images and signs. Anti-abortion activist Randall Terry, who already faces a trespassing charge after being arrested on campus on May 1, while pushing a stroller containing a doll covered in fake blood, said members of his group, The Society for Truth and Justice, plan to be arrested and to carry graphic signs.
ND Response has received permission from the university to hold a protest on the west end of the South Quad, starting with an all-night prayer vigil starting Saturday night, a rally Sunday afternoon and another prayer vigil for students choosing not to attend the commencement.
Notre Dame's rules for protests and demonstrations require organisers to be registered with the school and that the protests be led by members of the university com-munity, university spokesman Dennis Brown said. The demon-strations also must be orderly and peaceful.
Eric Scheidler, communications director for the Pro-Life Action League, said members of his group plan to follow the wishes of ND Response members while on campus, but will have members holding graphic signs on public sidewalks along the outskirts of campus.
John Daly, an ND Response spokesman, said he expects 20 to 30 graduating seniors skip commencement and attend the prayer vigil. Sagala will be among them.
Greer Hannan, another ND Response member who also is graduating, said she and others plan to attend the commencement but to protest Obama's presence by putting a yellow cross with yellow baby's feet on either side atop her mortarboard.