Notre Dame’s valedictorian (Brennan Bollman) approves:
In an interview with the Huffington Post, Bollman stressed that her peers do not view the president’s overall values as inconsistent with Catholicism. In fact, Bollman says Obama is practicing Catholic values in his administration. Like Jesus, Bollman says, Obama is trying to invite “everyone to the table.”…Bollman stressed that even though the student body is overwhelmingly disconnected from the outside furor over Obama’s visit, there is a healthy debate on campus. She explained that the debate is less about abortion and more about Obama’s policies towards “advancing this human life” after it’s born. Bollman, who voted for Obama, says she and many of her fellow students support the president because of the respect he has “given to human life through many of his policies.”
Interestingly, the article mentions in passing that she is “pro-life”. It looks like Bollman and her peers are using a much broader understanding of life than we tend to hear about “pro-lifers” espousing– one apparently broad enough that concern for already born people is making them support someone who doesn’t share their position on abortion. (Thanks, Jender-Parents!)
Feminist Philosophers 