My Response to Fr. Jenkins’ May 13 Statement
Here is my response to his statement:
Dear Father Jenkins,
I am writing to express my sincere concern regarding the University’s decision to allow students to be prosecuted on charges stemming from a peaceful protest.
I would like to emphasize that I, along with many others, understand the importance of ensuring that demonstrations do not disrupt other students’ access to education—especially during study sessions..."
On May 13, Fr. Jenkins, the president of Notre Dame University, issued a statement regarding the recent protest on campus.
Here is my response to his statement:
Dear Father Jenkins,
I am writing to express my sincere concern regarding the University’s decision to allow students to be prosecuted on charges stemming from a peaceful protest.
I would like to emphasize that I, along with many others, understand the importance of ensuring that demonstrations do not disrupt other students’ access to education—especially during study sessions. It is also important to clarify that my concern does not stem from sympathizing with either pro-Palestinian or pro-Israeli protests, as both groups are victims of this conflict.
However, I would like to express my concerns on these issues:
First, your statement mentions that the University “should be [a place for] the contest of ideas, not of disruptive protests.” I wholeheartedly agree that the University should prioritize the “contest of ideas.” However, changing the status quo often requires actions beyond mere words. The United States would not have withdrawn its troops from Vietnam without the student protests that began at Columbia University. Similarly, the just world envisioned by Martin Luther King—where people of all backgrounds interact without hatred—would not have been realized without action. I am confident that you, along with Notre Dame, inherit the spirit of Father Hesburgh, who stood alongside Martin Luther King, and understand that actions must follow ideas to bring about meaningful change.
A famous photo, taken on June 21, 1964, at a civil rights rally in Soldier Field in Chicago, shows Father Hesburgh together with Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., singing “We Shall Overcome.”
Second, your statement asserts that the University warned the protestors multiple times in advance about illegal protests, and the students chose to be arrested. While I question whether the University would have permitted the protests even if requests had been submitted, I acknowledge that the students violated the rules put forth by the University and made their choices. Yet, it seems wrong for the president of Notre Dame, who should protect his students as members of the “home under the dome,” to hand them over for prosecution.
Third, your statement implies that seeking prosecution compels students to “reflect on their decisions and consider the consequences of them.” Yet, why must it be this way? Is this all the University could do? If she were aware of these protestors’ demands, why could the University not have arranged a meeting to hear their concerns instead of listening to them for just 30 minutes on a lawn? What efforts did the University make to truly listen to their issues before speaking about the responsibilities students must bear? What responsibilities will the university bear for not fully hearing the students’ concerns and voices? I understand that the tension is high across the nation, and the University strives to prevent violence, but to reach a point of arresting them solely because “such protests have led to violence at several campuses across the nation” demonstrates a loss of faith in our very own students from the beginning.
When I applied in 2022, the Notre Dame application challenged me to consider what I would fight for. Since being accepted, I’ve strived to embody the resilient spirit of the Fighting Irish, a journey marked by both failures and the supportive community under the Dome. Yet, reflecting on your statement, I wonder if we genuinely uphold the ideals we claim to represent. Are we indeed the Fighting Irish when we tell our members to face whatever they have done because they made the choices? Why do we leave our students alone in this fight instead of supporting them?
President Obama, whom you have invited for a commencement address, stated during the 2004 Democratic National Convention that the essence of America—and by extension, its academic institutions—is the freedom to express: “to say what we think, write what we think, without hearing a sudden knock on the door.” It seems Notre Dame has strayed from these values that make American institutions unique. The protestors were peaceful and did not cause a significant disturbance to warrant arrest, yet the University handed them over as though they were not her students to protect.
Today, I feel ashamed to be Irish and believe her Catholic teachings, which I deeply cherish, are paradoxical. I hope this helps you reconsider the University’s stance.