Criticism of Bob Jones hypocritical
Letter to the Editor
I appreciate Jim Kwiatt's letter (Thurs., March 9) regarding George W. Bush's campaign at Bob Jones University before the South Carolina primary. I agree with him that American politics is in a sad state where candidates are making "politically strategic moves" rather than caring for the welfare of the people they represent. However, I am a bit alarmed at his conclusions.
I have never set foot on the campus of Bob Jones University, but I do plan to visit it in the future. I have received a paper from their campus web site responses at www.bju.edu/response.htm. and have carefully read it. I know many Bob Jones graduates (including Bob Jones IV who completed the coursework for a doctorate degree in history at Notre Dame a couple of years ago) and I have been impressed with their integrity and high morals. I have come to a different conclusion than Mr. Kwiatt based on personal experience rather than what the media leads us to believe.
First of all, I am sure that if Mr. Kwiatt were to look at every university in America he would find something at each university that he would disagree. Each institution has a purpose statement and policies it adheres to that helps it accomplish its purposes. That is part of the privilege and beauty of living in America.
America is the most religiously diverse nation in the world, with all of the denominations and sects disagreeing with one another and yet getting along amazingly well. I believe that our forefathers called it freedom of religion. When institutions do not agree on certain areas, it does not mean that one side hates the other.
I was raised Catholic and have strong Catholic parents. I left the Catholic Church when I was a junior in college. According to Mr. Kwiatt because I don't agree with my Catholic parents, I hate them. Do I? Most certainly not! Do they hate me? I don't think so! Do I call my parents bigots or do they call me one? No.
According to Mr. Kwiatt's reasoning and conclusions, because he disagrees with me, I should be calling him a bigot and a "member of a hate-espousing organization," (namely Notre Dame), which is like the Ku Klux Klan who misuse Scripture in order to justify its actions. (These are pretty strong words and seem to place Mr. Kwiatt on the same level as our name-calling mud-slinging politicians!)
I hope Mr. Kwiatt is careful in throwing stones at Bob Jones University. He called BJU an "institution rooted in bigotry." The definition of a bigot is "one obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his own church, party, belief, or opinion." It was announced on the Larry King Show recently that BJU has dropped their inter-racial dating policy. I thought bigots obstinately didn't change.
In closing, I want to ask two questions that will prove that both Notre Dame and Bob Jones University are not open-minded (and are therefore institutions of so-called bigotry). Would Bob Jones University allow a Notre Dame graduate who adheres to the Notre Dame doctrinal statement teach on its campus? No. Would Notre Dame allow a Bob Jones graduate who adheres to BJU's doctrinal statement to teach on Notre Dame's campus? No again. Please take the beam out of your own eye before taking a speck out of another's.
Steve Giegerich
Senior
Off-Campus
March 21, 2000
All Viewpoint Stories for Wednesday, March 22, 2000
