Tutu Decision Reversed -- University Mission Restored!

We cannot express how relieved and elated we were when University of St. Thomas President, Father Dennis Dease, suddenly appeared in front of our banner today to tell us he had changed his mind and would be inviting Archbishop Desmond Tutu to speak at St. Thomas after all.

And what a great statement Dease made in doing so! He and the University deserve tremendous credit for listening to the thousands of concerned voices, including those involved with Jewish Voice for Peace, reversing themselves and admitting they made the wrong decision. How often has any official, public or private, done that in the recent past?! Although it's simply part of the human condition and we all make errors, all the time, the admission and rectifying of mistakes has almost become a lost art. So today's courageous action not only sends a much-needed signal on behalf of academic freedom and the cause of justice and peace worldwide, but it's a rare example of ethics in action.

Standing for the past three days as we had been under the University's mission banners, we could not resist a final photo. The University's full Mission Statement is this: Inspired by Catholic intellectual tradition, the University of St. Thomas educates students to be morally responsible leaders who think critically, act wisely, and work skillfully to advance the common good. Father Dease fulfilled this mission today. How better to usher in more "thinking critically, acting wisely and working skillfully to advance the common good" than an invitation to 1984 Nobel Peace Laureate Desmond Tutu to speak on the issues of justice and peace in the world!

Comments

[avergejoe]

Congratulations to your group
and to the school.

[oldprotestor]

Hopefully, the Catholic church, as well as other Christian churches, universities and colleges can now begin, once again, talking about and providing care and refuge for Middle Eastern Christians; especially the 1.5 million or so driven out of Iraq and the 500k or so left there - none of whom are welcome in the US because of media propagated fears that these Semitic Christians of 2000 years or so just might become Moslem terrorists.

In a free democracy, or even in an allegedly Christian country, the media would acknowledge, understand and adhere to Jesus" admonition that "¦the truth will set you free." John 8:32 (NIV), even if only from a secular or academic perspective of truth-seeking.

A Semite is, as defined in the Oxford English Dictionary: "A member of any of the peoples supposedly descended from Shem, son of Noah (Gen. 10:21-31) including esp. the Jews, Arabs, Assyrians, Babylonians, and Phoenicians." Christian Arabs, as well as Assyrians are alive and thriving today, with even hundreds of thousands of living breathing Aramaic speakers, in spite of media lies and propaganda to the contrary.

Semites are an inclusive group that has a 2 millennia or longer history of harsh and violent discrimination against it by white Europeans and white Americans, dating at least back to the ancient Greek and Roman Empires; acutely evidenced in the very early European/Caucasian hatreds of and attempts to eliminate the Eastern (Semitic) Christian Churches.

Intentionally overlooked by the allegedly Christian US, especially the so-called liberal and progressive media, is the entire Middle East discussion of Christians and Christianity in the Holy Lands. Palestinian, Israeli, Lebanese, and Iraqi Christians are descendants and the living presence in the Holy Lands of the first true Christians.

[Dap]

Dear Ms. Rowley,

Congratulations to all of you. It sure is nice to see the Church leaders do what is correct in "real time" in-stead of waiting 400 years or more to admit it was a mistake in judgement. *Miracles never cease* (couldn't help myself had to get that dig in) :)

I found your original post on this issue very troubling and upsetting; not only because of the Church leaders decision to try and silence the Archbishop Tutu, but that they had done so because of pressure from the Zionist lobby, not to say that the Church does not have a debt to the Jewish community for transgressions of the passed. Pope John Paul's II apology alone was not enough, atonement must be more comprehensive.

The relief I found in your report/post, by the Church and the Jewish community leadership, made my eyes well-up, it's a good thing.

Great Big Dr. Leo Buscaglia ((((((((((( HUGS )))))))))))) all around, for everyone!!!
Agape.

[avergejoe]

Gimme a break!

"not to say that the Church does not have a debt to the Jewish community for transgressions of the passed. Pope John Paul's II apology alone was not enough, atonement must be more comprehensive."

How about when isreal "pays it debt" to the Palestinians!

[LeoMarvin]

It's hard to imagine Amadinijad deserving an audience, but not Tutu.

[GreatFutureForAll]

OK. Sounds fine.

However, I'm at a complete lost.

How does a university initially decide not to hear Bishop Tutu?

I mean, it's akin to turning down John the Baptist and then celebrating the fact that faculty has come to their senses and will now let John speak.

"We cannot express how relieved...we were"

I believe it.

[CriminallySane]

If I were Archbishop Desmond Tutu, I'd publicly thank UST for their reconsideration and invitation, and just as publicly decline, in order to speak elsewhere.

They do not deserve his presence.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Between this story, and hope that Salma Hayek's kid won't be bottle fed, maybe there is a god after all.

[Kansas Evans]

Good for St. Thomas!

[EspressoAtNoon]

Justice prevails!!!