Northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio can expect to see light snow today, with some freezing drizzle.
Alan Keyes, a political opponent of President Obama, vowed Thursday in Fort Wayne to stand with an old ally in protesting Obama’s appearance at the University of Notre Dame’s May 17 commencement.
Keyes said the South Bend university acted shamefully when it had anti-abortion activist Randall Terry arrested May 1 over violating a no-trespassing order against him during an anti-Obama demonstration. Terry was released on $250 bond.
Keyes said he plans to protest at Notre Dame today – and won’t rule out getting arrested himself.
Keyes called Obama “the focus of, the epitome of, what the Catholic Church has decreed is the fundamental evil in the world today” because of his support of abortion rights.
Keyes also charged that Bishop John M. D’Arcy has not done enough to stop Obama’s visit. Two of four protesters who arrived with Terry stood behind him and Keyes with signs reading “Bishop D’Arcy Join Us in Jail.”
Keyes said he came to Fort Wayne because he hoped to meet with D’Arcy. However, Terry said an aide to D’Arcy told one of Terry’s staff members by phone Wednesday that the bishop’s schedule did not permit a meeting.
D’Arcy has said he will not attend Notre Dame’s commencement because Obama was invited to speak and receive an honorary degree. The bishop also has urged area Catholics to avoid “unseemly and unhelpful” demonstrations.
In a statement Thursday, D’Arcy reiterated that he “does not approve of those that are coming into the diocese to disturb the Notre Dame graduation or to drive a wedge between the bishop of the diocese and Notre Dame.”
He said he is looking forward to participating in a Baccalaureate Mass the day before the graduation as he has in the past and “praying with graduates and their families” and to continuing his “friendship” with the Rev. John I. Jenkins, Notre Dame’s president.
Terry said D’Arcy “has hurt us on the ground (because) there are good Catholics who agree with us but have not stood with us because of his statements not to demonstrate.”
Both Keyes and Terry are Catholics.
In 2004, Keyes was defeated when, as a Republican, he ran against Obama for the U.S. Senate in Illinois.
Keyes received 27 percent of the vote to Obama’s 70 percent. Keyes has since left the GOP.
Terry was arrested May 1 after supporters pushed a doll covered with fake blood in a baby carriage across the Notre Dame campus to protest abortion rights.
