LOS ANGELES, April 18, 2016 (LifeSiteNews) – Loyola Marymount University alumni, donors, parents, and faculty are asking the university president to withdraw his decision to honor President Bill Clinton as its 2016 commencement speaker.
Under the auspices of RenewLMU, an alliance to strengthen the university’s Catholic identity, the group wrote an open letter to LMU President Dr. Timothy Synder.
“If you as President of LMU treated a 21 year old intern in your office as [Clinton] did, you would be fired as president and never honored in any way at LMU,” the signers wrote. “Why should the standards be lower for a President of the United States? If LMU cares about sexual harassment, it should not honor someone repeatedly and credibly accused of such activity.”
LMU shocked faithful Catholics by announcing last week that it would honor the former U.S. President. Clinton is famous for his adulterous sexual affair with a young White House intern and subsequent impeachment for perjury and obstruction of justice, as well as his adamant support of abortion and same-sex “marriage.”
“Moreover, it is inappropriate in an election year to honor the spouse of a leading candidate thereby politicizing an event that should be unifying,” RenewLMU’s letter continued. “Finally, President Clinton’s steadfast support of abortion on demand, including even partial birth abortion, is incompatible with LMU’s Jesuit emphasis on social justice for all human beings.”
“I sign this exhortation as a member of the LMU Class of 2016,” wrote Joseph Berg on RenewLMU’s website. “It besmirches the names of my class and LMU to be associated with President Clinton in this way; honoring him in this way grossly undermines LMU’s stance on justice for all and opposition to sexual harassment.”
When asked for comment, Loyola Marymount University referred LifeSiteNews to its news release announcing Clinton as commencement speaker.
“LMU reflects the cultural amnesia in which it, well, ‘basks,’” former LMU philosophy professor Dr. James Hanink told LifeSiteNews. “LMU shows that, with respect to Catholic education, it is a ‘failed’ university.”
LMU is hosting Clinton less than a month after its university-approved LGBT Student Services hosted “Rainbow Week,” which featured on-campus events such as a screening of the pro-gay film Fish Out of Water to explore “consolidating ones religious affiliation with their LGBT identities”; and days focused on transgenderism, “Lesbian Awareness,” and bisexuality.
“President Clinton’s record is one of scandal, immorality and support for the destruction of innocent human life,” the Cardinal Newman Society wrote. “And his Clinton Foundation continues to partner with and fund some of the largest organizations around the world dedicated to snuffing out babies in the womb — such as Planned Parenthood.”
Earlier this month, LMU awarded abortion- and LGBT-agenda pusher Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations, an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.
In addition to hosting Clinton at its May 7 commencement, LMU will host a “Lavender Graduation” on April 30.
According to the Jesuit university’s website, “Lavender Celebration is an event that recognizes LGBT students of all races and ethnicities and acknowledges their achievements and contributions to the university. Through such recognition, LGBT students may leave the university with a positive last experience of the institution thereby, encouraging them to become involved mentors for current students as well as contributing alumni.”
RenewLMU invites concerned Catholics to add their names to the letter to Snyder.