Open hearts, open minds

"Open hearts. Open minds. Fair-minded words."

Those words capture the message President Obama gave in his commencement address to the Notre Dame graduates.

It didn't have the scope and profundity of his Philadelphia speech on race during the campaign, but it was like it in that he chose to address candidly the issue at the midst of a controversy surrounding him. This time he spoke openly about abortion at a Catholic university.

The question, then, is how do we work through these conflicts? Is it possible for us to join hands in common effort? As citizens of a vibrant and varied democracy, how do we engage in vigorous debate? How does each of us remain firm in our principles, and fight for what we consider right, without demonizing those with just as strongly held convictions on the other side?

Nowhere do these questions come up more powerfully than on the issue of abortion.

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[W]hen we open our hearts and our minds to those who may not think like we do or believe what we do - that's when we discover at least the possibility of common ground.

That's when we begin to say, "Maybe we won't agree on abortion, but we can still agree that this is a heart-wrenching decision for any woman to make, with both moral and spiritual dimensions.

So let's work together to reduce the number of women seeking abortions by reducing unintended pregnancies, and making adoption more available, and providing care and support for women who do carry their child to term. Let's honor the conscience of those who disagree with abortion, and draft a sensible conscience clause, and make sure that all of our health care policies are grounded in clear ethics and sound science, as well as respect for the equality of women."

Understand - I do not suggest that the debate surrounding abortion can or should go away. No matter how much we may want to fudge it - indeed, while we know that the views of most Americans on the subject are complex and even contradictory - the fact is that at some level, the views of the two camps are irreconcilable. Each side will continue to make its case to the public with passion and conviction. But surely we can do so without reducing those with differing views to caricature.

Open hearts. Open minds. Fair-minded words.

And thus Obama showed us once again his admirable spirit of respect and empathy and honesty, of disagreeing without demonizing the adversary, and of reaching out to bring people together in common cause, even if not in agreement.

That is the most we can hope for in a diverse, pluralistic society.

This is a president we can be proud to have elected. He calls us to be our better selves.

Ralph