NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

      SOUTH BEND, Indiana (CWNews.com) - Pro-life groups and University of Notre Dame alumni joined together on Saturday to protest the hiring of a pro-abortion, former New Jersey Senator to teach at the Catholic university this semester.

      The groups, including the Pro-Life Action League, said university officials had been unresponsive to requests that the administration cancel plans for former Democrat Sen. Bill Bradley to teach a class. Bradley had a nearly 100 percent pro-abortion record during 18 years in Congress, and has not changed his views since then, PLAL said. The protesters planned to send their message by air on Saturday, hiring two airplanes to tow banners -- reading "N.D. drop Sen. Bill Bradley" and "Sen. Bill Bradley backed abortion" -- over the opening game of the football season at the university's stadium.

      "Notre Dame failed to get the message by phone or letter," said Joseph Scheidler, executive director of PLAL, and an alumnus and former instructor at Notre Dame, "so we are sending it by air -- literally." The protesters said there is widespread criticism of the plan to have Bradley teach among faculty. "Bradley's appointment is indefensible," said Prof. Charles Rice, of the Notre Dame Law School. "It sends a message to the students that it is acceptable and even commendable for a legislator to support abortion."