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	SLU Graduation Ceremony Sparks Protests By Philip Deitch The Vital Voice May 17, 2010 http://thevitalvoice.com/node/7645 Saint Louis University’s graduation ceremony in the Chaifetz Arena, May 15 included silent protests by some students and faculty in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights. The protest was generated by the choice of the graduation speaker, the Vatican's U.S. Ambassador, Archbishop Pietro Sambi. KSDK TV first reported on the protest, May 12 saying “the (student) group, which includes Catholic, non-Catholic, straight, and same-sex students, points to news reports and says Archbishop Sambi verbally "attacked" a 2005 gay pride festival in Jerusalem. And they say Sambi verbally "attacked" a clergy abuse victim and protester in Washington, D.C.” This effort was apparently managed by individuals, protesting as individuals, and not as an official or endorsed program by the campus Rainbow Alliance. Protesting students set up a facebook page; the initial facebook protest read “As students at Saint Louis University, we do not find the Apostolic Nuncio Pietro Sambi to be an acceptable speaker for the Commencement ceremony that will take place on May 15th. His views and actions are alienating to many members of the graduating class and the SLU community. By actively organizing against an LGBT pride festival in Jerusalem in 2005, he demonstrated a level of homophobia and bigotry inconsistent with the principles of Social Justice that call for the respect of every person's dignity. Furthermore, Sambi's recently revealed comments and attitude towards the victims of sex abuse by Catholic priests is despicable and inexcusable. The speaker at commencement is supposed to be the departing voice of wisdom and encouragement for graduating seniors. SLU's departing words to its graduates should never come in the form of alienation and disrespect. Pietro Sambi is not qualified for this job.” There were 210 graduates eligible to attend the ceremony. While it is hard to know the exact number of students protesting, this reporter could spot a dozen students who pasted rainbow colored targets to the tops of their graduation caps with a few students holding them up throughout the entire 25-minute approximate time that the Archbishop gave his address. These students were mostly in the School of Arts and Science and also the School of Education and Public Service. One faculty member in the School of Social Work had a rainbow flag pasted to the top of his cap and a number of other faculty members wore rainbow flag pins on their robes. Some students in the School of Communications had brought books with them which they read while the Archbishop spoke. The University was aware that students would be wearing these rainbows and took no advance action to stop it. Many other graduating students decorated their caps and robes with representations of their field of major or their fraternity or sorority. Students graduating from the School of Aviation had folded paper planes which they launched upon being declared graduates. While photographing these students after the ceremony two other young male graduates asked that they not be given any additional publicity with one saying, “they ruined my graduation, taking attention away from why we were here” and the other saying, “they blocked my view by holding up their caps”. A counter facebook page was set up by students defending the choice of Sambi as graduation speaker. It was begun by Andrew Miller stating in one post “I just wanted to mention that I am appreciative with those opposed to Sambi because my understanding is that they will show their unhappiness with his selection in a way that is silent and non-disruptive to the commencement ceremonies tomorrow. I am sincerely grateful if this is the case because most graduating seniors are neutral on this issue and their graduations’ should not be disrupted.” The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) held a demonstration just a few blocks away at the corner of Lindell and Grand. They were highlighting the comments previously reported by a Washington, D.C. man who claims that as a child in Italy he was abused by Catholic Priests. The man has also reported that Archbishop Sambi has verbally abused him in Italian for protesting on this issue outside of the Archbishops office in Washington, D.C. ("Shame. Shame. Shame. Shame. You are a stinking pervert." or "Schemo. Schemo. Schemo. Schemo. Sei un pervertito fetente." on Oct. 21, 2008) The Archbishop’s office has not made any comments on the man’s allegation and the original news source can provide no collaboration. The Archbishop received very polite applause after he completed his talk. Another of the three honorary Doctorate recipients was Sister Antona Ebo, civil rights icon. Protesting students had suggested her as an alternative speaker in their KSDK interview. This was done of course without her knowledge or contact with her in any way. She did receive several minutes of a standing ovation by everyone in the arena (students, faculty and guests), who were clearly moved by her inspiring life story. In its press release announcing the SLU protest, SNAP also announced that it had uncovered the names of two more former SLU faculty who've allegedly committed sex crimes. This follows other incidents that have occurred on campus summarized in a report on April 19 in dailyRFT.com “It's not been a good year so far for Saint Louis University's reputation as a tolerant place to go to school. Racial slurs have been scrawled on walls and a student's door was vandalized. Another student was called a nigger and threatened with a lynching. A cross decorated by the Rainbow Alliance, a LGBT group, was stolen. Most recently, two student government leaders resigned after photos of them posing with a makeshift noose went public.” The University is initiating some new efforts to promote respect for diversity.
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