The University of Notre Dame provides internet service with no filter or blocking ability of pornography, making it the largest pornography provider on campus, according to one group.
The Irish Rover, an independent student publication committed to preserving the Catholic identity of Notre Dame, originally reported on this issue in a recent edition. According to their piece, it seems that the University simply hopes students won’t look at it.
The Sycamore Trust followed up on that piece by calling the university and asking about providing access to pornography to students.
Our question:
As the ISP and the provider also of cable television to students, the University doubtless has the ability to block sites and channels that are without question egregiously pornographic. This would not, of course, prevent students from gaining access to pornography. It is too omnipresent. But at least much of the worst material might be blocked and, more importantly, the action would amount to a statement by the University. [We] assume pornographic magazines are not offered in Hammes or elsewhere on campus, but at present the University delivers it to the students via the Internet and television in large and unrestricted volume.
The University spokesperson’s answer, “essentially the same” as he had given the Rover, was – brace yourselves – that the University relies upon the students not to look.
They continue:
So one can only speculate as to the real reason the University serves as the principal distributor of pornography at Notre Dame. To make matters worse, the University charges for doing it. But what is in any event clear is that, since the University thereby acts as an enabler of what the Church teaches is grave sin, the University is not acting in accord with Ex Corde Ecclesiae’sinjunction that at a truly Catholic university “ Catholic teaching and discipline are to influence all university activities.”
This problem is likely not singular to Notre Dame. In fact, Catholic colleges that have taken measures to block access to pornography from students seem to be in the minority.
CNA reported in 2008 that the move by Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania to place internet filters on its computer network to block student access to pornography and gambling websites was controversial.
That action was undertaken by then President Jim Towey in 2006 who has since left to become President of Ave Maria University. But the Cardinal Newman Society confirmed with St. Vincent’s that the block on pornography is still in place.
The Irish Rover quoted experts on campus on this issue to explain how porn could damage students.
Fr. Wilson (Bill) Miscamble, CSC, professor of history and former rector, echoed Fr. Haag’s comments.
“Pornography tends to limit the capacity of its users to develop genuine friendships with women,” he said. “The porn habit produces individuals who have no deep commitment to the dignity of human persons and little real respect for themselves. It is deeply harmful to young men and it serves to handicap their emergence as real and mature men.”
“Notre Dame is a place that is concerned to educate the ‘whole person,’” said Fr. Miscamble. “At its best it provides for the moral development and spiritual well-being of its students.”
David G. Moss, interim director of the Gender Relations Center (GRC), said that “pornography normalizes the idea of physical intimacy without relationship. The hook-up culture adopts this fantasized concept of ‘sex whenever you want it’ and translates it for consumption in a more palatable format.”
According to Moss, there is not enough being done to raise awareness of this issue.
“The GRC is always concerned with any issue that hinders our ability to build authentic relationship in our community,” he said. “Our best weapon against this societal ill is to educate our student body about the havoc objectification of the other has on genuine relationships, and the GRC hopes to be a participant in these conversations.”
“Personal conviction is the best answer to this problem,” added Moss. “This is a difficult calling, but one that I believe the Notre Dame community is ready to accept.”
Adam Wilson
CNS Staff
Matthew Archbold
Charlotte Hays
7 Comments
I am beyond dissapointed in the decision made by the administration of Notre Dame. Permitting the students to have access to porn should not be allowed on that campus. How could a Catholic University support this kind of behavior? Notre Dame should be instilling doctrines of our faith not smut e.g. prono. I have always had the upmost respect for the teaching at ND however, after reading the many articles posted on the internet regarding issues related to Catholic education I have lost my respect for the school. I have really lost my hope in young people getting a good Catholic education at Notre Dame. I think it is time for the administration of the school to be investigated, and maybe changed.
Amazing! So, if there were a pile of smelly garbage on a sidewalk where many students pass, the University would not attempt to remove it.
‘Perhaps the students will just not look at the garbage as it would make them feel bad!’
Same issue with a cooler of unopened beer bottles on a sidewalk with heavy traffic; the University would not try and remove it….just assume the student body would not look at the beer and certainly not drink it?
Things are looking curiouser and curiouser.
The filters should be placed on all computers within the University’s jurisdiction….no questions, no explanations.
Patricia in St.Louis, MO 63123
“No man deserves to be praised for his goodness unless he has the strength of character to be wicked. All other goodness is generally nothing but indolence or impotence of will.”- La Rochefoucauld
Is this lesson they are trying to teach? Are they asking immature students to choose wisely? It certainly doesn’t mean one must first practice wickedness to learn how not to be wicked. In fact the church teaches to avoid the near occasions of sin. Catholic seminarians faced similar problems when they were required to watch pornography so as to strengthen their ability to deal with the laity. It didn’t help, it hurt! Notre Dame has become the epitome of political correctness. Why? In order to impress academia of its willingness to be broad-minded (no pun intended)?
Parents send their children to a Catholic University not only for its academic reputation but for its Catholic Identity. They are getting short changed big time.
When Nd does this they should not be suprised when the NLRB rules that many catholic colleges are NOT catholic in any meaningful way. ND of Indiana alomg with Georgetown etc. are poster illegitimate children of abandoning any semblance of the Catholic faith at once proud Catholic institutions.
We should at last realize that ND is no longer a Catholic University. Finally all good people should stop giving money to
ND.Liberal politically correct ND should not be supported.
All schools and universities should be using OpenDNS to filter out most foul material. OpenDNS.com
I’m disappointed, but not surprised. Pornography is an issue that no one wants to talk about, and bureaucratic inertia probably ensured that as internet access was introduced and improved over the last 20 years or so, the issue of filtering remained in the dark. Hopefully since this is now being brought to light, the university will take action on it. I have little doubt that people who derive self-satisfaction from bashing ND will go around saying that the university promotes pornography, but that can’t be helped.