Mount Hood

Chief’s kicker under fire for commencement speech

Written by: Jaylin Hardin | Sports Editor

Kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs football team, Harrison Butker, has recently come under fire for a commencement speech he gave May 11, 2024, at Benedictine College in Atchinson, Kansas. Benedictine is a Catholic college and Butker is of the Catholic faith. 

In his 20-minute address, Butker denounced abortion rights, Pride Month, COVID-19 lockdowns and “the tyranny of diversity, equity and inclusion,” as well as criticized Catholic Priests with a Taylor Swift lyric. But, it was how he addressed the female graduates that has been condemned the most on social media.

“I want to speak directly to you briefly because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you. How many of you are sitting here now about to cross the stage, and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you’re going to get in your career?” Butker asked. “Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world. But I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.”

Since then, Butker has faced backlash online from fans of the Chiefs and Taylor Swift alike, with a petition circulating around social media to remove him from the team. 

The nuns of Benedictine denounced Butker’s address in a statement posted to Facebook: “The sisters of Mount St. Scholastica do not believe that Harrison Butker’s comments in his 2024 Benedictine College commencement address represent the Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts college that our founders envisioned and in which we have been so invested.” Mount St. Scholastica was one of the founding churches of Benedictine College. 

Members of the Catholic Church have had mixed reactions to Butker’s commencement speech, with a majority praising him for his statement. 

“I was thinking about my dad, who was also here, and how he’s probably clapping and so happy to see what he would say is a real man (reflecting) family values, good religious upbringing and representation of Christ to people,” ValerieAnne Volpe, who graduated from Benedictine with an art degree, said to the Associated Press. “You can just hear that he loves his wife. You can hear that he loves his family.”

Other students told The Associated Press in interviews that they embrace the college’s emphasis on Catholic teaching and practice.

“It’s a renewal of some really, really good things that we might have lost,” one student said. On the other end, some Catholics have lamented their frustration with Butker’s statements. One graduate, Kassidy Neuner, told The Associated Press that the kicker should have made it clear that men can be homemakers, too.

On May 24, 2024, Butker spoke at the Regina Caeli Academy Courage Under Fire Gala in Nashville, Tennessee about the backlash he has received.

“It is now, over the past few days, my beliefs or what people think I believe have been the focus of countless discussions around the globe,” Butker said Friday. “At the outset, many people expressed a shocking level of hate. But as the days went on, even those who disagreed with my viewpoints shared their support for my freedom of religion. My hope is that tonight’s theme and our mission will embolden others, that many more will be unapologetic of their Catholic faith and never be afraid to speak out for truth, even when it goes against the loudest voices.”




Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

2021 graduation ceremony decided

Western’s Commencement Committee finalizes graduation plans  

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

Over Spring Break, the Western Oregon University Commencement Committee completed their discussion on how the 2021 Commencement ceremony will be hosted.

According to the email sent out to seniors on March 29, the committee has decided to hold both a virtual and an in person celebration. 

For the in person celebration, students and their families will decorate their cars and drive along a designated “celebration route.” At the end of the drive, each student will be able to walk across a graduation stage while being photographed by a professional photographer and their family, if desired. These celebrations will take place on June 12 and June 13.

For students who are living off campus due to the pandemic, the committee has decided to host a virtual Commencement ceremony where all of the graduates’ names will be read. The virtual ceremony will be available on June 11 at 6 p.m.

Students interested in participating in both events will need to RSVP by visiting wou.edu/graduation/ by May 4 in order to participate. 

For all other questions email the registrar at clarkaj@wou.edu.

Contact the author at scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

Commencement Committee in final stages of graduation plans

Graduation format survey currently under review by committee

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

This year’s graduating seniors are currently waiting on plans from the Western Oregon University Commencement Committee.

On Jan. 7, the committee sent out a survey to students, inviting them to voice opinions on how this year’s graduation ceremony should be structured. Within the survey, students were given three graduation format options: graduation parade, graduation week or a graduation drive-thru. The option of a normal graduation ceremony was not offered, as the committee already decided against the idea. 

According to the survey results listed on wou.edu/graduation, of the 447 participants, 257 students listed graduation week as their first choice in their preferred mode of graduation. A drive-thru ceremony, with 227 votes, was the second preferred option and the graduation parade had 231 votes as the third option.

“I know that some people may not agree with me,” said senior molecular biology major Paige Gillespie, “but I think given the pandemic they had reasonable options that still benefit those that are graduating.”

Gillespie noted her disappointment that her family will not be able to see her graduate in person.

“I was only going to participate for my family, as I am the first person in my family to graduate from college,” said Gillespie. “But the sense of accomplishment is still there … I think I chose the one with the parade of sorts because I thought it would be the coolest.”

At this time, the committee is still deliberating the preferred method for the 2021 graduation ceremony, and plans to announce the graduation format on March 29.

The story will be updated as more information is released.

Contact the author at scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu