Did you know that while the truth isn’t always pretty, that doesn’t make it false or defamatory? If so, you’re one step ahead of a pro-abortion university professor who recently had to be told as much by a judge after she sued the campus paper for reporting that she was, in fact, pro-abortion. Students for Life of America (SFLA) has been following this story from the beginning — when the paper originally reported on their professor’s anti-life beliefs and actions at their Catholic school — but in case you need a refresher, here’s some background on the case:  

How It Began  

In late 2022, the student-run campus paper The Irish Rover found that University of Notre Dame (UND) global affairs and sociology professor Tamara Kay was acting out in pro-abortion ways (despite working at a Catholic institution) following the reversal of Roe v. Wade. In an earlier blog, SFLA reported:  

“After the state of Indiana passed a restrictive abortion law… Kay posted a sign on her office door on campus which stated, “This is a SAFE SPACE to get help and information on ALL Healthcare issues and access—confidentially with care and compassion.” She also included her non-university email, but perhaps the most interesting thing on Kay’s door was the capital letter ‘J.’   

“According to the student-run campus paper “The Irish Rover,” this letter ‘J’ on UND office doors is supposed to denote which professors want to organize obtaining either Plan B (an abortifacient) or Chemical Abortion pills for students. The campus paper explained that this was laid out in a social media post by Kay, which read: “We are here (as private citizens, not representatives of ND) to help you access healthcare when you need it, and we are prepared in every way. Look for the “J”, Spread the word to students!”   

“Kay further affirmed her abortion support in a comment to The Rover, saying: “For me, abortion is a policy issue. And yes, my view runs afoul of Church teaching, but in other areas, my positions are perfectly aligned [with the Church].”   

To learn more about this, read “BREAKING: Notre Dame Professor Allegedly Works Around Indiana Law & Catholic Values to Arrange Student Abortions.”  

The Abortion Lobby Loves Their Lawyers 

However, the Rover’s reporting of the facts apparently didn’t sit too well with Kay. The ugly truth may have been too much to handle as the professor announced in mid-2023 that she was suing the student paper. In another SFLA article, we reported:  

“Kay has filed a civil suit in the state of Indiana claiming that the Irish Rover articles covering her activism are “defamatory and false.” A statement released by the editorial staff of the paper on July 11 says DeReuil was sent a letter by Kay’s lawyer in early April which stated her “intent to sue the Rover for defamation. The letter also demanded that the Rover retract the October 12 and March 22 articles so as to ‘mitigate damages that may be awarded or recovered in this case.’ ‘An apologize [sic] should also be offered to Dr. Tamara Kay,’ the letter added.”  

“DeReuil, a friend to Students for Life of America (SFLA) advocates, told SFLA, “The Rover plans to file an anti-SLAPP motion to dismiss the lawsuit. Because Kay’s claims are baseless, we wish to put this behind us as quickly as possible so that we can restore our focus upon promoting the Catholic identity of Notre Dame.”  

To learn more about this, read “BREAKING NEWS: Pro-Abortion Notre Dame Professor Sues Student Paper After Reporting on Her Abortion Activism.”  

A Win for Free Speech  

And now the story has concluded with a happy ending for The Rover. The Associated Press reported that an Indiana state judge ruled in favor of the student-run publication earlier this week, with St. Joseph County Judge Steven David writing:  

“Because the Court has found that the alleged defamatory statements were true, within the meaning of the law, not made with actual malice, did not contain a defamatory inference, and there were no damages that were causally linked to The Irish Rover Articles, Dr. Kay’s defamation claim fails and the statements in the Articles were lawful.” 

The College Fix added, “The court found Kay had a history of “advocating abortion legalization,” including through her social media and published commentary in newspapers and academic journals. Therefore, she “has intentionally placed herself into the national discussion on abortion,” Judge David wrote.”  

We have just one thing to add. If it bothers you to be called pro-abortion (when you clearly are, even to the point of a judge affirming so), doesn’t that tell you there’s something wrong with being pro-abortion? If it makes you squirm to see that in writing, shouldn’t it indicate that abortion isn’t something to be proud of — maybe even something to fight against?  

Food for thought.  

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