Jan 18, 5:50 PM EST
Methodists: No Bush Library at SMU
By ANGELA K. BROWN
Associated Press Writer
DALLAS (AP) -- A group of Methodist ministers from across the
nation
launched an online petition drive Thursday urging Southern Methodist
University to stop trying to land George W. Bush's presidential
library.
The petition, on a new Web site, http://www.protectsmu.org , says
that "as United Methodists, we believe that the linking of his
presidency
with a university bearing the Methodist name is utterly inappropriate."
"Methodists have a long history of social conscience, so
questions
about the conduct of this president are very concerning," said one of
the
petition's organizers, the Rev. Andrew J. Weaver of New York, who
graduated from SMU's Perkins School of Theology.
Brad Cheves, SMU's vice president for external affairs and
development, said Thursday that the Methodist church is diverse in its
membership and opinions and that those involved with the petition
reflect
only one view.
"We believe the vast majority of the Methodist membership,
university and community support the library and that it will benefit
the
faculty, students and community for generations to come," Cheves said.
SMU emerged as the apparent winner in the library competition
last
month when the site selection committee said it was entering into
further
discussions with just SMU, the 11,000-student, private university,
which
is first lady Laura Bush's alma mater. The Bushes are Methodists.
President Bush said Thursday that he was "leaning heavily toward
SMU" and was close to a decision.
"I understand there are some who have reservations, and my advice
to
them is understand that a library and institution would enhance
education,
be a place for interesting discussion and be a place for people to
express
their views and write and think, and these universities I think
understand
that and are excited about the prospects, and so am I," he told Belo
Corp.
television.
Some SMU professors have opposed Bush's foreign policy, mainly
the
war in Iraq. Some faculty members also have complained that the library
complex's think tank dedicated to the philosophy of the Bush
administration would hurt the school's reputation.
But at a faculty meeting Wednesday, SMU President R. Gerald
Turner
said those fears were unfounded. He said among the library's benefits
were
increasing the school's visibility nationwide and spurring economic
development in the city.
The Rev. Mark Craig - an SMU trustee and senior minister of
Highland
Park United Methodist Church, where the Bushes are members - said that
the
petition organizers' views do not reflect the opinion of most church
members and that the petition would not affect decisions about the
library.
"The library is not about politics," Craig said. "The library is
about history, having U.S. history from a period of eight years and
that
conveyed to a great academic institution."
The project will be financed with a private fund drive aimed at
raising at least $200 million.
While SMU's president said his university's exclusive talks with
the
selection committee would resume in a few days, the other finalists are
Baylor University in Waco and the University of Dallas. A decision is
expected in a few months, when Bush receives a recommendation from the
committee.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BUSH_LIBRARY?SITE=SCFLO&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
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| Title: Re: Methodists: No Bush Library At SMU |
19 Jan 2007 11:46:38 PM |
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After Much Chewing of Cud and Cogitation, "Dr. Bipolar"
<g-ray52@excite.com> Spat the Words
Jan 18, 5:50 PM EST
Methodists: No Bush Library at SMU
The petition, on a new Web site, http://www.protectsmu.org , says
that "as United Methodists, we believe that the linking of
his presidency with a university bearing the Methodist name is
utterly inappropriate."
Right on. I read about this today... disassociation from all
things Bush... an excommunication of sorts.
"Methodists have a long history of social conscience,
so questions about the conduct of this president are very
concerning," said one of the petition's organizers, the
Rev. Andrew J. Weaver of New York, who graduated from SMU's
Perkins School of Theology.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BUSH_LIBRARY?SITE=SCFLO&SECTION=HO
ME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
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