Methodist ministers launch petition to stop Bush library from going to SMU
By Angela K. Brown, Canadian Press
Published: Friday, January 19, 2007
DALLAS (AP) - A group of Methodist ministers from across the United States launched an online petition Thursday urging Southern Methodist University to stop trying to land George W. Bush's presidential library.
The petition, on a newly created website, 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, Rev. Andrew 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 the alma mater of Bush's wife, Laura. The Bushes are Methodists.
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 Gerald Turner said those fears were unfounded. He said among the library's benefits were increasing the school's visibility and spurring economic development in the city.
The project will be financed with a private fund drive aimed at raising at least US$200 million.
While SMU's president said his university' exclusive talks with the selection committee would resume in a few days, the other finalists are Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and the University of Dallas. A decision is expected in a few months.
© The Canadian Press 2007
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