Monday, January 28, 2008

Bush Presidential Library


Quote of the day:
"The only devils in the world are those running around in our own hearts. That is where they need to be fought."
--Gandhi

Here’s an item from the United Methodist News Service:

“Officials of Southern Methodist University say they have approval to give the George W. Bush Foundation a 99-year lease to build a presidential library, museum and policy institute on school property. The lease is renewable up to 249 years.

“However, United Methodists who oppose building the library and institute here argue that only the church's South Central Jurisdictional Conference can give final approval for the lease. The jurisdictional conference, which meets once every four years, is scheduled to meet this July in Dallas.

“University officials and 10 bishops in the South Central Jurisdiction say jurisdictional rules permit its Mission Council, which is the executive committee of the jurisdictional conference, to make decisions between sessions. In a closed executive session last March, the Mission Council voted 10-4, with one abstention, to allow SMU to lease to the foundation up to 36 acres on the southeast side of campus.

“The opposing opinions suggest that the project's future may depend on interpretation of church law. The library and museum would be administered by the National Archives and Records Administration. The policy institute--over which the school would have no control--would be run by an independent board.

“The project is to be financed with a private fund drive conducted by the George Bush Presidential Library Foundation. Cost estimates hover around $500 million. President Bush and his wife, Laura, are United Methodists, and the first lady is a 1968 graduate of SMU.

“Opponents have questioned the appropriateness of linking the Bush presidency with SMU, an 11,000-student school founded in 1911 by what is now The United Methodist Church. Critics argue that many policies of the Bush administration have been contrary to United Methodist teaching.

“Proponents say the library would be an invaluable and prestigious resource for scholarly research and would enhance SMU's educational mission, as well as help the local economy."

For more on this story, go here.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Two comments:
Isn't "George W Bush Library" an oxymoron?
George calls himself a United Methodist? Puh-leeze!

Craig Dorval said...

He is indeed a member of the UMC. So is Hillary Clinton, who in high school was deeply influenced by the social conscience of her UMC youth leader