Even Texas doesn't like him: SMU protesting the George Bush presidential library

[Initech]

The likelihood that the George W. Bush presidential library will be located at SMU has not been welcome news for at least one segment of the university community. A letter, dated December 16, from "Faculty, Administrators, & Staff" of the Perkins School of Theology to R. Gerald Turner, president of the Board of Trustees, is now circulating not only on the SMU campus but also among a wider academic community, urging the board to "reconsider and to rescind SMU's pursuit of the presidential library."

Texas Monthly has obtained a copy of this letter, which, as you might expect, focuses heavily on objections to Bush's policies: "We count ourselves among those who would regret to see SMU enshrine attitudes and actions widely deemed as ethically egregious: degradation of habeas corpus, outright denial of global warming, flagrant disregard for international treaties, alienation of long-term U.S. allies, environmental predation, shameful disrespect for gay persons and their rights, a pre-emptive war based on false and misleading premises, and a host of other erosions of respect for the global human community and for this good Earth on which our flourishing depends."

"These violations are antithetical to the teaching, scholarship, and ethical thinking that best represents Southern Methodist University."

<snip>

The model for a presidential library is the one right here in Austin. To Lyndon Johnson's credit, he wanted the library to be a place where, as he said at the dedication in 1971, history could be seen "with the bark off." Unlike other presidential libraries--Nixon's and Kennedy's come to mind--there is no history here of the library administration treating historians it regards as unfavorable to the president differently from historians who are favorable. Ironically, the LBJ library has probably done more to advance the reputation of its subject more than any other presidential library--not by design, but simply by releasing his telephone tapes into the public sphere. That's the way history is supposed to work.

http://www.texasmonthly.com/community/blog/paulburka/2006/12/protest-at-smu-targets-bush-library.php?click_code=06b31b83f2d0a0262e90155981e8ad2a

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Good for SMU! n/t

[Ezlivin]

2. Who needs such a big library? This should do just fine...

[Initech]

4. Better yet, all you really need is a copy of "My Pet Goat"!

[DURHAM D]

3. I know what they can do with it -

Duke University turned down the Nixon library many years ago because a few faculty members did not want it. The town of Durham would have greatly benefited from having the library located there. Probably the dumbest mistake ever by the university and town.

So, Duke should approach Bush and beg him to locate it in Durham to help correct their previous poor decision making.

[Not_Giving_Up]

5. Maybe Texas A&M could just clear a couple of shelves in Poppy's library

For junior's copies of My Pet Goat and Green Eggs and Ham.

No, that would make Poppy cry again on TV.

[immoderate]

6. They should put it in Saudi Arabia.

--IMM :)

[texastoast]

7. YEAH!

I like your thinking!

[immoderate]

8. Thanks, but I've got a better one...

They should put it in Spandau Prison, so he can work there while he serves out his sentence.

:) :)

--IMM

[Gabi Hayes]

9. unfortunately, there's a four word answer for this:

five hundred million dollars