Bush Think Tank Opponents Mount Final Push

By Angela K. Brown - Associated Press
Thursday, July 17, 2008 - Web Link
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July 17, 2008

After a nearly two-year losing battle, some Methodist ministers and professors mounted their final big push Wednesday to try to stop President Bush's think tank from being built as part of his presidential library complex at Southern Methodist University.

They pleaded their case to some of the 290 delegates in the church's South Central Jurisdiction, which is meeting this week in Dallas. The jurisdiction is to discuss the matter Thursday and may vote on it.

"We have faculty and research fellows who represent a wide diversity of ideological and political views; that's what strengthens a university. That's what builds its academic reputation. That is undermined when you have on the campus an institute that actually promotes one particular ideology," Valerie Karras, associate professor of church history at SMU's Perkins School of Theology, told reporters before addressing delegates.

Many of those who oppose building the think tank at SMU don't oppose the Bush presidential library and museum. University officials, however, say the public policy institute cannot be separated from the project.

Opponents say the think tank does not meet SMU or church rules because it would not be used for educational or religious purposes and would be outside the university's control.

They also say its goal of promoting the Bush administration's policies — such as the Iraq war and harsh interrogation techniques of military prisoners — conflicts with church teachings.

The jurisdiction owns the land, but SMU officials say the library complex is a done deal. In March 2007, the Methodist church's mission council — a smaller body that votes on important issues cropping up between the jurisdiction's meetings every four years — gave its blessing for SMU to lease the land for 99 years to the Bush Foundation.