Trojan Horse

When plans were first proposed of putting the GW Bush library at Southern Methodist University I wrote about my distaste for the choice (probably before I started blogging). One of my sisters disagreed with me, saying that having the Bush papers there will allow good Methodist students to research his presidency and shed light on his secrets, besides lending prestige to SMU.

Turns out I was right in my distaste -- the deal, designed by Karl Rove, is highly rigged. In addition to getting the library itself, SMU must accept an educational institute that is highly partisan and completely autonomous. This institute borrows on SMU prestige, yet will have the goals of rewriting the Bush legacy, making sure secrets stay secret, and pushing the domination of the GOP right wing on American politics. This institute would corrode the neutrality and objectivity of American higher education. SMU doesn't even get compensating dollars for the deal. The lease is for 99 years with a 249 year extension, all for a single dollar. Rove gets to subvert a mainline denomination and recruit, train, support, organize, and deploy the next generation of right-wing political operatives. The United Methodist Church, which wholly owns SMU, will vote on the deal July 15-16. I think the cost is way too high and should be soundly rejected.