Spring Break
Let's not allow politics to get the better of Bush Library discourse
Rebekah Miles, rlmiles@smu.edu
Issue date: 3/27/07 Section: Opinion
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Among the many gifts left us by the late Molly Ivins is this great truth: "You can't ignore politics-no matter how much you'd like to."
At the moment, I would like nothing better than to ignore politics - especially the politics involved in the decisions and debates around the Bush Library and Institute. And I was doing just that -ignoring it -when I came upon an opinion piece written by a colleague and friend in the theological school that contained inaccuracies. It did not reflect well on some of us at SMU and the United Methodist Church who make up the membership of the Mission Council that recently approved SMU's request for the use of land for the Bush Library and Institute. I simply wanted to correct inaccuracies in this opinion piece and speak a word for those - including myself - whose integrity was questioned.
First, the author of this opinion piece reported that she found the Mission Council's decision "incomprehensible" and then added the following: "Even more mystifying is the fact that the theology school dean and a professor of theological ethics spoke in favor of the Mission Council voting in a way that runs completely counter to SMU's bylaws. But then, they spoke at the behest of President Turner."
As the theological ethics professor in question, I simply wanted to clear up the record. I did not speak at the behest of President Turner and had not even talked with him about the Mission Council meeting until the meeting was actually underway. I volunteered several months ago to help in any way - particularly with United Methodist constituencies. As a United Methodist clergy person who is very active in the national and regional life of the United Methodist Church and who was aware of the upcoming Mission Council meeting, I wanted to be there. And, if President Turner had asked me to come to the meeting, I would never have said something I did not believe. Surely this is true as well for the dean of our theological school, who is also an active United Methodist clergy person. And surely, too, President Turner would never ask me, the dean, or any other member of our community to say something we did not believe.
At the moment, I would like nothing better than to ignore politics - especially the politics involved in the decisions and debates around the Bush Library and Institute. And I was doing just that -ignoring it -when I came upon an opinion piece written by a colleague and friend in the theological school that contained inaccuracies. It did not reflect well on some of us at SMU and the United Methodist Church who make up the membership of the Mission Council that recently approved SMU's request for the use of land for the Bush Library and Institute. I simply wanted to correct inaccuracies in this opinion piece and speak a word for those - including myself - whose integrity was questioned.
First, the author of this opinion piece reported that she found the Mission Council's decision "incomprehensible" and then added the following: "Even more mystifying is the fact that the theology school dean and a professor of theological ethics spoke in favor of the Mission Council voting in a way that runs completely counter to SMU's bylaws. But then, they spoke at the behest of President Turner."
As the theological ethics professor in question, I simply wanted to clear up the record. I did not speak at the behest of President Turner and had not even talked with him about the Mission Council meeting until the meeting was actually underway. I volunteered several months ago to help in any way - particularly with United Methodist constituencies. As a United Methodist clergy person who is very active in the national and regional life of the United Methodist Church and who was aware of the upcoming Mission Council meeting, I wanted to be there. And, if President Turner had asked me to come to the meeting, I would never have said something I did not believe. Surely this is true as well for the dean of our theological school, who is also an active United Methodist clergy person. And surely, too, President Turner would never ask me, the dean, or any other member of our community to say something we did not believe.
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