Clergy unveil petition as president leans 'heavily' toward university as site

January 19, 2007
Clergy unveil petition as president leans 'heavily' toward university as site

Already facing sharp questions from its faculty, Southern Methodist University is now being
pressed by some Methodist clergy to drop its pursuit of the Bush library.

Petition organizers say some of Mr. Bush's actions, such as invading Iraq, detaining prisoners
without a trial and authorizing the use of torture, violate Methodist beliefs. Mr. Bush and first
lady Laura Bush are Methodists.

"As United Methodists, we believe that the linking of his presidency with a university bearing
the Methodist name is utterly inappropriate," reads the petition, which is posted at
protectsmu.org.