SMU - From Bush to Blair (The Low Road)

Southern Methodist University in Dallas agreed a couple of weeks ago to provide a home for the George W. Bush library - both books. A number of the faculty at SMU, along with a number of Methodist ministers, disagreed with that decision, feeling that Bush does not represent the type of person with which SMU should be associated, in spite of the fact that he was not elected president twice.

Now SMU has invited the former prime minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Tony Blair, to come to SMU and become the sixth recipient of the Medal of Freedom. The formal ceremonies will take place this coming Wednesday, March 5.

The Medal of Freedom is presented every two years by SMU's John Goodwin Tower Center for Political Studies. The John Goodwin Tower Center educates undergraduates in international relations, comparative politics and political institutions. The medal is presented to someone "who has furthered the cause of freedom throughout the world."

Some folks think Blair did good work in Britain by transforming Britain's public services - especially in the areas of education and health. Let's see, what else did he do? How did he further "the cause of freedom throughout the world?"

Well, as more than a few UK residents say, "Bush's poodle" (that's what they call Blair) was one of the few world leaders to support the Iraq travesty, and he did say nice things about the U.S. after 9/11.

But isn't this medal usually given to famous Republican poohbahs or American war heroes?

So what's going on? Could this medal giving thing be a payback of sorts? SMU and the current White House kinda walk hand-in-hand these days, what with SMU putting up this $200 million dollar Bush library. And didn't Laura attend SMU? And doesn't Laura serve on the board of trustees? And hasn't old Dickie Cheney (any relation to Lon Chaney?) been a trustee?

The answer to all the above questions is "yes." (Except for the Lon Chaney one.)

I was surprised to learn that Blair has not yet found time to pick up the Congressional Gold Medal which our Republican Congress awarded to him for his 9/11 support and for following Bush into the Iraq quagmire.

Politics is so interesting! All kinds of people die and the poohbahs get medals of "freedom."