Student Petition Clamors for Repurposing Part of Exhibit which Features Senator Mitch McConnell and Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao

A sitting U.S. Senator and his Asian-American wife, who is serving as a U.S. Department of Transportation secretary in the Trump administration, apparently have two fewer fans at the University of Louisville. Two petition gatherers at the university want to repurpose a part of an exhibit in the university’s library to focus on other subjects, such as LGBTQ issues.

Who is the senator in question? Republican and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. His wife is Elaine Chao, who served in the George W. Bush administration at the Department of Labor and is now serving as the Department of Transportation secretary in the Trump administration. Senator McConnell is a graduate of the university and the archives bears the name, “McConnell Chao Archives.”

Apparently, their public service record is too partisan for the likes of the petition gatherers.

The exhibit in the library is the “Civic Engagement Gallery,” which is a part of the University of Louisville archives. Senator McConnell and Secretary Chao donate items periodically for record-keeping or display, and at the gallery’s unveiling, Senator McConnell said he hoped that this gallery “will help to educate people about the importance and the purpose of Congress, and the value of our two-party system.”

The gallery has been open since 2009 and this appears to be the first petition to change the content and design of the gallery. When asked for a comment on the petition, a spokesperson said that there are no plans to change or alter the gallery.

Since many Millennials and college students believe socialism is a better economic system than capitalism, won’t a gallery exhibit like this one become more valuable? Or, wouldn’t it highlight how politics should be educational, not extremely partisan or antagonistic?

Related Topics