The Day Stack Fell

I still remember when I heard the news. I wasn't an Aggie. I didn't know what one was, either.

But I remember the news coverage. I remember my mom talking to our neighbors who had a son in the corps and was supposed to be at stack that night. I didn't think about it much until I become a Fightin' Texas Aggie myself. I knew that a big bonfire had collapsed and that some people were killed, and even more injured. I didn't know the loss that rocked Aggieland or that I'd be there at the opening of the memorial on the 5 year anniversary that stack fell.

Bonfire is an Aggie tradition dating way back into Old Army to 1909 {Old Army: the time before now}. It burned tall and bright the night before each Texas game and was the culmination of months of preparation from the entire campus. Students skipped class, skipped homework, and worked all night for weeks to get bonfire built. Generations of Aggies returned to Aggieland for bonfire and midnight yell.

{Student Bonfire off-campus '09}

On November 18, 1999, at 2:42 am, days before burn, the Texas Aggie bonfire collapsed killing 12 students and injuring dozens of others. It was, and still is devastating. These were students who loved being Aggies and believed in the Spirit and Bonfire. That some died was heartwrenching.

{Source}

Bonfire has not burned on campus since then {although it does burn elsewhere}, and a memorial has been built on the polo fields. And every November 18th at 2:42 am, Aggies still gather at Bonfire memorial and silently stand and remember. I was here when this picture was taken. It was one of the most powerful things I have ever taken part in.

{Source}

There is a poem called the Last Corps Trip that's carved into the stone at the entrance to the memorial. This addendum was written after stack fell, and although it's not published or read anywhere {as far as I know} it was read when Bonfire memorial opened. I can remember standing at the opening ceremony and hearing a survivor tearfully read this. He loved bonfire, and he loves A&M, and is still heartbroken at the loss. And even though I don't agree with the theology, I still cry every time I read either one of these.

{Source: Texas A&M Photo Stream}

After the Last Corps Trip

by: Kathryn Holmes Smith

{source}

And the colonel of the Cadet Corps said,As he stiffly took his stand,
"It's just another Corps Trip, boys
We'll march in behind the band."

Then heaven's pearly portals opened,
Hosts of Angels showed the way,
For that Fighting Texas Aggie group
On that final Judgment Day.

When more Aggies came in view.
Twelve dressed in Bonfire gear
Walking arm and arm, and singing
Of the School they hold so dear.
Twelve Aggie voices said "Howdy"
To the keepers of the Gate.
"Working hard we just lost track of time,
We hope we're not too late."

"It's the Fighting Aggie Bonfire Crew,"
St. Peter said, Behold."
They're ready to light up Heaven,
With their courage and faith so bold".

"I would often watch them building,
That Stack so large and high,
And surely knew the time would come
They would build it in the sky."

And so the twelve came through the Gates,
St. Peter said, "Don't fear,
You are just in time for Roll Call"
One by one, they answered. . . Here.'

We will always remember '99

No H8

UPDATE: The Student Body President vetoed the bill as of 4/26 at approximately 3:00. It now goes back to the Senate.

Pardon me. I'm about to hijack my own blog, and get on my soap box. I'm going to be controversial, and I'm going to say things that you might disagree with. I don't usually do that; the last place I need a political/social debate is on my blog. But, sometimes, you just have to say something. And for me, it's now. I just have to say something.

I've posted before about why I love Texas A&M. I love that guys still give up their seat on the bus for me, and hold open doors. I love that people are generally friendly and look out for each other {(one time I felt sick riding my bike to campus and laid down on some grass. Within seconds someone pulled over to make sure I was OK)}. I love Silver Taps, and Muster, and Yell Practice, and The Spirit, and The War Hymn.

Yet, I'm growing weary of the rhetoric surrounding the GLBTA (Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender Aggies) and the GLBT resource center. Recently, the Texas A&M Student Senate passed a resolution to support legislation that would require campuses with LGBT resource centers to also have "Traditional Family Values Centers." This was recently put into the budget bill passed by the Texas House. In addition to requiring these centers, the legislation does not allow student fees to be raised to cover it's operation; rather funds allocated for LGBT resource centers would be split.

The argument is that all students should have access to services and resources based on their own beliefs. And while I respect that being part of the LGBT community is controversial {(although I have a hard time understanding this)}, I have to wonder what the true motives of the bill are. On this campus, there are over 100 recognized religious organizations, of which roughly 90 are Christian organizations {(this doesn't count the ministries in the area which serve the college-aged population)} for students who wish to learn about "traditional family values {(and would someone please tell me what those are, anyways?)}. All are eligible to apply for various funding through the university. In contrast there is one organization for members of the LGBT community, and one resource center {(which doesn't push information on anyone, btw)}. Studies have shown that in conservative areas that LGBT youth {(which arguably can describe people up to the age of 25)} are more likely to commit suicide than their straight peers.

This is no surprise when you consider that since I've been here (August 2004) there have been numerous protests comparing LGBT individuals to animals, or refering to them as subhuman, as satanic. It is being made clear that many do not consider LGBT individuals Aggies. In a recent open letter to the student senate, one commenter says as much. This is unacceptable to me. At one point, women weren't Aggies, but here I am. At one point, minorities weren't Aggies. But they are. We are ALL Aggies. We don't have to agree, or like each other, or speak to each other. But we should treat each other with respect, and dignity. If we can't even do that, then what good is our honor code, and our claim that we're one of the "friendliest" college campuses in the nation?

The GLBT resource center offers advice, resources {(duh!)} and support to any Aggie, gay, straight, transgender, bisexual, or questioning. It is a place to go when students feel like no one wants them here, when they see protests against them, when they are discriminated against or verbally assaulted. It offers awareness programs, supports the Allies {(whoop!)}, and encourages those seeking services to participate in the A&M community and follow the traditions. Forcing the resource center to split funds with a "traditional family values center" effectively dries up funding for the GLBT resource center which those fighting for the bill have admitted is the purpose in the first place. They really don't care about a "traditional family values" center.

It's time we all respect each other and treat each other as we want to be treated. We are the Aggies, a term which does not come with qualifiers. Let's act like human beings and stop with the politics and the discrimination. Let's stop the H8.

Notes:
-The pictures are from the recent walk organized by the GLBTA and the resource center to promote equality on campus.
-I welcome rational, polite, respectful conversation on this topic. I will not allow comments which are hateful {(to anyone)}. 

Softly Call the Muster....

‎"Softly call the Muster, Let comrade answer, “Here!” Their spirits hover ‘round us. As if to bring us cheer! Mark them ‘present’ in our hearts. We’ll meet some other day. There is no death, but life etern. For our old friends such as they!"

It's hard for me to describe exactly why I love A&M so much. There are many things that I *don't* love about A&M. I don't love how we're "leading the way" in petitioning for a bill in the state legislature that not only limits funding for GLBT resource centers on campuses across the state, but would also require those funds to be split to fund a "Traditional Family Values" resource center as well. I don't like that despite our enrollment being over half women, that men still have most of the power positions. I don't like that we attract religious wackos (see my post on Shawn the Baptist) or that we seem to end up on CNN every few years for some weird thing or another (affirmative action bake sales, throwing eggs at a caricature of Obama when he was running for president, racist videos made for class, marriage ceremonies to trees and statues to protest gay marriage, etc.).

But those things, they're changing. And they're nothing compared to the Aggie Spirit. Football games where we all stand the whole game ready to "go in" for our team as the 12th man, Midnight Yell where we practice our yells, the War Hymn, and The Spirit, Silver Taps where we gather at 10:30 at night to remember the Aggies who have fallen in the past month, and Muster, where we get together with other Aggies to remember every one who has died in the past year.

Aggie Tradition tells us that the first Muster was held on June 26, 1883 to remember the "battles" won and lost on the field and in the classroom. We've changed the tradition a bit. Now we celebrate on April 21st, the anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto (the day Texas won her independence). In 1942 on Corregidor Island, General Macarthur Moore '08 (that's 1908!) gathered the Aggies under his command and held a roll call as part of his Muster ceremony. And so, we have a "roll call" for the absent where anyone who has died since the last Muster ceremony is remembered when we call their name and someone says "here." In this way, we show that student or not, alive or not, you are always part of the Aggie family.

College Station has the largest Muster gathering, but there are almost 300 worldwide. When I worked in Washington, D.C., I went to a wreath laying ceremony at Arlington sponsored by the National Capital Texas A&M Club.  There are Muster ceremonies on almost every military base, including Iraq and Afghanistan, and in places you might not expect like Australia, and Angola.

Not all of them are like campus Muster. Not all of them have displays of the personal effects of those who have died, or have a "camaraderie BBQ." Not everyone has a bugler playing Silver Taps, or the Ross Volunteers firing a 21 gun salute. Some Msuters are nothing more than a barbecue and a role call, and others are a quick get together behind the front lines like that one Muster under siege from the Japanese all those years ago. Whatever Muster looks like, they all fulfill the urge from the class of 1923, that "if there is an A&M man within oIf there is an A&M man within one-hundred miles of you, you are expected to get together, eat a little, and live over the days you spent at the A&M College of Texas." 


There's a spirit, can ne'er be told...

(Belated) Winter in Aggieland

You know, when I left DC last May, I was quite happy that I might not see "real" snow for awhile. Alas, mother nature had other plans. Of course, this happened awhile ago, but I had to make sure the internet preserved the first legit snow that BCS has had in something like 15 years.

Building a legit snowman.

The view from my office.

Playing frisbee in the snow.

Just like that picture I took outside the Library of Congress.

Wingnuts and other fun people on campus

I figured this was a good time to restart my blog. I hope you find it as entertaining as I did!

For those of you who know me well, you know I love a guy named Tom Short. He's a missionary who likes to sit in a camp chair in front of Sully (statue of Lawrence Sullivan Ross....guy who let women into A&M, Whoop!), drink Mountain Dew, and talk to us all about the Bible, fornication (yes, he does use that word) and other generally sinful things. Those of us who enjoy chatting with him sort of camp out, play S-H-O-R-T bingo, throw paper airplanes at each other, argue a bit, and generally have a good time. I haven't seen him in awhile, which is pretty sad. He's great entertainment. Well folks, I found someone WAY better than Tom. Shawn the Baptist. Hanging out near the Academic building was a group of people with this sign (note, there was much yelling involved):

Yes, you read that right, we are all going to hell. I, for one, am quite damned because I'm a feminist and "evilutionist", and because I know that although I don't see myself this way, I also fit the sodomite, abortionist, porn freak, sex freak, pagan, and liar categories.

And, in case we weren't clear, there's that little "and all other non-Christians" clause at the end.

Amused, I ran to get a friend of mine who I know will be amused, and we listen to this guy (I'll call him Messenger):

Messenger proceeds to outline many things about Aggieland which you may not know:

1. We all get drunk on weekends.

2. We are idolators {Aggie football, maroon, learning in general, all bad}.

3. All Ags with curly hair smoke pot.

4. There are no Christians on campus.

Say what?! We have the *greatest number* of missionaries from any public school in the U.S., but no Ags are Christians. Apparently, you are *only* Christian a) if you are Messenger (or his wife, or the little minions holding his sign) or b) you tell God to send you to hell because you are so undeserving of heaven and hope that he might be nice. Not even accepting Jesus will help. At this point, I think Messenger might possibly be referring to Zeus and not Jesus.

At some point this guy with this sign appears (warning: dirty, possibly offensive joke):

Other funny things that happened around this time:

1. Messenger says he loves even the worst men and is accused of being gay.

2. Random person starts reading from his Linear Algebra book in fire and brimstone fashion.

3. Cool Southern Baptist minister stands nose-to-nose with Messenger and screams back.

4. Person argues with Messenger about the beauty of the f-word.

A little time passes, and I find the other Jews.

We, of course, start a slow clap immediately followed by a nice rendition of Havah Negilah.

I start to wonder why feminists are going to hell.

So I ask:

"What's so bad about feminists?"

{Messenger ignores me}

"Are you ignoring me because I have a vagina?"

(Still no answer. Subsequent questions to other group members, who I'm calling minions, yielded the same response)

I did get some nice cheers and Whoop!s to my second question though.

Meanwhile, one of Messenger's minions walked around beating his Bible. Literally.

On the way back to class, I had my friend (who does not have a vagina) ask about the feminist thing. Apparently we're all supposed to support our men, be subservient, etc. etc. Eve, the serpent, man's rib, whatever. I also got a picture of the carrying case for the yellow sign:

I particularly like the one that equates the fairytale about the frog turning into a prince to evolution. These people clearly don't know how to read. That might explain a few things.

All in all, a highly entertaining way to spend an afternoon.