The Battalion
OPINION
Wednesday, October 10,1990
Opinion Page Editor Ellen Hobbs 845-331
Tree buggers and faculty, don’t pick on bonfire
Ah, fall. When a college
student’s mind turns to football
and, of course, bonfire.
Following first cut last Sunday
I sat down with the intent of f
writing a scathing condemnation
of the group Aggies Against
Bonfire. After several hours of
contemplation, though, I
realized that a handful of long
haired tree buggers posed
absolutely no danger to the
continued existence and
longevity of bonfire. Suffice it to
say that the transcendental zeal
with which they pursue their
naturist philosophies would be
put to better use by doing
something other than sitting
cross-legged in a circle and
communing with nature.
The real danger to bonfire’s
continued existence comes from
student apathy, in particular a
lack of off-campus participation
in its construction. Proposed
changes in bonfire by various
groups around the University
(and even in Austin), in
particular those proposed by the
Faculty Senate, will tend to
promote student non
participation and ultimately lead
to the end of bonfire.
The Faculty Senate, as many
of you will recall, came out with a
report which recommended a
50-percent reduction in the size
of bonfire and a minimum grade
point requirement for those
working on it. This report
followed a state legislative
committee report which came
out with a number of useless
suggestions (an Austin
committee changing bonfire?) as
well as the opposition of a
number of local church groups
to bonfire’s continuation.
Evidently the Faculty Senate is
not satisfied with overseeing the
research and academic integrity
of our institution, and has
decided to give to itself the
power of traditions review. Both
of the aforementioned
suggestions are needless and
unwanted intrusions into the
social lives and free time of the
student body.
Yes, bonfire is a social activity.
It is sponsored by the University
and open to all students. When a
student comes to college he or
she must decide what to do
during free periods, whether or
not to study and ultimately
whether they have the intestinal
fortitude to do well enough to be
invited back for another
semester.
Any student who flunks out
can only blame the person they
look at in the mirror every
morning. Blaming bonfire or
anything else is a cop-out.
Putting a grade point
requirement on bonfire is like
checking GPR’s at the door of
the Chicken or outside church.
How students spend their free
time is now and should in the
future be up to them. The
Faculty Senate is simply trying to
play Mother Hen by regulating
Saturday or Sunday morning
activities.
Admittedly, Corps of Cadets
members have several
mandatory cut weekends which
might come at inopportune
times during the semester. A
grade point requirement might
be useful in that situation. A
grade point requirement for
non-regs who participate
voluntarily, however, will only
reduce participation and induce
apathy, while having no effect on
the academic performance of
any student.
The proposed 50-percent size
reduction is also a useless
gesture. The trees must be cut
anyway in order for mining to
occur on the cut site later in the
year. The tree buggers are
apparently opposed to electricity
generation, or too spaced to
realize that mined land will be
replanted. The Faculty Senate
knows better. The call for the
size to be “more in line with the
beginning” (when there were less
than four thousand students) is
simply a move to reduce
participation.
The campus Cestapo’s
crackdown on drinking at
bonfire was done in the name of
the old days also. Bull. I’ve
talked to old Ags who spoke of
hitchhiking to Navasota to buy
booze for bonfire way back
when. It has always been a
celebration of school spirit
(translation: party), ratherthan;
family affair for the kids. The
verbal harassment and
persecution of student revelers
by storm troopers lastyearwill
decrease attendance in the
future, thus increasingapathv.
Curtail the debauchery by all
means, but leave the somber
mood for Muster.
If anything, bonfire should be
bigger. More student
participation would resultina
more unified and spirited
student body. Let the Faculty
Senate stick to academics and
research and leave traditionsto
the students. Let Aggies Against
Bonfire hug trees or commune
with Mother Nature’s karmaor
whatever. But don’t try to fix
something that isn’t broken and
don’t try to tell me how to spend
my free time.
Larry Cox is a graduate stuitm
in range science.
Clayton Williams:
the biggest Aggie joke
Texans have only one month left to
decide who they will vote for as the next
governor of the great state of Texas. It
seems virtually assured, based on the
latest polls, that Clayton Williams will
reside in the governor’s mansion for the
next four years. What a shame.
Roland S.
Martin
Reader’s Opinion
For the past six months Williams has
canvassed the state Hashing his big
Texas smile, spending his big Fexas
bucks, tipping his big Texas hat, and
putting his big Texas foot in his big
Texas mouth.
Throughout the campaign he has
made one gaffe after another and had
them excused by his supporters as the
“mistakes of a political neophyte”.
I cannot envision howTexanscan
tolerate a complete imbecile such as
Clayton Williams. If I were a
Republican, l would be making a
serious query into the DemocraticPatu
I wonder how of Claytie would feel
someone made a remark concerningli
son’s previous drug problem? I wondo econoi
MAAWes
THE RECOUP
NF-YJ
Mail Call
Democrat Ags also run for office
EDITOR:
The partisan group calling themselves “6 Ags for Texas”
should be renamed “6 Republican Ags for Texas.” There
are several more Aggies that will be on the ballot this fall
other than the slate of six Republicans that this group is
pushing.
Missing from the Republican’s list are John Sharp, the
Democratic candidate for State Comptroller, and Carry
Mauro, the incumbent Land Commissioner; both are A&M
graduates.
Another Aggie missing from their list is Jim James, the
Democratic candidate for State Representative. Since both
candidates running for the State Representative seat are
A&M graduates this means that students who are ignorant
of the issues and base their votes strictly on a candidate’s ties
to A&M will have to flip a coin in this race.
Michael Worsham is an Aggie graduate student and
founder of the Texas Environmental Action League here
on campus. He is a write-in candidate challenging Republi
can incumbent Joe Barton for the sixth district U.S. con
gressional seat.
If you are in a throw-the-bums-out mood then there is
no better place to start than with “Big Business” Barton, one
of the biggest recipients of PAG money from big business in
terests currently fighting against clean air legislation and
other environmental issues in the House of Representatives.
Since Phil Gramm is considered to be an Aggie because
he once taught some economics classes here then certainly
Sarah Ryan, the Democratic candidate for County Court-at-
Law, should also be considered an Aggie since she once
taught several business courses here.
Finally, if we are going to have such loose definitions of
who is an Aggie then we must also include Mary Ann Ward,
the Democratic candidate for County Clerk. Mary Ann
Ward is a lifelong resident of Bryan/College Station and
while she herself did not attend A&M most of her family
did, including her father who played football for the Aggies
back in the 1930s. Mary Ann Ward has been working in the
County Clerk’s office for the past 17 years, and I don’t be
lieve that you will find anyone on the ballot who is more de
serving of the office that they seek.
So the next time you see the group calling themselves “6
Ags for Texas” pushing their slate of Republican candidates
remember that these are not the only Aggies in the race.
And now that we know who most of the Aggies are, I want
to encourage everyone not to vote for a candidate based
solely on their race, sex, or school affiliation; rather you
should vote for someone based on their experience, qualifi
cations, and stand on the issues. I don’t believe that this is
asking too much.
Mike Thomas ’87
I cannot envision how
Texans can tolerate a
complete imbecile such as
Clayton Williams. If I were a
Republican, I would be
making a serious query into
the Democratic Party.
I wonder how oT Claytie
would feel if someone made
a remark concerning his
son’s previous drug
problem?
if Of Claytie would mind seeing hisdti
son busting rocks, as Williams so
proudly proclaims drug offenderswll
do in his political platform, alsoknm
as a 30-second commercial.
It is embarassing to talk to people
outside of Texas who have the
unfortunate opportunity of seeing a
living image of the infamous Texas
stereotype on national TV. 1 find mu
defending Texans from such anidioiit
representation of a “true Texan."
He has insulted women and other
human beings who possess feelings by
comparing bad weather to rape by
remarking, “if it’s inevitable, just lay
back and enjoy it.” He stated two weeks
ago that he would rope his
gubernatorial opponent Ann Richards
like a calf and drag her through the
mud. And once again his supporters .
excused his remarks by saying, “Oh
Claytie, he’s so funny.” Please.
Well Claytie, what excuse do your
supporters offer concerning your latest
screw up?
Williams responded last week to
Richards claims that the gap between
her and Williams is closing by saying, “I
hope she hasn’t started drinking again.”
It seems unbelievable that Williams
could make such a stupid and
insensitive remark about a woman who
just last week marked her 10th year of
sobriety.
No longer do we elect peoplebastl
upon their accomplishments. Sure,
Williams has been a successful
businessman. He also was a heavily
indebted businessman. He says hew
to put Texas back on the right trad
Well tell me Clayton, why didn'tyoua
something when your good buddy Bi
Clements sat in the governor’s mans!
Remember him? Of course not, we
don’t either.
Williams spent nearly six million
dollars of his own money to win the
Republican primary. Well Claytie,my
vote isn’t for sale. I can see thata
second commercial lasts for 30second
not four years!
How can we, as Fexans, rest
comfortably when we could have
someone like Clayton Williams
representing us? Do you feel assured
having someone like him representinj
you around the state and abroad?Ft
trust a thief with my best silver first.
On the homefront, it’s even more
embarassing to envision Clayton
Williams as the first Aggie governor:
the history of Texas. Now tell me,
you think of a bigger Aggie joke?
Roland S. Martin is a senior
journalism major.
The Battalion
(USFS 045 360)
Member of
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Conference
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Timm Doolen, Managing Editor
Ellen Hobbs, Opinion Page Editor
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News Editors
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Lisa Ann Robertson,
Lifestyles Editor
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