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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 10, 1997)
tober 10 met: | icn al moments j in hiscompoij ;e day this wo'l /es, there is| look at i dn’t ned rightn(|| iday • October 10, 1997 e a factorial s expected | for the upl :es become! reels so the! ir run. ing to getai ick,” Hina) a part in evej use of thet ime suscep| iijuty." i Ondrasi ed up a litt ^eek. ig easy thi Our mileage) , but whatr om week) ed.” i’s team ement thi dismal lasit] women 1 ig this weei| I will beexcej earn is entral Regi exas. Agi Iry seems it: see who tli for the NG o the unti . This (her theA| Longhorn )oi t coacl ■ likeyou?li| n.’ ts gatheredci nst winded a team emq i of aboi ter players, Is inside tl 'omejjusti h. His playe;) ed that Sni ; so suddenli ared at ease ess the crow icn he talked II of them, by I've ha Smith said, 97 Convocation arks innovative cademic tradition Ronald Douglas provost, executive vice president Iraditions represent a way of llife here at Texas A&M land, indeed, [enrich our [lives in a vari- lety of ways. We I will soon have fa new one — [one that can [have a pro found and [highly positive [impact on our sense of acade- [mic community. I refer to the 1997 Academic [Convocation to be held at 1:30 [p.m. Friday, Oct. 10 in Rudder lAuditorium. You — students, faculty and [staff — are earnestly encour aged to attend this special event that will celebrate the [essence of the reasons this uni- [versity was founded well over a [century ago and continues to [flourish. It is for you. Further, it also is an experi- [ence to be shared with former [students and other frineds of the university, including family members of students, faculty and staff. They, too, have a sig nificant stake in Texas A&M and a definite sense of pride in what has been — and will be — ac- [ complished here. Our hope is that everyone [who attends the convocation will gain an even greater appre ciation of the institution that we all love and better insight into the world of academe gen- | erally. Those attending will have the opportunity to hear Presi dent Bowen present his vision for Texas A&M as it enters the 21st century on a record of solid accomplishment and bright prospects. President Bowen is expected i to focus on both the opportuni ties and challenges that lie | ahead and oudine the plans for meeting them. The convocation also will provide an occasion to honor faculty members who hold en dowed chairs and professor ships, including new ones to be formally announced at that time. Additionally, we will have the opportunity to express gratitude to many of the donors who made possible the endowed positions and other gifts that provide our critical margin of excellence. I say the convocation this year will start a new tradition, and I am confident tha in com ing years we will look back on it as just that. However, in the strictest sense, the event will take its scholarly cue from the classic academic assembly held for Texas A&M’s centennial con vocation on October 4, 1976. From all accounts related to me, that was a grand occasion. It was described as a moving event that underscored for everyone privileged to be in attendance what an academic institution of the first class is about. It celebrated the universi ty’s first century of service to the state and nation and set the tone for the next 100 years. The setting of that tone has served A&M well during the past two decades. We have similar high hopes and aspirations for the 1997 Acad emic Convocation, which culmi nates the week in which we ob serve the 121st anniversary of the opening of our institution. We are confident it also will be a moving event — and one that will help propel us into a new century on a high note. Please make your plans to at tend and be part of this new — or renewed — tradition. Ronald C. Douglas is provost and executive vice president for Texas A&M. O The Battalion PINION Close quarters Students must understand football seating etiquette T he year was 1921 and E. King Gill stood in the stands wearing a uniform ready to enter the Dixie Classic. Yet these days the Twelfth Man is filled with two percenters who just seem to take up room, are rude or refuse to uncover. This fine institution we call Texas A&M is filled with plenty of intelligent peo ple, yet every time I walk up the ramps of Kyle Field to be with my beloved Twelfth Man, I dread facing the over crowded stands. It seems Kyle Field always is being filled with people who don’t know where to stand or they just stand wherever they please, either because they figure there is enough room for everyone to find a place to stand or they just plain don’t care. Usually, when you pull tickets, you stand where your seats are, not next to some cute girl you’d like to meet or in the section that you swear gives you a better view of the game. It wouldn’t be so bad if all 40,000 of us weren’t tiying to stand in the same place, but because of the inconvenience caused by some Aggies, it never fails to put the rest of us in a bad mood. I also could understand being cramped when it’s 10 degrees outside and you have to get cozy with your neighbor to keep warm, but it’s 90 degrees outside! My idea of A&M football is not sitting in the hot sun, sticking to my sweaty neighbor who apparently forgot to put deodorant on that morning. Besides, when Kyle Field was built, I don’t think they expected fans to be standing sideways looking at each others’ backs and straining their necks just to try and get a peek at the action. There is an easy solution to the problem. Two percenters should go home and watch the game on television with their buddies. All they do is take up room, socialize and then have the nerve to leave the game early assuming that we have a large enough lead not to lose the game. Coupled with the fact that they are rude and don’t uncover is disrespectful to the rest of the Twelfth Man and the football team that gives 100 percent every week. Do you guys have spe cial privileges the rest of us don’t know about, or do you not understand the words “take off you hat?” At first I could understand the women who don’t uncover because they didn’t know better, but the rest of two percenters have no excuse. As if overcrowding and not uncovering was n’t bad enough, two percenters insist on being rude. Every week there is a two percenter who insists he or she is right and everyone else is wrong. I wouldn’t mind this mentality, but the attitude and tone some people use disgraces me. They must have spent too much time in the nose bleeder section all these years. On the contrary, are we not supposed to be true to each other as Aggies should be? Show a little more respect. If you happen to be wrong when it comes to standing in the proper row, it is better to admit that you are wrong than to con tinue arguing and upset the rest of the Aggies in the stands. All we need is more unrest. After all, we do represent the entire student body. Further more, now that some of you know how much all these antics annoy us, let’s talk about proper “stadium procedures.” Whenever you pull tickets, you should stand on the bleacher in front of the one your ticket dele gates. This way at half time you should be sit ting in the right seat. Yes, it is that easy. There is no complex algorithm needed to properly fig ure out where to go. But, I also would like to thank all those courte ous and true Ags who, despite losing their seats and being perturbed, managed to help ease overcrowding by sitting in any available seats. This Saturday when you walk into Kyle Field, take a minute to think about what you and everyone around you is doing. If someone doesn’t know better, kindly explain to them where they should be instead of throwing a fit and giving the rest of us a major headache. Artie Alvarado is a senior environmental design major. Artie Alvarado staff writer ‘And let there be a kingdom for L SPA & 1 SS CENTER | lax and Chris Huffines columnist uring the recent excava tion outside Kyle Field’s north end, a set of scrolls was uncovered. Written ejuvenati j^ 11 ancient Hebrew, they appear T) , to be a new book of the Bible, a t nerap • strangely prophetic book. It is MassageSWled the Book of Ag. Europe®; * * Part I: In th e beginning, v there was wasteland. A Cleansi m . 'pj len) out 0 f wasteland A Facial :Came a man. He was called Ag, enzf, his garments and boots were of brown. I m Street ; • SO) ft ca me to pass that Ag came to a large exas 7780- bonfire of wood, nine cubits in height. And lo, this a Maria <Sdjbonfire of wood broke forth into righteous flame. • From the center of this burning bonfire, there ake a voice. “Ag, go forth unto the field called Kyle. There thou alt find mine enemies. You shall know them by or- ge garments and swaggering air. Smite them ightily.” • Ag fell to his face and worshipped the bonfire from which the voice issued. • The voice spakest again. “Stand firm, and I shall send eleven angels of pain and doom, with their sub stitutes, and they shall smite mine enemies more mightily than mortal man.” [| • And then the bonfire spake again. “Let these, mine enemies, be known as t-sips, and let the hissing 1:15 4:15 < 2:00 4:30 of the serpent accompany their passage.” • And the next day Ag went unto the field called Kyle, and there he stood while the eleven angels of doom and pain, with their substitutes, smote mighti ly. And it was good. • Part II: The next day Ag was si tting at home when there came to him five figures dressed in white. Ag fell to his knees to worship them also. •With much patience and good humor, these be ings showed him to place his hands upon his knees and not his knees upon the ground. And then, they led Ag in a yell. • It was a mighty yell, which echoed from the field called Kyle to the defeated and broken t-sips, nursing the wounds of their smiting. • And the t-sips trembled where they stood, know ing that the spirit of Ag was strong, stronger than their mightiest warriors. • And then a voice ministered unto Ag, teaching him the ways of the truly spiritual. • Yea, the voice counseled him how to dress and how to speak, yea, even unto the holiest “Howdy.” • And the voice counseled how to honor the dead, and where to tread and tread not. • Ag was an eager disciple, and grew in stature, both physical and mental. • And Ag became good. • Part III: And so it came to pass there was a sea son when the voice, having finished its counsel, no longer counseled Ag. • For many days Ag grieved, for without the voice of the past, he knew not what to do. • Then, with a heavy heart, he began to recreate his all; it shall be called Aggieland’ glorious days of before. • A mighty bonfire, yea, even unto nine cubits, was built and burned, yet still the voice did not come. • Eleven men of pain and doom, with their substi tutes, smote mightily the hated t-sips, yea, even unto he seventh generation. And still the voice did not come. • Five figures in white, even three greater and two lesser, led Ag in yells. And still the voice did not come. • And so Ag gathered disciples, and counseled them unto how to dress and speak, even unto the holiest “howdy,” and the honoring of the dead and the posterity of these counselings. And still the voice did not come. • Part IV: And then, with the hissing of the serpent, an idea of profoundness came unto Ag. • The voice no longer came because Ag had be come holier than the voice, yea even unto the knowl edge of beer and sex. And Ag believed it was good. • And the voice, the figures in white and the 11 an gles of pain and doom, with their substitutes, wept for Ag was no longer a child in their image. • And Ag gathered disciples unto him and began to preach. Placing himself as holier than thou, with his counsels, which he named traditions, Ag began to speak. • “Ye who have gathered to hear the wisdom and the voice, and the figures in white, and the eleven an gels of pain and doom, and their substitutes, must now add the wisdom of Ag to your hearing.’ • “Henceforth, ye shall be known as Aggies, for you wish to reach my holiness, the holiness of Ag.” • “Henceforth, these traditions which I have shown to you shall be your only love, greater than mother or father, husband or wife, beer or sex. Traditions hall rule thy life, yea, from the hour of waking unto the hour of sleep.” • “Those who question or reject these traditions shall be defiled and outcast, because they are different.” • “Thou must go forth into the world, proclaiming the greatness of Aggies, followers of Ag. Proving this greatness is not necessary, thou must merely pro claim it.” • Part V: And so the followers of Ag did as he com manded. And, in the places where the truly spiritual still dwelt, there was much sorrow. • The years passed, and Ag fell into illness. There was much wailing and gnashing of teeth. The 11 men of pain and doom, even unto their substitutes, wept mightily, for Ag was passing from this world. • Death knocked mightily upon Ag’s door. With he eyes of the once-wise, he saw his folly. •With great effort, he raised himself and his voice boomed once more over the land, so that all Aggies heard him and all t-sips cowered yet again. • “My followers, my Aggies. I have been in error. Tradition must be loved, but not thy greatest love. Re pent lest thy life pass in error like mine.” •Yet no one would listen. Tradition had become the only love of the Aggies, greater than mother and fa ther, husband or wife, beer or sex or even Ag himself. • And Ag repented of his folly and died. Chris Huffines is a sophomore speech communications major. Mail Call Manipulation not purpose of Bible We as humans are not perfect, but Christ was, and that scared the Romans as it does many of us. It is much easier to twist and ma nipulate God’s teachings in the Bible to fit our everyday wants and desires, than it is to be a fol lower of Christ, that is, to follow Christ’s teachings. The fact of the Bible is that Christ died for each and every one of us, because he loves each and every one of us. You will find that numerous died for each and every one of us. Christ gave his life for all of us, and all I hear are people bashing Christians, sup posed Christians bashing homo sexuals, and people who are afraid of trying to follow Christ because they just want to fulfill their earthly wants and desires. We all sin. Whether we believe in the Bible or not, we all know the dif ference between right and wrong. Christianity is not hypocritical, people today, just like the Ro mans were, are afraid of Chris tianity. All humans are sinners, whether they profess to be Chris tians or otherwise. Christians do not profess to be perfect, they profess to be forgiven. As far as homosexuality, it is a sin in God’s eyes. We as Christians are to hate sin, our own as well as others, but we are to love all peo ple as children of Christ. We are to pray for God to help us with all of our sins. I do not hate homosexuals, but I detest the act of homosexuality. We all face decisions, and with decisions come consequences. If an individual pursues homosexu ality as a lifestyle, it is a choice, just like it is a choice to commit any other sin. With that choice comes the consequences. ‘Coming out’ to friends and family is important for homosexuals because they need Christian love too. But most im portantly, all sinners need to pick up their Bibles, dust them off, and seek the word of God. He is the only one that can heal, and make whole, each and every one of us. Todd Knoll Class of ’99