he Battali
The Battalion
Page 5 • November 22, 1999
T students to
Unity Gathering
d
Texas
The following hotels will be offering discounts to
A&M students attending the Unity Rally with the pre
sentation of a student I.D.:
• Club Hotel by Doubletree - 25% off ($79 for one
room for up to four)
1517 North 1-35 on north feeder, between 16th St. and
Martin Luther King Blvd.
(512) 479 - 4000
• Courtyard by Marriott - 75% off ($29 for one
room for up to four)
5660 North I -35 on south feeder, south of 290
(512) 458-2340
• Doubletree North Austin - 45% off ($70 for one
room for up to four)
6505 North 1-35 on north feeder, north of 290
(512) 454-3737
• Embassy Suites 20% off ($89 for one room for
up to six, breakfast included)
5901 North 1-35 on north feeder, south of 290
(512) 454-8004
• Red Lion Inn - 45% off
6121 North 1-35 on north feeder, north of 290
(512) 323-5466
• Rodeway Inn - 20% off ($50 for one room for up
to four)
2900 North 1-35 exit 32nd St. on 1-35 South on 1-35
feeder, before 36th Street
(888) 792-9466
mourn during Unity Gathering
BY BRADY CREEL
The Battalion
Texas A&M University and the University of Texas will
suspend 116 years of rivalry tonight and kindle a bond of
camaraderie between the two institutions by remember
ing the Aggies lost in Thursday’s Bonfire collapse.
Eric Opiela, UT student body vice president, said re
gardless of all the rivalry that has happened over the years,
there is a bond between the two schools.
“These two schools are closer than anyone would have
ever thought,” Opiela said.
Parisa Fatehi, UT student body president, said the ob
jective of tonight’s gathering is to establish a link of friend
ship between students of both schools.
“We are all Texans and students,” Fatehi said. “We
share so much, and we often take those things for grant
ed.”
The unity gathering in front of the bell tower will take
the place of UT’s annual Hex Rally, which was canceled
by the Texas Exes Student Chapter. During tonight’s can
dlelight ceremony at 9, the UT tower will be darkened in
support of all those affected by the tragedy at A&M.
“Maybe we can take time to reflect on what we mean
to one another,” Fatehi said, “[The unity gathering] is to
remind us of the very deepest part of our connection as
students trying to cope with this loss.”
Opiela said he believes the unity gathering is an appro
priate replacement of the Hex Rally.
“I hope A&M students will come together with UT stu
dents in front of the darkened tower and join hands and
pray for recovery from this,” he said.
The Hex Rally dates back to 1941, when several UT stu
dents visited a local fortune teller for some help with the
game ag'ainst A&M. The fortune teller advised the students
to light candles in order to place a “hex” on the Aggie foot
ball team.
Each year, students join together and light red candles
with hope of defeating the Aggies at the football game.
Fatehi said the unity gathering will bring the two uni
versities together by emphasizing common characteristics.
“Tonight will be drastically different because [the uni
ty gathering] will break us down to the core of what we
actually share,” Fatehi said.
UT students will be wearing white ribbons today in
honor of the Aggies who lost their lives.
“The ribbons are white because that is a color both
schools share,” Fatehi said.
Opiela said several hotels in Austin will offer Aggies a
discounted rate for the night.
The establishments are providing the discounts to avoid
accidents as a result of drowsy driving. To be eligible for
these discounts, students must show their A&M students
ID cards.
“The A&M students are guests tonight, and we would
love for them to come so we can pray and remember,”
Opiela said.
Fatehi said A&M students are advised to arrive on the
UT campus early if possible. She said student government
representatives will begin passing out candles at 8:15 p.m.
Parking will be available after 4:30 p.m. in several lots
across campus.
Fatehi said students should avoid such lots designated
as “all the time.”
istin, Texas
y, Texas
ivestigatioii
m.
m.
Officials announce changes to University schedule
BY DIANE XAVIER
The Battalion
Texas A&M officials have made several
modifications to campus activities this
week in tribute to the students injured and
killed during the Bonfire collapse.
Student Body President Will Hurd, a se
nior computer science major, said people
are welcome to show respect for the 12
fallen Aggies and their love, devotion and
commitment by coming out to the Polo
Fields Thursday around sunset.
“I speak in support that we lean on one
another and talk about our feelings, but
most importantly remember the way these
Aggies have lived and celebrate it,” he
said.
Hurd said a modified Yell practice will
be held Thursday at 8 p.m. at Kyle Field.
. “With all these occasions, we ask peo
ple to show respect because the nature of
Yell Practice and other events will be dif
ferent,” he said.
Jeff Bailey, head yell leader and a senior
agriculture systems management major,
said the goal is not to forget what hap
pened or expect people to put the incident
behind them.
“We are not trying to make people feel
uncomfortable,” he said. “This is just an
open door for people to come together.
“We feel we would be doing a disser
vice by not having Yell Practice. This is an
opportunity to lift people’s spirits.”
Bailey said he feels that the deceased
Aggies would want Yell Practice to be
held.
“That’s what they worked so hard for,”
he said. “It isn’t about tradition, but using
the resources we have to be together at
A&M.”
Post-Yell Party ’99, hosted by the Resi
dence Hall Association at the MSC, will
follow Yell Practice.
Hurd said the party provides an alco
hol-free environment and is an alternative
way for fun and fellowship.
Hurd requests that no small fires be
burned in respect to the fallen Aggies and
asks students to wear maroon and white
ribbons in honor of the victims.
Ribbons can be picked up in the MSC
Flagroom and the Association of Former
Students office.
Elephant Walk and E-Walk have been
postponed until Nov. 30.
Katie Hanselka, senior class president
and a agricultural development major, said
class council wants students to be able to
go home and be with their families.
“Our main concern is we want every
one to be together,” she said. “We want to
have a more positive atmosphere.”
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What do you get when you cross
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NE REALLY COOL FELLOWS PROGRAM!
Come learn about AIDS research in India and
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Monday,
November 22,1999
MSC 228
7:00 p.m.
Islamic Influence
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MSC L.T. Jordan Institute for
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TONIGHT
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General Meeting
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| Angel Tree...
5
*
WHY DO PEOPLE
HAVE TO DIE?
Why is there pain and suffering in the world? Why do bad things happen to good people?
Where is God when it hurts? Tragedy has struck the Texas A&M community and everyone
is acutely aware of the potential of life and the value of years that were lived. How does
one deal with the grief, the seeming pointlessness of it all?
A college student named Steve Sawyer once had to deal not with another’s death but with
the imminent end of his own life. He was a hemophiliac who contracted HIV and hepatitis
C from unscreened blood transfusions. He was given only months to live.
Steve asked these questions and found himself angry with God. In spite of his anger, he
reached out to God for help. What Steve discovered was not a God who could care less,
but a God who cared so much that he was willing to offer Steve the gift of eternal life.
At only 19 years old Steve traveled to hundreds of college campuses to speak with fellow
students. With humor, humility and warmth, he shared with them how they too could live
with hope, no matter what life throws at them. Thousands of students who heard Steve
would tell you that his message changed their lives forever.
We are Campus Crusade for Christ at TAMU and would love to talk with you, pray
with you or just listen. Please Call 696-8289.
Ton can find Steve’s article Living with Hope at evervstndent.com along with other articles for abundant
living
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