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The Battalion
Editorial
THE
BATTALION
Editorial Board
Editorials appearing in The Battalion reflect
the majority view of the editorial board mem
bers. They do not necessarily reflect the opin
ions of other Battalion staff members, the
Texas A&M student body, regents, administra
tion, faculty or staff.
BETH MILLER
Editor in Chief
DAVID LEE
Opinion Editor
JEFF KEMPF
Managing Editor
MARIUM MOHIUDDIN
City Editor
A Year of Healing
Aggie unity epitomized by 1999 Bonfire collapse aftermath
Someone once said that time
heals all wounds— if only that v«re
a universal truth.
For the past year, we — the
Aggie family — have dealt with our
sorrow the only way we could — by
putting on a brave face and moving
on with our lives.
However, we can only fool our
selves for so long.
It is still too soon to have com
pletely come to terms with what
happened.
It has been months since the
Special Commission on the 1999
Aggie Bonfire determined what
caused the collapse, yet we still lie
awake at night asking the unanswer
able question: Why?
The 12 victims are gone, and
there is no way to bring them
back.
With the anniversary of the col
lapse upon us, it would be easy to
dwell on these sobering truths, but it
is imperative that we not let our
selves get caught up in self-pity.
Rather, we need to take a step
back and view the bigger picture of
what Texas A&M was and what it
has become after the tragedy. We
must realize something that has not
been recognized in the past year,
something that is bigger than Bon
fire, something that gives'us reason
to rejoice — how we have passed
the ultimate test of our collective
.character.
We have proven to the entire
world — and ourselves — that the
Aggie family not only exists, but
thrives.
The buzzwords tradition, unity
and family were uttered on this
campus before the collapse, but
did not hdve the meaning they
have now.
Such a disparity allowed the pes
simists among us to sneer at how
our ideals are empty, how this
school — when it comes down to it
— is no different than any other
other university in America.
In hindsight, we know that could
not be farther from the truth.
Through our courage, strength
and empathy in the most trying of
times, we have validated all the
things that define us as Aggies. We
experienced a trial by fire, and we
have emerged triumphant.
If we can realize and accept this
truth, then those who perishki will
not have died in vain.
Their deaths have forced us to
examine collectively our worth as
humans.
When we gather Saturday at
2:42 a.m. and light a candle for the
12 Aggies who died, remember that
it does not matter how maroon our
blood bleeds, but that we, regard
less of race, reli
gion or gender,
stand united in
the Aggie spirit
The death of the
12 students will
always be close to
our hearts and that is
where it should remain.
This ceremony signifies
our time to close, not
end, a chapter in our lives.
The only fitting tribute to
their memory would be our
continued success. Long
after we graduate, forge
our careers and start our
own families, we must
remember our time here.
Shine that Aggie ring,
straighten that diploma
on the wall and keep in
touch with cherished
friends.
A new chapter
By BradyCreel
The Battalion
E arly Thursday morning —
Nov. 18, 1999 — many
Aggies were camping in
front of G. Rollie White Coli
seum waiting to pull tickets tor
the football game against the ,
University of Texas. Then came
the news: Bonfire stack had col
lapsed. Some students were
dead, many were injured, and
more were trapped under the
rubble that had been their mas
terpiece only a few hours earlier.
But as one would expect
from Aggies, their disbelief of
the disaster did not negate their
loyalty toward their school or
toward each other. From the first
word that stack had fallen.
Aggies rushed to the Polo Fields
to help in the rescue effort.
The bad news came in
sharp blows throughout the
day, and as the number of
fallen Aggies rose, many
Aggie hearts ached as never
before. Football became trivial
that day, as did classes and
tests. TTie football team can
celed practice so it, too. could
be on the Polo Fields moving
logs from the fallen stack.
TheB mood on campus
became somber and silent, con
fused and uncertain. Students
prayed for the injured and fami
lies of the deceased, and donors
lined up outside blood banks.
In the following hours,
A&M held its breath as rescue
workers-began to unravel the
Texas Aggie Bonfire.
That night, more than
14,000 people assembled at the
memorial service in Reed
Arena, searching for answers
and consolation. Texas Lt.
Gov. Rick Perry, A&M Class
of ’72, addressed the crowd
in A&M history...
with tear-filled eyes and a
voice filled with emotion.
"We will remember them as
long as there is a Texas A&M
and the Aggie spirit, and that,
my friends, is forever,’' 1ft said.
The crowd ended the cere
mony by spontaneously
singing "Amazing Grace,” fol
lowed by the lonely sound of
shoes shuffling away.
Perry ordered the flags of
Texas to be flown at half-staff
that day. the media flocked to
the A&M campus, and the focus
of the world turned to College
Station. In the days that fol
lowed. the world mourned with
A&M as it paid its final respects
to its deceased family members.
Twelve had fallen. The Twelfth
Man stood united. And 12
months later, those Aggies are
remembered.
"Texas A&M, the eyes of
Texas are upon you. and our
hearts are w ith you," said Don
Evans, UT Board of Regents
chairman, at the Unity Rally,
held the Monday after Bonfire
collapsed in place of UT’s
annual Hex Rally in Austin on.
The healing began. On
Thanksgiving Day, more
than 80,000 people con
verged on the Polo Fields
with candles. The next day,
the Aggies defeated the UT
Longhorns, 20-16.
The Longhorn Band dedi
cated its halftime performance
to the 12 Aggies who died. In
rare form. Aggies remained
standing for the visiting band
and swelled with emotion as
the Longhorns raised A&M
flags over their own.
Within days of the col
lapse, A&M President Dr. Ray
M. Bowen formed a commis
sion to investigate the col
lapse and selected Leo Lin-
beck Jr. — who had no rela
tion to A&M — to chair the
commission, in an effort to
place the investigation out of
the University’s hands.
Muster came in April. The
families and friends of the 12
Bonfire victims answered "here.”
and a candle was lighted for each.
On May 2 — after an exten
sion of the deadline from March
31 — the Special Commission
on the 1999 Aggie Bonfire cited
structural complications and the
University’s "tunnel vision” as
causes for the collapse — an
analysis that cost the University
close to $2 million.
"If I had to allow' my heart
to make the decision, we’d
have a Bonfire,” Bow'en said
after the commission’s report.
“But my heart will not make
the decision — my brain has to
make the decision.”
On June 17, Bowen
announced his decision: Bonfire
would not bum for two years,
and future Bonfires would be
limited to a one-tier design with
no “cut” and increased Univer
sity supervision.
Keep The Fire Burning
(KTFB), a group of students,
planned an off-campus bon
fire despite its denounce
ment by administrators and
student leaders.
On Oct. 27, KTFB
announced it would not have its
off-campus bonfire after the
organization became entangled
in complications over an insur
ance policy and lack of time
One year later, the Univer
sity still waits. Some are wait
ing for closure, and others sim
ply want the reality of the
tragedy to solidify. But the con
sensus is clear among Aggies
— as a pot left at the site says,
"We will never forget.”
1909- First Bonfire made
from a small pile of trash
to get students excited
about the UT game. It
was about i2reet high.
1928- First
known
photograph
of bonfire.
1935- Students "acquire" a local
farmer's log barn. All Corps of
Cadets units were instructed to
repay the farmer, and the University
takes charge of Bonfire.
1942 - Bonfire built for
the filming of the movie
We've Never Been
Licked. Live trees were
cut for the first time.
1946- First
centerpole
used in
construction.
1912- Cadets use lumber
from construction of Legett
and Milner halls to build
Bonfire.
1933- UT students unsuccessfully
attempt to ignite the stack early with fire
bombs.
T
1936- First Bonfire built
with materials found at
a specified site. No
live trees are cut.
1943- First
all-log Bonfire,
which stands
25 feet high.
1947-First
splice:-!
I ceMrpoie
stands at
So.teet
1948- Another
reported UT
student fire
bomb attempt
fails.
»
TIMELINE BY RUBEN DELUNA
AND BRANDON HENDERSON /
The Battalion