FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2015 I SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 I © 2015 STUDENT MEDIA I ©THEBATTONLINE
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Enslaved, but not
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forgotten
Students hold-24‘hour stand
against modern slavery
Shelby Knowles — THE BATTALION
Activist Elizabeth Smart
makes A&M appearance
By Nikita Redkar
Elizabeth Smart was 14 years
old when a man woke her up,
held a knife to her neck and ab
ducted her from home.
The man, who believed it was
God’s will to make young girls his
wives, held her in captivity for the
next nine months until the police
returned her safely to her family.
Thirteen years later, Smart took
the stage in front of a sold out au
dience at Rudder Theater Thurs
day to recount her harrowing ex
perience with abduction. Despite
the dark nature of her situation,
Smart managed to stay relatable,
riveting and light.
Smart begins her presentation
by saying she’s never met anyone
perfect and without challenges in
life.
“So many times we think of our
problems and think ‘Why does this
happen to me,’ or ‘Why does it
have to happen right now?”’ Smart
said, “But you never know how
these events are going to shape
you and affect those around you.”
Smart was abducted from her
home in 2002 and held in captivity
until being returned to safety by
the police nine months later. Her
kidnapping was the most-followed
child abduction case to date.
“I’m not sorry that I was kid
napped,” Smart said. “I don’t feel
bad for myself, and I’m grateful
that it happened because of what
it taught me.”
MORE AT TX.AG/BATT34
By Taylor Siskind
o send a message in support
of victims of slavery. Aggies
occupied Rudder Plaza for
24 hours — from 9:30 p.m.
Wednesday to 9:30 p.m. Thursday.
“Thirty-six million still en
slaved,” read one cardboard sign. “I
stand for freedom,” read another.
The signs accompanied the effort on
the part of the Texas A&M chapter
of the International Justice Mission
to raise awareness of modern slavery
and human trafficking.
The Stand for Freedom event,
held in conjunction with other IJM
chapters, symbolizes a day in the
shoes of a modern slave, which is
reflected in the event’s theme —
“one day for their every day.”
Students took pictures with signs
and posted to social media to send
the simple message that they stand
for freedom. They also sang wor
ship songs, listened to a concert,
prayed and signed a petition in sup
port of the End Modern Slavery
Initiative Act.
“Just being here is one way to tell
those girls, ‘Hey, I am praying for
you and I am going to do what I
can to at least stand for you,”’ said
Christina Cook, nursing junior. “If
that’s all I can do, then I want to
do that.”
Taking pictures, speaking about
the existence of human trafficking
and worshipping through song for
24 hours became the focus of the
event. The singing and the brightly
lit display attracted students to the
cause. Elowever, when not as many
STAND-IN ON PC. 2
“I think part of the Aggie spirit is
having respect and coming together
as the 12th Man,” Trigg said. “It’s
important to always realize the ac
tions or the things we say to one
another reflect how we truly care
about one another, and I think as
long as we continue to progress to
ward the goal of campus unity across
all student organizations we will
continue to see a rise in respect and
care for each other.”
SIGNS ON PG. 2
ACTIVISM
Shelby Knowles—THE BATTALION
Elizabeth Smart speaks about abduction and empowerment in
Rudder Theater Thursday.
Abducted. Abused.
Unbroken.
CAMPUS
Yell Leaders denounce message
in signs targeting Greek life
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By Lindsey Gawlik
Signs placed on campus de-
picting anti-fraternity senti
ment made a splash on social media
Thursday.
One sign featured caricatures of
the four Yell Leaders from the Corps
of Cadets giving Senior Yell Leader
Steven Lanz, who is not a cadet,
the thumbs down. Lanz is a mem
ber of the Christian social fraternity
“Brothers Under Christ,” or BYX.
Signs posted around campus Thursday depict negative
images of fraternities and non-cadet yell leaders.
Another sign featured a New Bal
ance shoe toppling Albritton Tow
er. On another sign, tombstones
with fraternity letters are shown be
low text that reads, “Don’t rush to
your grave.”
Corps of Cadets Commander
David Trigg said these signs were
not Corps-approved and neither the
Corps nor the Office of the Com
mandant put them out. Trigg said
the signs do not contribute to cam
pus unity.
Nick Banks (left) steps into a pitch against Rice Tuesday. Mitchell Nau (right) slides into base Aggieland prepares for 30,000 participants at the 24th annual Chilifest
safely during the 4-3 Rice win. Thursday.
No. 1 baseball team puts hot Fraternity builds add
streak on line against Bulldogs unique flair to Chilifest
By Andre Perrard
The Aggies have found a
way again and again to come
through late in ballgames, and
Tuesday night they notched a
4-3 comeback win over the Rice
Owls to bump their win streak
to five games. Now, top-ranked
A&M will continue a nine-game
homestand this weekend against
SEC foe Mississippi State.
The Bulldogs (21-14, 5-7
It
SEC) are coming off a series win
over South Carolina last week
end, though they dropped their
mid-week contest at Memphis.
Reid Humphreys has 21 RBIs
this year and leads the team with
five home runs.
Jacob Robson will be a threat
on the bases as well, as he has
gone 15-for-20 on stolen base
attempts this year. Also, in seven
career games against the Aggies,
senior Wes Rea has gone 13-for-
30 (.433) with six RBIs. Missis
sippi State is 7-1 against A&M in
College Station.
For the Aggies (31-2, 9-2
SEC), the lineup has been lethal
all season. Nick Banks has reached
base safely in all 32 games he has
played in this season, and he is on
a 10-game hit streak.
Mitchell Nau -— who is on a
10-game hit streak of his own —*
has also been on fire as of late.
BASEBALL ON PG. 4
By Katie Fuller
Twenty-four years ago, six Texas
A&M students held the first an
nual Chilifest in the parking lot of a
local Walmart. This year, more than
30,000 people are expected to attend
the popular event in Snook.
The 2015 Chilifest will feature
performances by the Eli Young Band,
Eric Chase and the Josh Abbott Band
among others. Tyler Luxion, Chilifest
chairman and accounting senior, said
after a conversation on Twitter, Josh
Abbott Band will keep a camel back
stage, adding to the random collection
of things to be found at Chilifest.
Among the concerts and copious
amount of beer, visitors can see the
unique structures, called builds, frater
nities and other groups create every
year.
“Every year the fraternities come
out arid they make their own separate
CHILIFEST ON PG. 3
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