A&M competitive cheer squad is unacceptable
In response to Melissa Sullivan Oct. 16th, article:
I would like to congratulate the board of regents, the student body and Shannon Johnson, in particular. You have achieved the impossible; I no longer take any pride in being an Aggie. I chose to attend A&M because it was unique and special. I enjoyed and took pride in explaining our traditions and the Aggie way of life to my friends and family. I loved the fact that, although we were officially TAMU, we embraced the past and proudly displayed AMC throughout the campus. Then the worst idea of A&M’s history came to light, the 2020 plan. For some reason, the board of regents decided that the best way to raise A&M’s status was to homogenize the school as much as possible. My belief is that they acted as fools. There was one simple action that they could have taken that would have made TAMU “World Class.” The needless killing of Rudder Oak. The feminization of the on-campus housing. The termination of Bonfire. The moving of Midnight Yell to 11:30.
The placement of R.C. Slocum to the most visible position on campus. The dissolution of the Fish Drill Team. The support of a cheerleading squad with a junior college membership. I do not want anybody from Blinn representing me as an Aggie.
A&M’s support of a cheerleading squad is the last straw for me. A&M is now part of the great unwashed. The only thing that still makes A&M unique is the existence of the Corps and our band. I wonder how the Bugle Line will look when they are surrounded by a Flag Corp. On my Aggie word, as long as there is a cheerleading squad, I will never intentionally give a cent to TAMU again, either directly or indirectly.
Jack L. Williamson
Class of 1991
`Sidelines’ is not all bad
In response to Kelln Zimmer’s Oct. 15th column.
There are several factors that need to be considered before you decide to hate ESPN forever. First, the show was not intended to be a PR piece for the school. It was intended to be real. While we do have traditions that I cherish and love, I am also not naive enough to think that things like over-consumption of alcohol never occur at our school. In addition, before you get upset because “Sidelines” does not focus completely on traditions, ask yourself why under one-fourth of the student body attends Silver Taps on a regular basis. If we don’t support Aggie traditions, ESPN should not come under attack for failing to portray all of them.
No actors were hired for “Sidelines.” ESPN is not making up storylines. Rather, your fellow students are providing the material for the show. The specific cast members provide their schedules for the production crew to follow each week. If you are upset about what you saw, I suggest that you take a look at who you are attacking. Is ESPN to blame for the personal decisions of cast members and their friends?
There are shows that have yet to be seen. The show is a 13 episode series. Two episodes have aired. To date, “Sidelines” has introduced under one-half of the total cast. If you are concerned about the cast not being representative of the student body, wait to pass judgement until you have been introduced to them all.
In conclusion, if you want to see a good PR piece about A&M, the visitor’s center has a great video. If you are prepared to see good along with embarrassing, stay tuned to “Sidelines.”
Rachel Schaefers
Class of 2003