quote:
1) Our biggest problem as a University is our University. Beginning at Fish Camp we drill this “holier than thou” mentality into our students who then somehow blindly expect that things are great or things will miraculously get better. Why? Because we’re Aggies. This devalues accountability by strengthening a “us against the world” perspective. In other words, it’s better to whoop in public, drive maroon SUV’s, teach your 2 year old the War Hymn, etc. even if it means embracing the status quo (which is a football doormat). In other words, most Ags have peace of mind and will just keep on waving their towels as long we continue to honor the big cigars and don’t change the traditions.
The notion that someone that attended Texas A&M University would think or agree with the above statement is sad (much less do so in public). If all you got from attending Texas A&M was a sheepskin, then I can understand thinking this way. Besides the fact that it is illogical, it displays a fundamental lack of understanding of the uniqueness of being an Aggie.
It is correct to note that driving maroon SUV's and teaching your 2 year old the War Hymn is not the sum total of "Aggieness". These are merely outward indications of the pride and love we have for our school. Supporting the football team is the same thing. A&M is a university with a football team, and not the other way around.
The traditions of the school are the things that make A&M unique. An education can be aquired from many fine schools throughout the country and state. An Aggie education, however, provides more than the classroom experience. It is also the sense of duty to, love of and respect for our country, state and school, and a willingness to sacrifice for those things. The traditions also seek to honor those that came before us and passed on those things to us. If fish camp is simply telling incoming fish that mere acceptance into A&M makes them special, then it is doing a disservice. I doubt, however, that this is the case.
I am sorry that you are upset with the rest of us lemming-like Aggies that haven't yet had the epiphanous moment of great religiosity to understand that the very thing that keeps the Aggies from football greatness is our own Aggieness. I suppose I will have to leave the pitching of fits and the forming of internet lynch mobs to the enlightened ones that understand that we are a cheerleading squad away from football greatness, as I am too busy teaching my 4 year old the war hymn (that, and trying to teach her a sense of perspective and emotional balance so that every time, oh I don't know, say time runs out on the football team it doesn't ruin her week).
[This message has been edited by pagerman @ work (edited 10/19/2009 12:38p).]
