okay..let me first say that 512 and I are looking at 2 different Battalion articles. I was responding to the one MB posted about. In defense of that, I went back and looked up the article that 512 is talking about and there is all kinds of FAIL in that article.
First of all, it is an editorial written by an African American. He brings up the fact about they lynching of 2 cattle thieves and brings race into the issue. Lets just forget that the stole cattle and were only lynched because they were black???
The author says the Coke building should be renamed for an African American (no agenda here? )
quote:
The wall engraving inside the Coke building erroneously refers to Coke as the "Father of the A&M College of Texas." This is a lie. Coke was many things, but he certainly cannot be considered a patriarch of this fine University. That title deserves to be bestowed on someone like Matthew Gaines, an ex-slave who pushed for the legislation that made A&M's existence a reality.
Matthew Gaines was a state legislator from 1870-1871 and hardly anything to do with the creation of Texas A&M. If you don't know, Texas A&M was created by the Morrill Act that President Lincoln signed in 1872. The Texas legislature didn't pass it until 1876.
quote:
Coke's life is composed of disgusting personal lifestyle decisions and a dubious political career.
As I quoted earlier, Coke was regularly seen with a bible in Hand. he was elected governor on a 2-1 margin and reelected with a 3-1 margin. His political career created the Texas Rangers, put Texas on a fiscally responsible path after being in debt, balanced budgets, etc... Sure sounds like this author is completely wrong.
quote:
Coke would be deserving of a tribute on the A&M campus if he had contributed to our University in a meaningful way. But Coke did nothing significant for A&M. Therefore, he does not deserve to have a building named in his honor.
hmmm....
quote:
Under the Constitution of 1876, adopted during his term, Coke served on a three-member board that supervised a new, decentralized system of public education. Vocational education benefited from the opening of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (now Texas A&M University), at which Coke made an eloquent speech.
.....from the Texas handbook online. Sound pretty instrumental to me....
quote:
These words ring hollow from a man who apparently wanted to see all blacks exterminated
editorial...no facts
512...I am not saying you believe all this, but the author of this article is writing an EDITORIAL that is without support.
edit...wanted to say that before you and MB start citing editorials, maybe you should look at the context of the article and check out the author and sources.
[This message has been edited by Ted Logan (edited 6/1/2010 12:03p).]