I wasn’t a doper when the aggies had their bonfire accident last year so if the appropriateness of continuing this tradition has already been brought up, my apologies, butt here goes…
Each year the Texas A&M aggies DEFOREST the landscape for miles around by gathering 10,000 mature oak and pine trees, pile them into a big pyramid that fell and KILLED 12 students last year, burn the pile in an absolutely enormous blaze that releases a ridiculous amount of POLLUTION into the air, all to get themselves excited about a football game rivalry.
Honestly, I thought it was wrong back before anybody was hurt. It’s so damaging to the environment without any legitimate gain as to be considered criminal. Proponents claim to replant seedlings… woowee! Little they do to replace the benefits of a mature oak. And now 12 young adults are dead, several others injured for life and all the aggies want to do is get back out there and build another. Jeez, what does it take to get these people to think sanely?
Why not continue to have a bonfire, if it’s so blasted important, but have the added symbolism of using just 12 trees? The concept of a 12th man has always been important to them as showing they’re all ready to jump in and play for the team. Now it would also represent the memory of the 12 students that died. Plus, no more raping of the environment.
I honestly doubt a single good reason can be found to place additional lives in jeopardy through the continuation of this ill-advised event. I think it stinks and really question their motivation.