The Texas A&M bonfire burns my butt.

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.

Got a cite for the deforestation claim? What sort of pollution is being released and is it toxic? BTW, the collapse happened in 1999, not last year. They didn’t have a bonfire last year. Also, it was not the first collapse.

The inquiry into the incident shows that the bonfire stack that did collapse was bigger than the school allowed. There were also no engineers present as was required by ploicy. The problem seems to have been with the central log, which cracked and led to the accident. It has been proposed that a metal pole be used to prevent the same sort of thing from happening again.

Also, most if not all of the survivors say that the tradition should continue. Is it right? I don’t know and I don’t make value judgements on this sort of thing. Should it continue? Yes or no, it won’t cause me to lose sleep, but it is an important thing to an Aggie.

As a Longhorn, I hate Aggies…with a passion you might not understand unless you went to either school or lived in either city.

However, you are a fucking idiot. Deforestation? From a once-a-year event? So, tell me, why there are so many trees around Bryan/College Station even though the tradition has been going on for decades? You’d think that if it was really causing deforestation, East Texas would look like West Texas now. Hmmm, nope, it doesn’t.

Pollution? Uh, yeah, ok. Sorry jackass, the pollution caused by this once-a-year tradition is negligible. Far worse air pollution occurs from the various wildfires that burn around the state during the summer months than could ever be attributed to this annual event.

And as for continuing the tradition after the collapse…many, many people think it would be a tribute to the students that died if the tradition were to be carried on. If the majority of the students at A&M want to keep the tradition alive, who the fuck are you to tell them they can’t?

Besides, when we beat the Aggies’ asses after their little camp fire has burned out, I just laugh.

Got a cite for the deforestation claim?

No, That’s just my memory of the newspaper articles reporting on the accident after it occurred in, yes, you’re right, '99.

What sort of pollution is being released and is it toxic?

The same kind of air pollution as from a forest fire (which I guess it is) except none of the ash and nutrients are being released across a forest floor for use by future generations of plants. A ban on the burning of wood in fireplaces during the winter has already been proposed for the region because air pollution already exceeds federal guidelines but this gross waste is to continue? We’re supossed to encourage South American slash & burn farmers not to go chop happy on the rain forest when we clear and burn huge volumes of trees for a ballgame?

They didn’t have a bonfire last year.

A very unpopular decision among students and ex’s.

Also, it was not the first collapse.

My point exactly.

Also, most if not all of the survivors say that the tradition should continue.

Given the hypothetical chance, how do you think those dozen dead might vote? Most of the faculty is dead against it.

Keep your tradition… burn a smaller bonfire, just prove to me that some admirable symbolism can drive this tradition instead of just a “bigger is better”, “hey, y’all watch this” fireworks show.

They’re dead. If they could vote, that would mean they wouldn’t have been killed in '99. Which leads me to believe they’d probably be voting to have it.

But really, who cares? They’re not voting.

I’ll assume that no pun was intended…

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Beelzebubba *
**

Wasn’t participation in bonfire voluntary? I was under the impression that it was, and that the unfortunate 12 were there because they wanted to be.

Demise, we can only hope for yours…

Deforestation? From a once-a-year event?

I’m not sure how long the logging goes on before the burn but you’re not so naive as to assume it’s for, oh, say a couple of days are you?

So, tell me, why there are so many trees around Bryan/College Station even though the tradition has been going on for decades? You’d think that if it was really causing deforestation, East Texas would look like West Texas now.

Have you flown over College Station lately? The Continental flight from Dallas to Houston passes just east of there, banking and initiating it’s slowdown. It’s agonizing to look down and see just how much is gone. Much is cleared farmland and the forest that used to be there is a only a shadow of it’s former self. I’d equate it to what has happened to the once fairly unspoiled hill country around Austin. I lived there as a youth and am saddened by what’s happened to it. Developers and subdivisions have completely f*cked up a once beautiful region with urban sprawl. Used to that, I’m not surprised your sense of desecration is not offended by A&M’s waste of a resource.

Pollution? Uh, yeah, ok. Sorry, the pollution caused by this once-a-year tradition is negligible.

I’d feel better about having to breathe it if it was filtered through your lungs first. You’re saying things are already bad so what’s a little more going to hurt? Here’s a bucket of sand, ostrich boy.

And as for continuing the tradition after the collapse…many, many people think it would be a tribute to the students that died if the tradition were to be carried on.

Sure, that’s a nice tribute that they gave their life for a worthless f*cking fire. Self-combust if you want to, I’m trying to accomplish something worthwhile. What are you willing to die for? A glorified wienie roast?

If the majority of the students at A&M want to keep the tradition alive, who the fuck are you to tell them they can’t?

Unfortunately, I seriously doubt anyone can hammer any sense into any of the poor saps there. I’ve seen 'em drive and it’s not a pretty sight. But I am still breathing the air, sending kids to college and not so jaded as to not be offended by this indefensable arrogence, that’s who I am.

Given the hypothetical chance, how do you think those dozen dead might vote?
[/QUOTE]

They’re dead. If they could vote, that would mean they wouldn’t have been killed in '99. Which leads me to believe they’d probably be voting to have it.


Here’s the spirit of that scenario…

St. Peter: Okay kids, gather around. thinking my, there’s a lot of them! Here’s the deal… You can either stay dead but the family and friends that will never see you again, the children you’ll never have, will know that at least you died for a pep rally, or you can go back and skip the bonfire, grow up, procreate and have a chance at a fruitful life… your choice.

I don’t give a rat’s ass which school you go to or how they get up for a game, it’s not worth a child’s life now or in the future, much less a freaking dozen of them. How many more do you think should die before we “re-examine” the event yet again?

Yeah…that’s part of the point I was making…I guess it wasn’t clear?? Sorry…

Participation is voluntary, people go, the faculty has been complaining that it’s dangerous (as large fires tend to be) for years, and generally speaking college students are quite capable of taking responsibility for themselves.

If the 12 who dies were here, and it were put to a vote, I’d bet they’d vote to have the damn fire. But who gives a damn? They’re not here, and there is no vote.

What exactly is the worthwhile thing you’re trying to accomplish in this thread? I thought it was a rant about a BBQ…and who wouldn’t die for a good wienie roast?

What exactly is the worthwhile thing you’re trying to accomplish in this thread? I thought it was a rant about a BBQ…and who wouldn’t die for a good wienie roast?

Yeah, you’ve got a point there butt what I’d be impressed by, what would really make my heart go out to the students and exes, is if they learned from a tragic event and went with a safer, smaller, better engineered event in the future.

You can’t tell me that a twelve tree bonfire symbolizing the tradition of the 12th man and the 12 students that died trying to spread the school spirit wouldn’t generate enough emotion to make their team go ballistic against UT? Is it necessary to put more students at risk and burn the shit out the local hardwood population to get up for a huge rivalry?

Why not switch to Joan Collins as a mascot and have her climb up onto a huge, phallic-shaped bonfire and go down on the torch after she lights the stream of gas pouring from the top. Bigger is better, eh? Not when it comes to the ass you make of yourself.

As an Aggie, I’m somewhat shocked by the lack of informationlieu possess(sp) regarding Bonfire.

It’s a good thing come spring, TAMU has what’s called “re-plant”. IIRC, we even had one last spring, altough we had no Bonfire.

So, it isn’t possible that the lack of trees is caused by:

  1. Centauries of cotton farming in nearby areas.
    2.The CollegeStation-Byran area exploding in population within the past 20 years to over 130,000 people?

Personally, I think the event should be toned down, which makes me the odd-man out in my Cadet unit. Even my junior who was in the collopse (and had to have his spleen removed) is all for retaining the tradition.

It’s easy to say “Well, ** Lieu**, you don’t go to TAMU(I assume) so you don’t understand the importance of tradition here.” Sadly, that is the case. Bonfire will happen next fall (They need students who participated in Bonfire to still be @ TAMU) and it * will* be voluntary, as it has always been. Even in the Corps of Cadets Bonfire duty was voluntary. (At least for my unit it was, I can’t answer for some of the others)

Sometimes accidents happen and people get injured and die. When things like that happen it is appropriate to take a look at what happened and see what reasonable steps must be made to prevent it from happening again.

Twelve people died and I don’t know how many were injured. It is silly to immediatly call for a ban of something that has been pretty safe in the 90 years or so they’ve been doing it. If they can take steps to make it safer in the future then from a safety standpoint why not do it? We don’t stop skiing just because a lift falls and we don’t stop swimming just because someone gets attacked by a shark.
Marc

SpaceGhostofArrakis, I reread your comments and mine but I’ll respectfull submit that your rebuttal gives no credence to your lack of information claim.

I first said that A&M replants seedling. Woopee again. How many decades will it be, yes decades, before that’s an even trade? Can I borrow your house? Here’s a 2X4 in return.

Heck yeah the deforestation is caused by:

  1. Centuries of cotton farming in nearby areas.
    2.The College Station-Byran area exploding in population within the past 20 years to over 130,000 people?

That makes it okay to WASTE what’s left? What about the impact on local fauna as these trees are removed? The loss of potential timber and pulp. Loss of carbon dioxide to oxygen transformation? Soil erosion? Watershed disruption?

It just seems to me to signify a real lack of respect for a resource and area.

Hey! Did those kids get a Darwin award for that stunt? I mean, taking twelve drunken morons out of the gene pool at once was pretty impressive.

Drunk? Have to ask for a cite on that. Even if they were drunk, being impressed by the deaths of 12 college students ranks just below pond scum on the humanity scale.

Boy! You mean it takes decades to grow a tree? Wow! Who’d thunk it?

While you’re on your firebanning roll, you’d better ban all campfires too. They burn a hell of a lot more wood in one day than that one bonfire does. Better yet, ban camping all together.

yawn

:rolleyes:

I suppose, were this GD, I’d have to. Instead, I will just assume that they were, since sober and intelligent people wouldn’t have done what they did.

As for scummy, yeah, you have me pegged there. I have no use for jocks and school spirit types and was heard to describe the non-jocks killed at Columbine as unfortunate collateral damage.

Boy! You mean it takes decades to grow a tree? Wow! Who’d thunk it?

What point are you trying so poorly to make? As long as there are enough trees to keep you in toilet paper, you’re happy?

I’ve counted rings on the Water Oaks and Loblolly Pines in the area. Ones the size of those timbers used in College Station are in the neighborhood of 70 to 80 years old. The Live Oaks of similar size indigenous to that area would be on the order of 1.5 to 2 times that old.

You don’t think that volume of wood would be BETTER SERVED as a couple of thousand campfires keeping many more recreationists warm and cooking their meals? You’re getting a little trivial here but you’re also displaying this wasteful mentality that unfortunately is filling our dumpsites, draining our aquifers and polluting our environment. Is there any blue or green in the world you want to leave for your children?

bigger yawn

lieu

I’m avoiding thunder like the clap.

Riiiiight, all that has been caused by one fire once a year. :rolleyes: You are one sadly ingorant fucktard.

No, you shitnugget, I’m saying that one fucking fire a year does not a pollution problem make. Forest and brush fires are natural and happen a hell of a lot more than once a year, the Bonfire means nothing, pollution-wise.

It’s obviously not worthless to many, many people. The Bonfire isn’t a tradition because people like to burn things, it’s about camaraderie and pride in your school. I’m sure these things are meaningless to you.

Can you give us a cite for this bullshit that you’re spouting? Otherwise, I rank this crap on par with UFO abductions and secret councils of evil Jews set to take over the world.

And dropzone, that was pathetic. You are apparently even more of a waste of oxygen than lieu is. The Bonfire collasped because the main post broke…that was caused by being drunk…how, exactly? You sicken me, you fetid piece of worm-ridden donkey shit.

If I’m pathetic, that means I inspire pathos in you–you feel sorry for me. But then you turn around and call me mean names. I’m all confused. :rolleyes: