Not everyone, not by a long shot. In fact, once they have learned the non-negotiable conditions of an on-campus Bonfire, very few are willing to make campus THE priority in this issue.
The ever-heightening level of excitement and enthusiasm for "Off-Campus Bonfire" is evidence that the Bonfire Tradition is alive and well in the Aggies' hearts. I believe that biggest reason for waning support or activity on the "On Campus" front is that people are learning that the Spirit and Tradition of Bonfire are entirely intact off campus.
In fact, people are coming to recognize that in order to have a Bonfire on campus, the essential experiences of Bonfire would have to be compromised at best, if not entirely eliminated.
A year or two ago there was a Student Senate "rally" of sorts, ostensibly to voice student support for a move on campus. Much to the organizer's dismay, those who came to speak to the Senate, who he was certain would speak to his agenda instead were proud to say to a man (and woman) in so many words "When you say 'bring it back' you imply that it isn't already here."
The room was moved, even offering a standing ovation to the students when they were done speaking. Afterwards, I spoke with a system administrator who had been in attendance. It was a sensitive discussion, but he was frank and straightforward and pulled no punches. (I've always appreciated that, so I won't be tossing his name around.)
He said that in order to have an on-campus Bonfire, the students would have to be willing to cede nearly everything they loved about Bonfire. He said that the cost to insure even a fabricated, exclusionary Bonfire would take a lot of the shine out of the end product. And he said that even with insurance and without students, it was still not an undertaking the University would be terribly enthusiastic about.
He seemed to be getting at something, nailing down these points so precisely until not much was left that sounded anything like the Bonfire we all know and love. So I said, "If I'm hearing you correctly, it sounds to me like what you're saying is that Bonfire just isn't meant for campus anymore; and that if some entity were to continue it, freeing the University from liability while giving everyone our Bonfire at the same time..." He began to nod. "...kind of like what we're doing now." He smiled, nodded and said, almost relieved to have made his point "And you're doing a fine job at it."
Hope your question (and any ensuing questions) were answered somehwere in there.
