Well first I would like to reply to those that, what I would call, down bonfire. I realize where those people come from. I'm not a parent and cannot assume to understand how they fear for their children, or how possibly they would react to their child's death. However, I cannot help but think the legal battle with A&M is blowing things out of proportion.
I realize that these people have sustained a loss, but money will not bring those people back. If they were out to punish someone that damage has been done. Bonfire is no longer on campus, and everything it did for A&M is clearly not very strong anymore. Its like the underlying fabric of the community that was here, that I first fell in love with and made me want to come to A&M, is gone.
I am not saying that these families are now only out for their piece of the pie. I believe that their persuit for justice has just gone too far. A&M has already admitted fault, signed several contracts, and essentially made it impossible for bonfire to come back as a student run organization.
What these families don't realize is that their children had to have known they were taking risks, and what those risks might lead to. People have died before while working on bonfire. Given that it has never happened in the way or on the scale of that in '99. The knowledge is everpresent in the back of your mind that if something were to go seriously wrong; maybe not due to any one person's mistakes or even a small group of people's, but an add up of all the little things that can go wrong. If something were to ever go seriously wrong that someone could very easily die or be injured. Its not really talked about, people keep their focus on the job at hand. They keep their focus so that they do the best job they can do, because their buddy next to them is relying on them to do their part. I guess that's not a really clear explination. More to the point when you and about 30-50 other people are going out everyweekend and not only cutting down trees, inherently dangerous in itself, but also carrying the logs most weighing at least 400lbs and some as much as 1500lb (or at least it feals like it) YOU KNOW that if someone were to not give it their all and the log started to drop that there is a chance that someone, maybe you, could get in a bind (pinched). Not just that but maybe die.
Now there has to be someone here who has not experienced bonfire, aggie or not, and ask the question, "why take such a risk?" I have just helped build my first bonfire. I am a fish. If you are an aggie this is going to be kind of like trying to explain to a non-aggie how it feels to be an aggie. Bonfire, while not the only tradition at A&M, definitely must have made the most impact.
I can tell a definate difference in the people from when I first visited A&M 4 years ago and now. I hear stories of last year or the year before that about how people simply saying howdy have declined.
Believe it or not bonfire really does build friendships and confidence in people. You really will do things that you don't think are possible. Yeah, you think if you get enough people that you can lift anything. Tell me that when there is only 30 people to lift a log nearly 30 feet long and at least two feet around, and both your shoulders are bleeding through your shirt and so are they guys' next to you because all you have done all day is carry out nubby logs. We did it though. To be completely honest I didn't think it would happen. There is nothing like that feeling when everyone gives it their all and before you know it this enormous log is resting on your shoulder and you and your buddies are carrying it through the woods. It builds confidence it creates friendships, not because everybody gets together but because your and the person next to you are about to do something normal people look at and think is impossible, or stupid. It sets you apart and that creates a bond I can't really describe.
Now those of you non-bonfire folk out there are probably wondering why I would risk my life to make a few friends and a self-esteem boost. Its just so much more than that. If you are an ag, a true ag you know that only the simplest terms can describe how it feels to be an ag, but there is so much more too it. You just stumble over your words because it makes you feel like nothing else, impossible to describe. Its the same thing with bonfire. If you really want to know why I would particpate in something that is currently under a lot of scruteny, is struggling for survival, and 12 people GAVE, I don't care what anybody says even though those people did not die voluntarily they were pouring their heart and souls into what they loved, their lives for you will have to find out for yourself. Its easy enough to find out about bonfire just ask around Sbisa at about 6:00 every night.
I honestly did not start out writing trying to recruit people, and I am still not. I am just trying to give a little understanding to those that would criticize what I, and many others, do. We love it as much as a person could love anything or anyone. At this time in our lives its helping form who we will be forever. The feeling is ecstatic when I think about that me and my buddies built something so big, and poured so much, literaly, blood, sweat, and tears into. That probably was not the best explination about how my buddies or even me for that matter, feel about bonfire and the goings on of the legal battle. However; I hope anybody that reads this understands a little more about bonfire and why people did and still do build it.
Build The Hell Out'a Bonfire!
