today i was playing golf with a guy who cracked a joke about A&M and bonfire falling....how should i repsond to that in a polite way with getting the point across that he should realize that in no way, shape, or form that he was being funny.

" He's not a hard man to track, he leaves dead men where ever he goes."

A few months afer it happened, a co-worker of mine made a crack about the tradgedy and he ended up on the ground looking up through a swollen eye. I almost got fired for that one, but I learned that there were probably better ways to deal with insensitive people like that.

When the rare moron feels the need to crack a joke about it these days, I normally just start telling stories about each individual Aggie who passed away and how many of them impacted my life directly. If that doesn't work, I show them the scars on my hands from working on Bonfire that year and they normally realize that the joke isn't funny, especially to me.

If they don't get the point by then, they probably aren't worth being around and I find a way out of their presence. Good luck.

-------------------------------------------------------
If you can read this, thank a teacher.
If you can read this in English, thank a Soldier.

They just don't understand.

The year it happened I was at Thanksgiving Dinner and after the prayer, my ***** in law said something about Aggies and logs. My wife grabbed my hand or I would have walked.

Be bigger than they are.

Politely let them know it still hurts.

Apparently im not PC enough for some of you. to avoid further conflict i will delet my statement and sentiments. I still feel the same, but obviously am going to be attacked for expressing them.
____________________________________________________________
Proudest member of the Fightin Texas Aggie class of 08 Beat the h*** outa tu A-A-A-A-A!!!!. May bonfire forever burn in our hearts.....and may the Twelfth Man ever burn it in memory and in hope for the future.

Band.studentbonfire.com

[This message has been edited by Ag_of_08 (edited 3/30/2006 6:22p).]

Don't stoop to that level. The clocktower shooting is a sensitive to many still, in face my dad was there. When someone makes a crack, I very seriously tell them never say anything like that again. With a tone that tells them I mean it.

they get tacky, i get tacky.

____________________________________________________________
Proudest member of the Fightin Texas Aggie class of 08 Beat the h*** outa tu A-A-A-A-A!!!!. May bonfire forever burn in our hearts.....and may the Twelfth Man ever burn it in memory and in hope for the future.

Band.studentbonfire.com

You are assuming the guy he was playing golf with was from tu. Things may be different now, but, after Stack fell, any off color comments/jokes I heard came from people who were not Longhorns.

Scott Coker '92

he was from ohio state

" He's not a hard man to track, he leaves dead men where ever he goes."

I recall, UT was very supportive at the time. I don't think most current students at A&M or UT understand what it was like and the impact it had.

oops, my driver slipped out of my hands, sorry it hit you in the head!

Actually, what you told me, about keeping a straight face and simply telling him it's not funny, is probably the best way to handle it.

I've done the same as Opie. The guy was 6'7" and had 15 lbs. on me (I'm 6'5".) but the busted lip seemed worth it.

Until I got home and had to think about what I did. That punch ostracized me from a few of my friends.
And what was all that, really? There was an SFA kid, playing at being a t-shirt 'sip because I had already verbally abused SFA so thoroughly. He's already showing through his horible comebacks that he's dumber than dirt. A guy is so upset he made a crack like "***gies can't even build a campfire," because he's lost for any other ammo, and me giving him a black eye. Where was the honor and the respect there? Where was the character and the leadership? What had A&M and Aggie Bonfire taught me?

I suddenly had the feeling that, should I have had to explain to Scott West exactly what i just did, he'd be ashamed, not honored. I didn't stand up for the memory of a fallen High School friend and fellow Ag. No, I decided that I'd had enough of being insulted and I made it personal.


Quips about the belltower and fisticuffs are the wrong answer. Yes, a punch gets your point across, but I still owed Eric an apology, because they are both the wrong thing. I then took ten or fifteen minutes to explain to him why Bonfire '99 jokes aren't funny. That it would be akin to me teasing him about his roommate dying (also something that happened in '99.)

The next time someone made a quip about '99, both the recipient of that black eye and I verbally let it be known that this kind of joke was not fair game.

Eric's kid brother applied to A&M and cuts with FHK now. I see that as a positive change. That wouldn't have happened had I not explained what Bonfire means.

In short: have a serious discussion with the individual. From the outside looking in, you may not be able to understand it, but, from the inside looking out, you can explain enough of it that he can grasp that it wasn't a laughing matter.

Ag of 08, I hope you learn this lesson the easy way. I really do.


Remember '99.
OC Hogs Build Bonfire!

[This message has been edited by daniel02 (edited 3/21/2006 9:43a).]

In this sort of situation (which I think we've all had happen), its important to remember to not let the crappiness of other people get you to swim in the sewer with them for even a moment...dont give them the satisfaction.

I had a buddy make a crack while sitting around a campfire a few months ago. Hes not a t-sip infact hes not even in college. I made it clear his joke wasn't funny in any way and he went on to talk some more crap. I didn't have to say another word another buddy (an Aggie supporter but not a student) got right up in his face and told him he was gonna get pounded if he made another joke like that. Needless to say the seriousness was realized and an apology was soon offered.

quote:

---

yes, we ran a major construction project every fall for nearly a hundred years, and there was a tragic accident. At least i dont have to duck and cover walking by the belltower....."

Generaly mentions of guns and belltowers shut tsips up.

---

Real classy.

You sir are an idiot, same as any of my fellow UT brethren who make stupid bonfire comments.

One time I was at a restraunt with my girlfriend and her sister in law, she was stacking the plates for the waiter, and while he was waiting they fell over, me and her sister-in-law were wearing Aggies shirts and he said, yeah Aggies arn't really that good at stacking stuff are they?

We didn't leave a tip.

quote:

---

Real classy.

You sir are an idiot, same as any of my fellow UT brethren who make stupid bonfire comments.

---

and your telling me i have no class.......

I assumed you'ld have gotten over name calling before you left HS...


____________________________________________________________
Proudest member of the Fightin Texas Aggie class of 08 Beat the h*** outa tu A-A-A-A-A!!!!. May bonfire forever burn in our hearts.....and may the Twelfth Man ever burn it in memory and in hope for the future.

Band.studentbonfire.com

[This message has been edited by Ag_of_08 (edited 3/30/2006 6:24p).]

uh, actually, 08, he is more correct than you are. relax.

Scott Coker '92

quote:

---

and your telling me i have no class.......

I assumed you'ld have gotten over name calling before you left HS...

---

If your not ashamed of what you posted, why did you edit the original?

You claim outrage for insensitive bonfire comments (rightfully so), yet shrug off your comments about the UT Tower shootings as not being PC.

You can't have it both ways.

My idiot comment stands.

[This message has been edited by Office Linebacker (edited 3/31/2006 2:09p).]

when someone makes a nasty comment about bonfire, i look at them as not having enough decency to be given any. I would never make a rude comment about it until they sink below that level. After that...well i honestly dont have enough respect for them to care.

I edited my original because im tired of asses blasting me. My opinion stands, Im just done with the fight.

____________________________________________________________
Proudest member of the Fightin Texas Aggie class of 08 Beat the h*** outa tu A-A-A-A-A!!!!. May bonfire forever burn in our hearts.....and may the Twelfth Man ever burn it in memory and in hope for the future.

Band.studentbonfire.com

quote:

---

I edited my original because im tired of asses blasting me.

---

Lets see you blasted me for name calling when I called you an idiot for your Tower comments.

Now you come up with this "asses" gem about people who didn't think making fun of the UT Tower shootings is appropriate.

Wow.

You have serious issues.

ill stow it.

Forget it, im nto going to fight with you


I think your wrong you think om wrong drop it.
____________________________________________________________
Proudest member of the Fightin Texas Aggie class of 08 Beat the h*** outa tu A-A-A-A-A!!!!. May bonfire forever burn in our hearts.....and may the Twelfth Man ever burn it in memory and in hope for the future.

Band.studentbonfire.com

[This message has been edited by Ag_of_08 (edited 3/31/2006 3:19p).]

Ag of '08,

I must side with Linebacker here. Regardless of the depths any person has stooped to insult Bonfire or Texas A&M, responding in like kind is never classy.

All Aggies are expected to follow the lead of their predecessors, that is to quit themselves as gentlemen (or ladies, as gender dictates.)

The Shooting from their tower wasn't even t.u.'s "fault." Wilson was mentally deranged and had already killed his mother and wife. He left a suicide note and marked out premeditated plans to end his and many other lives.

The list of victims was as much residents of Austin as it was students. It even includes an unborn child.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Whitman

It was and is a tragedy. As an Ag, I'd be more prone to slug you for a slur against the Whitman Shootings than a Bonfire Collapse quip.

You are wrong, Sir, and have taken the appropriate course by recusing yourself. Your only appropriate response, if any is given, is a sincere apology.

Sincerely,
Daniel Eggert II
Texas A&M Class of 2002
Beat the Hell Outta t.u.

Just stop now. In all seriousness, Ive had enough of being lectured.


To ammend that sentiment....I will nto listen to anymore ledcturing. I will stop responding entirely to thos posts.




____________________________________________________________
Proudest member of the Fightin Texas Aggie class of 08 Beat the h*** outa tu A-A-A-A-A!!!!. May bonfire forever burn in our hearts.....and may the Twelfth Man ever burn it in memory and in hope for the future.

Band.studentbonfire.com



[This message has been edited by Ag_of_08 (edited 4/1/2006 4:55a).]

Amusing story(well it will be for offic at any rate). Apparently my smart a^^nes gets overidden by anger. Felt like posting it dont care what I said before. im still not going to deal with lecturing....

I was confronted a little over three hours ago now with this very situation. One of my roommates brought a buddy from tu to our apartment. I was showing him my RC plane(very large one in construction) and he made the comment "Well im glad to see one aggie sober enough he can build something."

I was at a loss for words. The belltower comments, the traditional retorts, all of my typical assanine comments left my mind. The only thing I said, and it was very quitley, was"you crossed a line you have no right to be near." and walked out of the room. I havent been that legitamatley angry in many years. I sat at my computer shaking i was so mad.

Its easy to shoot your mouth off when your online and its nameless faces, but god bless it he's lucky i didnt kill him on the spot. Somehow tackiness wasnt even close to an ample retort....

Dangit now im ticked off again. D*** rude tsips cant keep there mouths shut when they ought to(although i guess i cant most of the time) aadn about things they ought to....

____________________________________________________________
Proudest member of the Fightin Texas Aggie class of 08 Beat the h*** outa tu A-A-A-A-A!!!!. May bonfire forever burn in our hearts.....and may the Twelfth Man ever burn it in memory and in hope for the future.

Band.studentbonfire.com

i felt the same way....it was one of the biggest insults anyone had said to me...though it wasnt directed at me....i just was at a loss for words

" He's not a hard man to track, he leaves dead men where ever he goes."

I've had the same thing happen to me, but it was a long time ago. I was pissed and ready to cry at the same time.

There will always be classless jokes. We've heard them about the Challenger, about WTC, and we'll eventually hear more about Bonfire. I don't know what kind of person it takes to come up with these jokes, but I'm sure they don't understand what Bonfire was.

I think the best thing to do is to describe how you felt that day. Have them imagine what it must have been like to be a part of the Aggie family. Maybe drop in an explanation about Muster and Silver Taps. Maybe then they will get it.

That works for some people. Others will never have a clue. I was taught that the classiest response was the best. I know who I am, and where I come from, and about those that came before me. I have had classmates, good friends, and my fish old lady proceed me to the last corps trip. If a stern look and a sober face and a clear statement does not make them think twice, I certainly do not put them on my Christmas card list.

The reputation of Aggies, all Aggies, rides on the reactions of each of us. That is why Aggies do not taunt our oppenents ...ever. We celebrate our victories, and suffer our losses with an appropriate level of concern.

I was young enough to remember the shootings in the Tower at Austin. I had a cousin attending there at the time. I also was in Downtown Fort Worth and shook hands with Kennedy on the day he was shot. Such things are not the fodder for jokes. Serious people understand that. Fools never will.

[This message has been edited by 69huslinone (edited 4/3/2006 3:36p).]

Linebacker was right.

I've had similar incidents happen to me, which is the wrong person to have them happen around. Thankfully all but one time I've had a friend near me that immediately grabbed me and pulled me away before I could do anything.

That time, it was a woman (and I'd never hit a woman), and I jumped into the "ma'am, I had three of my friends die that night and I nearly did myself, so I'd appreciate it if you could find someone else's death to make fun of."

She immediately went into a mea culpa and talked about how her Dad went to A&M. Sure. The person sitting behind me ended up being one of the medics or 911 operators from that night (can't remember), and we had a good talk. It was the night we beat tu in basketball in '01 (I believe), so it was still fresh enough in my mind that talking through it made the normal days easier.

quote:

---

god bless it he's lucky i didnt kill him on the spot.

---

We definatly understand each other now. Make sure you store up that energy and put it into the first tree you drop this fall.

Know that by putting that anger into building Bonfire, that 'sip helped rebuild the Tradition.

amen.


BTW, im stil struggling for recruits for bonfire band. If you know someone interested folks point them to me.

____________________________________________________________
Proudest member of the Fightin Texas Aggie class of 08 Beat the h*** outa tu A-A-A-A-A!!!!. May bonfire forever burn in our hearts.....and may the Twelfth Man ever burn it in memory and in hope for the future.

Band.studentbonfire.com

'08...Look me up on facebook (look for Tootall it should come up) and shoot me a message and I'll give you the name of someone who might be able to help out with getting the Band together...I'd rather not use their name in public.

Thanks

My prior boss, she moved on, was a great employer in every way EXCEPT for the fact that as superintendant she made cracks about Bonfire with some frequency--at faculty wide events. She was a sip.

Due to the huge gap in our power level--I am just a teacher--I had to sit and be quiet, and take it, but when she would make a Bonfire comment--I would so turn off that anything she said the rest of the day was lost to me.

Thnks tootall.


____________________________________________________________
Proudest member of the Fightin Texas Aggie class of 08 Beat the h*** outa tu A-A-A-A-A!!!!. May bonfire forever burn in our hearts.....and may the Twelfth Man ever burn it in memory and in hope for the future.

Band.studentbonfire.com

[This message has been edited by Ag_of_08 (edited 4/7/2006 3:55a).]

Too tall, hope you dont mind if i post this..





Good BULL!

Ormy R.I.P