www.studentbonfire.com

quote:

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BONFIRE WILL BURN WITHIN THE LAW

Howdy

Student Bonfire would like to take this opportunity to inform every one of our members and supporters about our current status as an organization. Many questions have been raised concerning recent publications in regards to this coming season. Rest assured the leaders of Student Bonfire have been hard at work all year to assure the safety and success of this years build and burn. You can be certain that these leaders will do everything needed to ensure that no governing laws are compromised. Student Bonfire is not a “renegade” operation by any means. We will proceed in a professional manner as we have since our conception.

What makes Student Bonfire work is found in the character and hard work of each and every member. Without the dedication of some one-thousand members and countless supporters you would not be reading this statement right now. Student Bonfire recognizes, respects, and appreciates the understanding of both students and community members.

We will be safe, law abiding, and professional. We will build the hell outta Bonfire 2006.

Thank you,
Student Bonfire Committee

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Very nice. Any chance of that being printed in the Batt or Eagle?

This says nothing.

It goes without saying that Bonfire will be built and will burn within the parameters of the law.

Ducks, I agree, but I think that means they are figuring out how to play the game. While substance would be a plus (details, details, details), it is not necessary.

While you wouldn't have seen this ten years ago, this is a new Bonfire with new challenges.

It does say something...

it states that Student Bonfire does not intend to break the law, like so many just automatically assume.

There has been a stereotype of Student Bonfire since its start that they are a bunch of rebel kids building a renegade Bonfire. This addresses that. The recent publications portrayed SB in this stereotype (mis-quoting people, which they admitted to, but would not print a correction). They wrote as if SB was going to do whatever the hell they wanted no matter what the judge says. Nobody in the organization feels that way and the statement addresses that.

There have also been many questions going around the A&M and College Station communitee about Bonfire. Over the past two weeks, I've had people ask me everyday, "I heard we can't have Bonfire" or "Did they miss a deadline, is Bonfire cancelled?" I'm sure the Reds have been hearing this even more. The statement also addresses this.

They have to make a statement like this because they need the support of the communitee and of Ol'Ags. They have to show this professionalism.

On the contrary it says volumes. I think continued professionalism like this statement will go a long way towards helping ASBs reputation. ASB might be the most impressive effort in that state but hardly anyone outside the organization has a clue what it is about.

Plus, we probably hurt our reputation when we had to light stack and break the burn ban. It had to be done but it doesn't help the renegade reputation. Almost everytime I talk to an ol' Ag who hasn't had first hand experience with Bonfire since '99 they refer to us as rebel or renegade bonfire. People need to know that not only is this Texas Aggie Bonfire but we are doing it in a way that addresses the problems from the campus fire and that we are passionate but professional.

Good job.

This is encouraging.

One aspect that hurt UP/SB in previous years manifested itself in confrontational or puerile statements made to the news media. Sentiments expressed may not have represented the official policy of the organization, but the public had no alternative but to take them as such.

A letter to the editor in last year's Eagle serves as an example.

Indiscipline in making public statements unfortunately connotes indiscipline in other areas of the endeavor.

I suspect that SB's management has finally come to realize this. A good rule to follow: Limit those who can make public statesments to a designated few, and run official statements by others before they're released.

[This message has been edited by DualAG (edited 9/26/2006 1:06a).]