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Proposed statue to honor Matthew Gaines
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Men’s golf travels during fall The men’s golf team has traveled the word during this fall season. Catch up with how they’ve done.
texas a&m since 1893
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u c k B e e t i S
ome day you’ll look back at your college years and regret the things you didn’t do but wish you had. Before your life at A&M ends, consider trying out the Aggie Bucket List.
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Aggies are forming the Matthew Gaines Initiative, which promotes the proposed construction of a statue of this underappreciated historical figure.
october 20, 2010
Going to Blue Baker painted 1. Start the Aggie War Hymn in an inopcompletely blue could lead to portune place getting free food. ExemplifyThere is never a bad ing “sheer blue craziness” time to sing the Aggie is worth a free Big Blue War Hymn, so whether Combo, or a nine-inch you’re studying at pizza. “My Fish Camp the library, eating at a went to Blue Baker and restaurant or minding all of us were painted blue your own business in from head to toe. Not class, get the Aggie spirit Victoria only was it a lot of fun, but going. Bonus points for getting a group that Daughtery we got free food for doing exceeds 10 people to senior it. It was totally worth it,” join you. “One time I communication said Kellie Nolen, junior major allied health major. was at the library when 4.Get booed off stage at someone started the karaoke war hymn, and it will go down as Come far from hitting the high one of the funniest things I’ve ever witnessed here at A&M,” said Mar- notes or forget the words to the song, whatever your choice of tha Sontheimer, junior psychology sabotage, give the crowd what they major. don’t want. Perhaps slightly embar2. Make it on the jumbotron at a rassing, but if nothing else it’s a stosporting event ry for the grandchildren. “Getting Regardless of what you do to booed off stage is a right of passage get on the jumbotron, make a big for regulars at karaoke. This is not debute. 3. Paint your entire body blue for a free meal at Blue Baker See Bucket on page 5
coming thursday
Students lobby at Big 12 on the hill A story that covers the controversy regarding which students were to be funded by the office of the vice president of student affairs.
Volleyball: A&M v. OU The Texas A&M women’s volleyball team plays the University of Oklahoma at 7 p.m. today in Oklahoma. Coverage of the game will be in the sports section of Thursday’s paper.
Graphics by Jorge Montalvo — THE BATTALION
news for you texas 3 soldiers unafraid facing Fort Hood gunman Three young soldiers were fatally shot while protecting civilian nurses hiding under a desk during last year’s deadly rampage at Fort Hood, witnesses testified Tuesday at a military hearing for the Army psychiatrist charged with the shootings. The hearing will determine if Maj. Nidal Hasan — charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder — should stand trial for the Nov. 5 shootings. Shemaka Hairston, another nurse who worked in the building, testified the three soldiers stood around the desk as she and several other civilian workers hid underneath. She said they were wearing scrubs, not Army combat uniforms like the dozens of soldiers there that day. Staff and wire reports
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politics
Candidate doesn’t want to debate at A&M Ty Petty The Battalion Election season means campaign ads, speeches, rallies and debates. However, there will not be a debate between Rep. Chet Edwards, class of 1974 and his challenger Bill Flores, class of 1976, on the campus of Texas A&M. According to the MSC president’s office, formal invitations to the debate were sent to the candidates on Sept. 30. According to a formal invitation to the debate obtained by The Battalion, the candidates were offered a variety of dates in an attempt to provide the campaigns flexibility. The Wiley Lecture Series, which is part of the MSC wanted to sponsor the debate. “Texas A&M is a vibrantly political community of 49,000 students; faculty and staff are highly invested in this particular election,” the document said. “Hearing from and meeting our congressional candidates will demonstrate that you are invested in Aggieland and Brazos County in return.” Both campaigns responded to the invitation. However, the campaigns provided a mixed response to the invitation. Collin Laden, senior MSC president said: “The Edwards campaign was very interested and provided a list of dates. The Flores [campaign] did not respond positively.” There were several issues the Flores campaign reported for not participating in the MSC debate. One of the issues was scheduling, and the main issue the campaign stated is the MSC’s unwillingness to
EDITORIAL
Aggie family status starts with acceptance, intention Flores
Edwards
Bill Flores and his campaign declined requests for a debate with Rep. Chet Edwards to take place at Texas A&M. However, Edwards and Flores will debate Monday at Briarcrest Country Club in Bryan. compromise on format and topics. “There’s a large number of student events,” said Matt Mackowiak, Flores campaign manager. “We’d be interested in doing a debate larger than education, A&M was just not willing to.” This assertion by the Flores campaign is not true according to the document obtained by The Battalion and Laden. The document states that the debate will focus on the candidates and their positions and that the debate should cover a wide range of topics. “We will collaborate with respective campaign leadership to negotiate details,” the invitation said. Edwards has been a supporter of the debate since approached with the idea. His campaign responded with availability and format rules. “I’m disappointed we have not been able to get a positive response for a debate,” Edwards said. “If he can’t answer questions from me in a debate, how’s he going to answer questions in Washington?” The MSC president’s office, the Wiley Lecture Series, and student government worked together to reach the Flores campaign. The most recent attempt was on Friday in his College Station campaign office. No solution was reached during this See Debate on page 5
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Koldus room 144 before possibly s Toby Oyedeji was drivvoting on a bill that would change ing home from his senior when committed Aggies are eliprom, two weeks before gible for honor at Silver Taps. his move to Aggieland, he was The bill would include “Aggies involved in a head-on collision and who have been accepted to Texas died. Oyedeji’s death made national A&M and have announced an inheadlines because he was a top-100 tention to enroll, but have not yet basketball recruit who signed his letattended a New Student Conferter of intent to play at Texas A&M ence or officially enrolled in and was committed to Aggies who classes at the University,” attending and studying have accepted in the Silver Taps engineering for a few admission to Texas ceremonies. Traditions years. A&M should be Council is against the Oyedeji, class of honored at Silver bill as it stands now. 2014, was not honTaps regardless of There is something ored at the first Silver NSC attendance special about Texas Taps of the year. That is A&M — the family. No just wrong. other university in the country The men’s basketball head is like A&M. Silver Taps is one coach, Mark Turgeon, lobbied tradition that binds Aggies together for Oyedeji to be honored, but once a month, when necessary, to was told that because Oyedeji had honor those of us who have died. not yet attended his New Student Oyedeji was one of us; so is every Conference, he would not be high school senior who has acceptincluded in the ceremony. After his ed A&M’s offer for admission. failed efforts, Turgeon gave up, but Students should attend the forum and support this bill which broadens pleaded the rule be changed. the Aggie family’s embrace. Today the Student Senate will have an open forum at 7 p.m. in
EDITORIALBOARD The Battalion’s editorial opinion is determined by its Board of Opinion, with the editor in chief having final responsibility. Editor in Chief Matt Woolbright editor@thebatt.com
Managing Editor Megan Ryan
Opinion Editor Ian McPhail
10/19/10 9:13 PM