The Battalion - September 12, 2019 by The Battalion

The day after

Aggies recall experiences from Sept. 11, acts of service and solidarity in days following attacks By Hollis Mills @sillohsllim The sun rose the morning of Sept. 12, but the tragedy of the previous day still cast its shadow across the country. “Despicable acts of terror,” as former U.S. President George W. Bush once described them, tore through the New York City skyline 18 years ago, forever altering the

lives of a nation’s people. In the face of unimaginable adversity, individuals across the land sought hope in the hands of their fellow countrymen. Grief gave way to purpose, because while each Sept. 11 is a day of remembrance, the nation is reminded of the resilience needed to keep moving forward. Twelve years before he became a political science lecturer at Texas A&M, Dwight Roblyer was serving as an Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and war gamer in the studies, analysis and gaming division of the Pentagon. Roblyer, Class of 1984, was not in the building the morning Flight 77 penetrated the west side of the Pentagon. He was at home helping his kids with their math homework before

a phone call from a friend prompted him to the upstairs television set. “It was horrible to see what was going on in New York City, but then to see the Pentagon attacked like that gets you at multiple levels,” Roblyer said. “One is, hey, those folks are my comrades in arms and some of them I know well, and then also to realize it’s not just an attack against our people and our economy, but it’s also an attack that’s being directed toward our government. There’s that feeling of, ‘Okay, what is going to get attacked next?’” Two weeks passed before Roblyer would return to work and witness the gaping wound firsthand. DAY AFTER ON PG. 6

Photo illustration by Brady Stone and Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

The Freedom from Terrorism Memorial stands at the front of the Quad as a tribute to Aggies that have served and continue to serve the US in the War on Terror.

‘We were all there to serve’ Former student shares personal account of White House response to 9/11 attacks By Camryn Lang @CamrynLang

FILE

Tiffany Barfield, Class of 1999, was working in the West Wing of the White House when she heard the World Trade Center was attacked.

As fear swept across the U.S. in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, an Aggie working in the White House returned to the chaos to serve in any way she could. After graduating from Texas A&M in 1999, Tiffany Barfield began her first job in February of 2001 as a staff assistant in the Office of Domestic Policy. This day was unique, as she was filling in for the assistant to President Bush’s domestic policy assistant, Margaret Spellings. The job moved her from the Executive Office building to the West Wing, where she first began to hear that something had gone wrong. “Her assistant [returned] and some chatter had started,” Barfield said. “The first AP clip came out at the 8:30 mark that [the plane] had hit the World Trade Center. … By that time I walked back over to my office … Then the second tower [was] hit. You could just feel the tension of people trying to figure it out.”

The domestic policy staff was housed in the Executive Office, allowing Barfield to witness the reaction of the National Security Agency that was located down the hall. Despite not seeing the news coverage of the attacks, the fear was leaking into the rest of the building, Barfield said. “[The National Security Agency’s] door flew open and some of the guys started running out,” Barfield said. “I knew something bad had happened. By that time, the Pentagon had been hit and we were told to evacuate quickly.” Barfield met up with Marisa Medrano Perez, Class of 1995, who was an associate within the Office of Domestic Policy at the time. The pair ran as fighter jets scrambled above them, Barfield said. “I grabbed Marisa’s hand and said, ‘Let’s say the Lord’s Prayer,’” Barfield said. “[I] had no idea that the Pentagon was on fire. By that time, the plane in Pennsylvania had gone down. Honestly, to this day, I still think [the passengers] may have saved my life.” Barfield and Medrano Perez drove to a hotel in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and began to process the event. Barfield said they both received calls that night from their superiors about their safety, WHITE HOUSE ON PG. 6

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The Battalion | 9.12.19

Ambucs.org

WILL U B 1?

Some people are sitting in large churches, sitting on their gift of music, singing, dancing, etc. Our tiny mission church has volunteer openings for your talent! Contact Pastor Ed Udell, Sr. New Victory Temple 1115 Detroit, College Station, TX 77840 (832) 919-4966

Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

On World Suicide Prevention Day, Texas A&M’s Suicide Awareness and Prevention Office hosted the “Not Another Aggie” walk. The event included a candle lighting ceremony and information about campus counseling resources.

Lighting the way Students, B-CS locals participate in A&M’s “Not Another Aggie Walk”

OBITUARY

By Alyssa Gafford-Gaby @AGaffordGaby

Samuel Iba Sifers Jr. Nov. 4, 1929-Sept. 1, 2019 “Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings.” Samuel Iba Sifers Jr., 89, of Bryan, passed away at home on September 1, 2019. Sam was born November 4, 1929, in Iola, Kansas, to Samuel and Martha (Cornish) Sifers. He grew up in Kansas, Ohio, and Colorado, graduating from Withrow High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Ohio University, Athens Ohio. Sam was a member of Phi Delta Pi Fraternity and remained active until his passing. Sam was commissioned a 2LT in the USAF in 1951 and served 28 years on active duty as a pilot and command pilot. His service included duty as a Squadron Commander and Vice-Wing Commander in Germany, and as Base Commander of Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. Most of his service was spent in units flying the C-130 Hercules aircraft. He had duty assignments worldwide including flying in combat during the Vietnam Conflict. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters and the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster during his service and was an active member of the Order of Daedalians. He retired from the USAF in 1979, at the rank of Colonel (06) and moved to Bryan to attend Texas A&M University.

Sam began his second career as a student of agronomy at Texas A&M graduating with a Master of Science in agronomy in 1986. With this degree he began to work in an area that combined his love of golf with his love of gardening; working on golf courses, for the USGA, and as a turfgrass consultant. He retired from this career in 2009. Sam was a member of Saint Andrews Episcopal Church serving on the Vestry several times including terms as the Senior Warden. Sam married his college sweetheart, Ann Manville Smith, September 20, 1952, and they celebrated 67 years of marriage last September. They had three children: Samuel Iba Sifers III (deceased 1953), Dr. Ann Lenore Sifers Brown of Dickinson, Texas, and Colonel (Ret) Steven Campbell Sifers of Littleton, Colorado. They had five grandchildren: Blake, Quinn and Ty Brown and Nikolaus and Hannah Sifers. The couple had five great-grandchildren: Westley, Molly, Andrew and L.E. Sifers and Ezra Kellerman. Sam enjoyed golfing, gardening, skiing and traveling in his free time. There will be a visitation at the Hillier Funeral Home of Bryan, on September 9 from 5:30-7:30 PM and a Memorial Service at Saint Andrews Episcopal Church on September 10 at 10 AM with final Military Honors to follow.

The Suicide Awareness and Prevention Office hosted the third annual “Not Another Aggie” walk on Tuesday night. Starting at 7 p.m. in Rudder Plaza, the event featured informational booths, t-shirts, food and interactive displays. Before the walk began, suicide survivors shared their stories of finding hope, and a candle lighting ceremony at 8 p.m. honored those who have lost their lives and those who are still struggling. This ceremony was one of many held across the globe in recognition of World Suicide Prevention day. Santana Simple, assistant director for the Suicide Awareness and Prevention Office, said the walk was a way for people to show their support for those suffering and give them the opportunity to seek out help and use the resources provided by the university. “My goal for this walk is for people to have a place where they can look around and see that there are people who care,” Simple said. “Support is here and they never have to feel alone.” The walk began at 8:15 p.m. and participants walked around campus together, following the signs that marked their path, as a sign of support for those suffering.

The event was staffed with volunteer students, faculty and community members from the Bryan-College Station area. Psychology senior and volunteer Sydney Stevens was stationed at a booth representing HelpLine — a mental health service that students can contact for support on nights and weekends. She said that while speaking about suicide can make for a difficult discussion, it is one that needs to happen. “It’s really important to raise awareness because it’s not talked about enough,” Stevens said. “Suicide is a hard topic and people don’t want to talk about it, but they should.” Before the walk began, several suicide survivors shared their stories. Survivor and economics senior Natalia Suarez said that getting help is possible, and the fight is worth it. “I struggled a lot, but I’ve come full circle,” Suarez said. “I want to be the person I wish I had. Everyone tells you it gets better, but it’s so different coming from someone who has been through it and made it to the other side.” To find information on campus counseling resources or schedule an appointment, students can visit Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) online or on campus at White Creek. CAPS can be contacted by phone at 979-845-4427 during business hours. HelpLine can be contacted at 979845-2700 from 4 p.m. to 8 a.m. on weekdays and 24 hours a day on weekends.

THE BATTALION

Luke Henkhaus, Editor-in-Chief Samantha Mahler, Managing Editor Sanna Bhai, News Editor Camryn Lang, Asst. News Editor Hollis Mills, Life & Arts Editor Meagan Sheffield, Life & Arts Editor Hannah Underwood, Sports Editor Brian Bass, Asst. Sports Editor Jane Turchi, Maroon Life Editor

Meredith Seaver, Photo Chief Henry Mureithi, Opinion Editor Cole Fowler, Asst. Opinion Editor Lexi Ellis, Social Media Editor Daoud Qamar, Multimedia Editor Robert Castro, Asst. Multimedia Editor Demi Navarro, Asst. Multimedia Editor Brady Stone, Page Designer Sydney Clark, Page Designer

THE BATTALION is published Thursdays during the 2019 fall semester (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. Offices are in Suite L400 of the Memorial Student Center.

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News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in Student Media,a unit of the Division of Student Affairs.Newsroom phone: 979-845-3315; E-mail: editor@thebatt.com; website: http://www.thebatt.com. Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The Battalion. For campus, local, and national display advertising call 979-845-2687. For classified advertising, call 979-845-0569. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Email: battads@thebatt.com. Subscriptions: A part of the University Advancement Fee entitles each Texas A&M student to pick up a single copy of The Battalion. First copy free, additional copies $1.

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LIFE&ARTS

The Battalion | 9.12.19

PROVIDED Via Twitter @Brittany_broski

Brittany Tomlinson went viral on TikTok and Twitter after posting a video of herself trying Kombucha.

Psychology graduate student Trey Gonzales released his song “Welcome to the Home of the 12th Man” as a tribute to Texas A&M.

Love letter to Aggieland ‘Kombucha Girl’ goes viral Former student finds fame in meme of the summer By Brady Stone @bradystonex Hundreds of thousands of followers and millions of views have proven the power of social media and changed the life of one former student. Brittany Tomlinson, Class of 2019, or “Kombucha Girl” as her followers call her, has quickly become a viral sensation after posting a TikTok video of her taste-testing the popular probiotic drink. “I was grocery shopping and I saw kombucha in the aisle, and I had heard of it all over the internet, so I was like, ‘You know what? Let’s try it,’” Tomlinson said. “I bought the kombucha, I brought it home, and I set up my camera and started filming my reaction.” From disgusted, to intrigued, to somewhat satisfied — the 20-second video of Tomlinson’s emotional journey can be best described in two words: meme gold. “It’s nasty, but also not, but still kind of not great,” Tomlinson said. “What happened on that video is my honest-to-God reaction to trying it.” That reaction has garnered over 100 million views and earned her over 300,000 fol-

lowers on Twitter alone. Many Twitter users have put their own spin on the kombucha tasting video, turning it into a reaction meme that can fit almost any situation. “When this all started, my Twitter was private, I only had about 400 followers, and they were all my friends,” Tomlinson said. “It has been retweeted, liked, screenshotted and shared so many times that it has turned into sort of a business ordeal because so many people love the meme.” In fact, Tomlinson is now the fifth most followed Aggie on Twitter — behind Johnny Manziel, DeAndre Jordan, Chris Tomlin and Von Miller — and she’s often stopped in public and asked to recreate the internet-famous meme for excited fans. Twitter user @camyounot spotted “Kombucha Girl” at Torchy’s Tacos on Texas Avenue and had her reenact the video with a bottle of Coca Cola. His tweet detailing the meeting collected over 100 thousand retweets and 800 thousand likes. “Sometimes I really do forget that the whole Kombucha thing even happened, so it stays pretty fun,” Tomlinson said. “It’s so weird if you think about it — I posted a funny video and now people are like fangirling over me. I can’t wrap my head around it.” On top of her hundreds of

thousands of followers, millions of views and near-household name status, “Kombucha Girl” has been written about in articles by Buzzfeed, Vulture and The New York Times. “I still have the revelation daily of, ‘This isn’t a dream — this isn’t a fluke,’” Tomlinson said. “It has all been cool but come back and talk to me in six months and I may give you a different answer — I’m very overwhelmed right now.” However, through it all, friends of Brittany will quickly remind you that she has not changed one bit. “All of her friends know that she has always been the same hilarious person with an outrageous personality that makes her so easy to love,” said long-time friend Angel Franco, Class of 2019, “She has brought so much joy into my life, so seeing her tweets and videos making other people happy too is pretty great.” Just one video was enough to change the path of Tomlinson’s life, and she says that although so many great things have already happened because of her newfound internet fame, interacting with her fellow Aggies is still one of her favorite things to do. “The coolest thing ever is all of the Aggies that message me,” Tomlinson said. “It’s so rewarding because I really do feel like I’m making A&M proud.”

GUEST COLUMN

The True Value of a Texas A&M Education One scholarship made the difference for Adey Awah ’20. Tyson Voelkel

@Tyson Voelkel

owdy Ags, What is the true value of a Texas A&M University education? There are a few different ways to approach this question. You could take it literally and answer “the cost of tuition.” Or maybe you could think practically and say it’s the value of the career opportunities received after graduation. Neither answer is wrong, but I’d argue the truth is deeper. The journey of one brilliant student, Adey Awah ’20, might best answer this question. Adey grew up in Harlingen, Texas, with his single mother who emigrated from Cameroon. Growing up in South Texas, he took part in a variety of extracurricular activities. In a typical week, he would play viola in an orchestra concert on Thursday, suit up with the football team on Friday and wake up bright and early for a track meet on Saturday. After a campus visit to Texas A&M his senior year of high school, Adey was convinced he had found the place for him. His mother wasn’t sure about him attending a university more than 360 miles away from home, but a generous Foundation Excellence Award from the Terry Foundation made the draw of Texas A&M irresistible. Since his arrival in College Station,

Adey has thrived at Texas A&M. He’s an outgoing Aggie who serves as a Fish Camp counselor and is, by all accounts, the kind of student who makes friends with everyone he meets. As a biochemistry major, he’s stayed the course en route to becoming a Doctor of Pharmacy. What’s more, he even discovered a new strain of bacteriophage—a bacteria-killing virus—while conducting undergraduate research. So, what is the value of Adey’s Texas A&M education, and where does it come from? Does it come from his time in the laboratories and lecture halls, learning how to conduct transformative research firsthand? Or is it found outside school hours, when he’s fostering friendships, living on his own and becoming the young man he was meant to be? The value, of course, is a sum of all of the above. It comes from each step he’s taken in College Station so far and each one he’ll take until he walks across the Reed Arena stage. All it took was one gift to bring him to Texas A&M. Imagine the gifts he and every Aggie like him will bring to the world outside. Thanks and Gig ’em, Tyson Voelkel ’96 President, Texas A&M Foundation Watch a video about Adey at give.am/ SupportAggies.

Student and rising country music star releases A&M-inspired single By Hollis Mills @sillohsllim

Every time Trey Gonzalez tried to tell others about his appreciation for Aggieland, the words just came out wrong. So the up-and-coming musician turned those words into song lyrics. The self-promoted, song writing psychology graduate student has been performing country music for open mic crowds across San Antonio and Bryan-College Station for the last two years. In 2018, Gonzalez released his debut album, “The Journey,” featuring the single “Here I Am,” which appeared at No. 54 on the Texas Country Music Chart and No. 97 on the Texas Regional Radio Report. On Aug. 24, Gonzalez released his latest single, “Welcome to the Home of the 12th Man,” as a love letter to Texas A&M. Balancing a musician’s lifestyle with the obligations of a student has not been easy, but Gonzalez said he wouldn’t have it any other way. “This is always something I wanted to do,” Gonzalez said. “When you’re an independent musician, everything is funded by yourself, so my pockets are only so deep as a grad student. It’s a slow process, but things are going well.” Leading up to the release of his recent single, Gonzalez drew inspiration from the artists of his youth. The swing of George Strait and Alan Jackson laid the foundation for his writing. However, the driving motivator behind Gonzalez’s work on “Welcome to

the Home of the 12th Man” is the A&M community he has longed to call family. “Growing up, my dad was an Aggie, Class of 1986,” Gonzalez said. “As a kid, I would always see him put his ring on the counter after work. I would look at it and say, ‘Well I want one of those,’ and I would put the ring on while he was in the shower. “One day he came out and asked ‘What are you doing with that’ and I asked if I could have it. He said ‘No, you have to go get your own.’ I said ‘Why can’t I have yours,’ and he said, ‘You’ll understand the day you get it.’” With his latest release, Gonzalez said he wants to recapture the emotional response people had listening to Granger Smith’s “We Bleed Maroon” and give Aggies a high-energy football song to boot. For me, when I get to come to Kyle Field and be a part of the 12th Man, it’s such an exhilarating experience. I just want people to walk away with the sense of family spirit that’s really unique to Aggies.” Gonzalez said he is proud to have distilled the thrill of a Midnight Yell Practice into his latest song, and he plans to re-release “Welcome to the Home of the 12th Man” with an Aggie War Hymn twist later this fall. “This song was written by an Aggie for Aggies,” Gonzalez said. “I’m just really proud to be a student here, and it’s a dream come true. I hope people are able to enjoy the song the same way I have been able to enjoy writing it.”

FOOTBALL

The Battalion | 9.12.19

3 things to watch for during A&M-Lamar

www.hiddencreekrv.com

No. 16 Texas A&M is looking to bounce back after a tough road loss to the top ranked Clemson Tigers. A win at home over an instate opponent could be a big confidence boost for the team as they prepare for conference play. Here are three things to be on the look out for as the Aggies take on Lamar.

By Dylan Poitevint @Poitite

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A&M junior quarterback Kellen Mond struggled to lead the A&M offense with any momentum against Clemson. Mond was clearly shaken throughout the game, going 24-of-42 passing with only 236 yards, an interception and a fumble. He accounted for the Aggies’ only touchdown late in the fourth quarter but was slow with any other production as he struggled with accuracy issues, clock management and pocket presence. A matchup against an FCS opponent will give Mond a chance to bounce back with big yards and scoring opportunities. This is an opportunity to improve his confidence, which will be crucial in his development, especially with conference play and a daunting schedule on the horizon.

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The Receiving Corps

Isaiah Spiller

Kellen Mond

A&M received difficult news early in the week with the announcement of starting sophomore tailback Jashaun Corbin’s injury. Corbin will miss the remainder of the season with a hamstring injury, forcing true freshman Isaiah Spiller to fill the starting role. Spiller rushed for 106 yards during his debut game in the Aggies’ season opener against Texas State, and he’s accumulated 152 all-purpose yards in two games. He earned much praise in the offseason from head coach Jimbo Fisher, and it will be interesting to see if Spiller will be ready to take the reins of the team’s rushing attack.

Mond was not solely to blame for last week’s passing struggles. His receivers did little with what he gave them as they dropped seven passes and struggled against the Tigers’ secondary. The receivers have shown promise, especially in their first game against Texas State. In the season opener, the Aggies had three touchdown receptions with sophomore Quartney Davis and junior Jhamon Ausbon gaining 85 and 75 yards, respectively. This game could offer the receiving corps the same kind of confidence boost it presents for Mond.

AROUND THE SEC A LOOK AT THE CONFERENCE FOR WEEK 3

By Alek Caro @orackela

After last week’s matchups of Southeastern Conference powerhouses playing out-of-conference teams, there were still questions that remained unanswered. As some teams kick off SEC play this week, those questions will receive some solid answers. Here’s a rundown of games to look forward to around the SEC.

No. 9 Florida (2-0) at Kentucky (2-0)

No. 2 Alabama (2-0) at South Carolina (1-1) Saturday, Sept. 14 — Williams-Brice Stadium — Columbia, South Carolina 6:30 p.m. on ABC

Saturday, Sept. 14 — Kroger Field — Lexington, Kentucky 6:00 p.m. on ESPN

Alabama kicks off its SEC schedule on the road in South Carolina. The game being played in Columbia is the main advantage the Gamecocks have in this matchup. South Carolina began the season with a disappointing loss to its rival North Carolina. Along with the loss, the Gamecocks lost veteran quarterback Jake Bentley for the season. South Carolina is now starting freshman quarterback Ryan Hilinski, who threw for 282 yards and two touchdowns in his debut. Alabama is rolling through the beginning of its schedule with large offensive outputs. The Crimson Tide put up 42 points in its first game and 62 in its last. Tide quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has thrown for at least three touchdowns in the first two games of the season and will look to continue that in Columbia.

Last season, Kentucky rose from the ranks of the bottom of the SEC to become a formidable threat, finding themselves in the AP poll for the first time in a decade. The Wildcats started well with two big wins over Toledo and Eastern Michigan. This is promising, considering the Wildcats had to replace 16 of 22 starters from last season. With Kentucky building momentum early and the game being played at home, this will not be an easy task for the Gators. No. 9 Florida kicked off the season with a quality win over Miami, returning 14 of its 22 starters from last season. The key for Florida lies with quarterback Feleipe Franks. After a strong 2018 campaign with zero interceptions, which is quite a feat in the SEC, Franks looks to lead this team on the road in Lexington.

Prediction: Alabama 59, South Carolina 7

Prediction: Florida 31, Kentucky 17

WEEK 3: STAFF PICKS

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Saturday, Sept. 14 at 6 p.m. on ESPNU

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Texas A&M vs. Lamar

Luke Henkhaus

Editor-in-Chief @luke_henkhaus

LUKE

I typically love rooting for the underdog. But I love being right more.

Samantha Mahler

Managing Editor @mahlersamantha

You know where my loyalty lies. #PeckEm

SAMANTHA Meredith Seaver

MEREDITH

Photo Chief @MeredithSeaver

I didn’t even know what Lamar was until I had to find their logo for the newspaper...

HANNAH

Hannah Underwood

Sports Editor @hannahbunderwoo

Lamar may be on their best start since 1985, but that will end on Saturday.

FOOTBALL

The Battalion | 9.12.19

Stepping into the spotlight Paul Burke — THE BATTALION

Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

Roney Elam is making an impact in A&M’s secondary in senior season

The Aggies’ 2019 12th Man, Braden White, leads the football team out of the tunnel for the first time before the Texas State football game.

By Hannah Underwood @hannahbunderwoo

A&M to reset against Lamar

In just two games, Texas A&M senior defensive back Roney Elam has made a name for himself on the football field. Prior to this season, Elam’s stat line was bare. He had no interceptions and no sacks coming into the season opener against Texas State, despite playing in 34 games since 2016, and he had only accumulated 21 tackles over three years. Now, Elam has posted two interceptions in as many games for the Aggies, adding a sack and eight tackles — seven of those solo. Elam’s first career interception came during the Aggies’ matchup against the Bobcats, which he returned 24 yards. He also added a sack on quarterback Tyler Vitt for a five-yard loss. Elam notched another interception in A&M’s 24-10 loss to Clemson last Saturday. He said the interception, which halted what would have been a scoring drive for Clemson late in the fourth quarter, just happened by chance. “We were in man coverage and the receiver went outside,” Elam said. “I looked up for the ball and it was right there.” He said he hopes the streak of interceptions continues throughout the season. “I’m going to try to get one every game,” Elam said. “We’ll see how that goes.” A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher said he is proud of Elam’s performances in A&M’s first two games. “He is playing really good football right now, taking advantage of those opportunities, and he’s worked to really get himself better,” Fisher said. “That was a really nice play he made on that ball; both of them he’s made, matter of fact, have been really good catches.”

Aggies will use Saturday’s game to bounce back from loss to Clemson By Brian Bass @brianbass4 With a rigorous conference slate quickly approaching, No. 16 Texas A&M will look to make the right tune-ups Saturday against Lamar at Kyle Field. The Aggies’ only FCS opponent on this season’s schedule, Lamar, is coming off a playoff berth in 2018 under third-year head coach Mike Schultz. Since the football team’s reinstatement in 2010, Lamar has not seen any success against FBS opponents. The last time the Cardinals beat a Division I-A program was in 1989 against The University of Texas at El Paso during Lamar’s last season before reinstatement. This season, the Cardinals have started 2-0 with wins over Division II Bethel and an overtime victory over Mississippi Valley State, a team that went just 1-10 a year ago. Lamar’s road trip to Aggieland will be its first since A&M routed the Cardinals 73-3 in 2014. For A&M, this week’s game will be integral for the offense after the Aggies lost starting tailback Jashaun Corbin to a season-ending hamstring injury. According to head coach Jimbo Fisher, true freshman Isaiah Spiller will take the reins in the backfield going forward. “We’ll keep that same rotation [at tailback],” Fisher said. “[Jacob] Kibodi will be

back this week, Spiller is in that group, we’ve got Cordarrian Richardson and [Deneric] Prince. We’ve got four really good players.” With a home matchup against No. 8 Auburn next week, it will be key to get Spiller acclimated as a starter. Kibodi also faces a similar situation as the next man in the rotation at tailback, and this game will serve as a warmup before SEC play. “I’ve always known [Kibodi] was a really talented guy since his freshman year,” quarterback Kellen Mond said. “[That] year I think he had a touchdown in week three. He’s always been a guy that’s pretty consistent, but has always waited his turn.” Despite the loss of Corbin and last week’s loss to No. 1 Clemson, Fisher is still confident in his team. “There were plays we made all over,” Fisher said. “We didn’t execute them well enough, but we’re right there, eyeball-to-eyeball. We had all of these mistakes and the score was 24-10 in the football game against the No. 1 team in the country on the road with a lot of very young players. So I feel comfortable about this team. It’s just a matter of us having the experience to make those plays.” Fisher also announced that defensive tackle Jayden Peevy will return this week after sustaining a pair of ankle injuries against Clemson. The return of Peevy is huge for the defensive line, where he is a key part of the 10th-ranked rushing defense in the country. A&M will play against Lamar on Saturday at Kyle Field. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m., and the game will be televised on ESPNU.

The two interceptions bring A&M’s season total so far to five, almost matching the seven they had at the end of last season in just two games. Elam said creating more turnovers was a focus for the secondary this season. “We focused this season on making plays on the ball because last year it wasn’t very good,” Elam said. A Newton High School graduate, Elam had 66 tackles, three forced fumbles, five interceptions with two returned for touchdowns and four blocked field goals in his senior year with the Eagles. He also played quarterback for Newton, posting 347 rushing and 498 passing yards and eight offensive touchdowns his senior year. In his junior season, Elam had 976 passing and 515 rushing yards and 18 total touchdowns on offense, in addition to 23 tackles and five interceptions on defense. Once arriving at A&M, Elam redshirted his freshman year and then didn’t see much playing time in his next three seasons. Fisher said he has a lot of respect for the path Elam has taken — sticking with the program even if he wasn’t necessarily getting the playtime he wanted. “That’s the thing about him,” Fisher said. “You don’t have those guys anymore because guys don’t play as much and they want to leave. It’s the greatest compliment to his development and what college football’s about and why you do stick it out and stay in the program and keep waiting.” Sophomore linebacker Anthony Hines said Elam’s work ethic is motivating. “He’s a prime example of that,” Hines said. “That’s a guy who I’ve seen really grind it out and really work hard for this opportunity. I’m really glad that he’s taking advantage of it.” However, Elam has a more humble perspective on his journey. “No matter where you go in life, you face different challenges,” Elam said. “Why not just face them?”

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The Battalion | 9.12.19

Aggies lost on September 11, 2001

Lt. Col. Jerry Don Dickerson Jr. ‘92 • Lee Adler ‘84 • Jimmy Nevill Storey ‘65

Aggies lost in service since 9/11 Sgt. Charlton F. Clayton ‘07 • Lt. Joel A. Korkowski ‘94 • 1st Lt. Jonathan Rozier ‘01 • Capt. Ernesto M. Blanco ‘98 • 1st Lt. Doyle M. Hufstedler III ‘01 • Capt. Sean Patrick Sims ‘94 • Capt. Todd Tyler Christmas ‘00 • Capt. Lyle Gordon ‘97 • Sgt. William Meeuswen ‘03 • Chief Warrant Officer Richard Salter ‘85 • Maj. Matthew Worrell ‘94 • 1st Lt. Ryan Sanders ‘01 • Capt. Blake Russell ‘98 • Sgt. 1st Class Merideth Howard ‘76 • Lance Cpl. Luke Yepsen ‘08 • Capt. Sean Edward Lyerly ‘98 • Spc. Daniel Gomez ‘08 • Pfc. William Edwards ‘06 • 2nd. Lt. Peter Burks ‘03 • 1st Lt. Jeremy Ray ‘04 • Spc. Christopher West ‘04 • 1st Lt. Matthew R. Vandegrift ‘03 • 1st Lt. Timothy W. Cunningham ‘04 • 2nd Lt. Zachary R. Cook ‘08 • Lt. Col. Mark E Stratton ‘91 • Staff Sgt. Christopher N. Staats ‘01 • Lt. Col. David E. Cabrera ‘92 • Maj. Nathan W. Anderson ‘02 • Lt. Col. Roy Lin Tisdale ‘92 • Dario Lorenzetti ‘92 • Sgt. Graham Woody ‘08 • Lt. Col. Todd J. Clark ‘94 • Maj. Shawn Campbell ‘01

DAY AFTER CONTINUED “I showed up to the Pentagon when it was still dark,” Roblyer said. “It was sort of like you would expect a war zone to be. It still smelled of smoke. There were still extremely bright flood lights flooding the side that had been struck, and a whole side of the Pentagon that was normally filled with cars was instead filled with all kinds of vehicles from the different organizations that were there to try and help with the aftermath.” The world changed on Sept. 11, Roblyer said, and born out of this new world was an urgent need to come together. “You feel this overwhelming sense of threat, but you also feel like you want to be doing something,” Roblyer said. “If you can’t do something to fight back, you want to do something to help, so us sort of manning the phones and trying to get messages through to family members on that day was at least something that we could do. It’s tough to be in a place like that and just feel powerless, so phone calls were something tangible, though

WHITE HOUSE CONTINUED but she knew that they would need to return to work the next day. “It wasn’t that the job was critical, but the job was critical to the president,” Barfield said. “We were all there to serve. … The people and the comradery and the job — everything changed that day.” As Barfield and Medrano Perez drove towards the White House on the morning of Sept. 12, they could see that the Pentagon was

Here.

small.” For Mariano Castillo, Class of 2002, the stunned silence of cadets in open doorways on the quad was the first sign of trouble on the morning of Sept. 11. “It’s hard for me to remember what I felt in that moment other than disbelief,” Castillo said. “I remember seeing what was happening, and I think I had been getting ready for class. I finished getting my uniform on and I walked to the classroom where I was going to have my class, and after about a minute, I just stood up and told the professor, ‘I can’t be here right now. I need to be in the newsroom.’” Now a CNN digital news editor, Castillo was serving as managing editor at The Battalion the day the towers fell. Following his exit from lecture, Castillo walked straight to the newsroom, where he would pen an open letter to his distraught Aggie peers. “One of my duties that day was to sit down and to distill, into 250 words, what we as students and we as a nation were feeling,” Castillo said. “I can still picture myself in the newsroom, sitting behind that computer af-

ter a very emotional day and being unsure of what this meant. Being unsure if our country was being changed. Unsure of what it meant for us locally, and trying to put some of those feelings into words.” On a day of devastation, Castillo recalls the comfort he took in the sight of student journalists filling the newsroom, ready to report. “One of the things that was great about working at the student paper is that it gave us a way to start coping by doing something in response to what we saw,” Castillo said. “We couldn’t see the smoke from where we were. We were thousands of miles away, but we were impacted in writing about it that day. It was a way to start processing what had happened.” Then-Editor-in-Chief Brady Creel, Class of 2003, awoke that morning to a beeping pager and a blaring landline. He had made it home from a late night in the newsroom mere hours before, but was out the door again when his team needed him. “I was swept back to memories of the day that Bonfire fell,” Creel said. “The urgency

and seriousness in the newsroom were the same that morning as they had been on Nov. 18, 1999 — the mood was somber but dutiful. The Battalion staff had to set emotion aside to produce content for the next day’s edition. Wire services and cable networks were explaining what was happening across the country.” According to Creel, the defining moment of his generation may have been sparked by an act of extreme prejudice, but it is the events which followed he is reminded of most. “It’s surreal to consider that an entire generation of college students has no memory of 9/11,” Creel said. “In so many ways, it still seems like yesterday, and as I think back over the past 18 years, I’m reminded of the many brave Aggies who have served in the War on Terror that continues today. Friends and classmates from my college days went across the world into harm’s way, and too many of them made the ultimate sacrifice. When we talk about leaders graduating from Texas A&M, those men and women — and all those like them — are second to none.”

still burning. Barfield said personally witnessing the fire forced her to accept the reality of the attacks. “It was real; it was so real in D.C.,” Barfield said. “[In] New York, obviously [there was] the mass destruction and the mass casualties, but death and fire was also in D.C. and you saw it going to work.” Returning to the Executive Wing, Barfield said she could feel the tension and fear of the staff. It only worsened when they were forced to evacuate three days later from a potential threat.

“I go in, and it was just overwhelming sadness,” Barfield said. “People were nervous, on-edge and sad. At 22 years old and this being my first job, it was so hard to believe that our world changed forever that day, and it did.” Barfield said that attending A&M and serving as a member on the Traditions Council had helped her understand tragedy and remain committed to fulfilling her responsibilities. “I was at Texas A&M when Bonfire fell,” Barfield said. “I’m not trying to compare the events. ... But one of the things that A&M

instilled was that you have to serve.” After 18 years, her appreciation for those who serve the U.S. has never wavered. Barfield said she hopes the young Aggies who may only see the attacks of Sept. 11 as a historical event will take time to consider its significance. “Never forget it’s not a date,” Barfield said. “Terror happened on Sept. 11, 2001. … Thousands of innocent Americans lost their lives that day. Take a moment to pause and reflect and be thankful for the people who defend your freedom.”

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OPINION

The Battalion | 9.12.19

WWI and the neglected history of 9/11 As we remember the calamity of 9/11, we must not forget the tragedy of what came after Henry Mureithi

@HenryMureihti5

ne hundred years ago on Nov. 11, the cadets of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (AMC) declared a “strike” and took to the paths and roads of Bryan in celebration because, just one year before — at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month — the Armistice Treaty was signed, thus bringing an end to the bloodiest war in human history at the time, World War I. Cadets marched in jubilation to commemorate the aptly named Armistice Day — many of them probably slated for service in Europe had it not been for the fortunate intervention of providence. Do you think the cadets knew? Do you think they could even imagine that, in a few years, a greater horror awaited them and those that came after them? Recently, as Sept. 11 was once again upon us and I started contemplating that tragedy, its immediate aftermath and the turmoil that ensued, I thought about the so-called Wars on Terror. I thought about the “Great War,” and I thought about those cadets. Of course, the two historical epochs and the immediate circumstances that wrought them are quite different, but they are also similar in disturbing ways. Both began with tragedies: the assassination of an Austro-Hungarian prince on one hand and the hijacking and willful crashing of civilian airliners on another. In both cases, the initial reactions were some morbid combination of fear, horror and apprehension. In 1914 — just as it happened in 2001 — eventually, steadily, slowly, that introspective collective sorrow gave way to an uncaring paranoia and a quest for passionate retribution. What followed was, as historian Adam Hochschild describes, an “epic chain of blunders, accusations, and ultimatums,” dragging in numerous other countries who had no interests in the initiating controversy, solely due to an unwise system of alliances. An equally apropos observation could be made about the actions of the United States in the wake of the 2001 terrorist attacks. The events of WWI and the decisions that the various states made at the conflict’s end led to a seemingly endless set of unintended consequences. In the U.S., for instance, it resulted in the establishment of mandatory conscription and the blatant intrusion of free speech rights in the form of the Sedition Act. This period also contributed substantially to the rise of totalitarian regimes in Europe — from the overthrow of the Russian monarchy by the communist Bolsheviks, to the cultivation of the first seeds of the German

blight that would ultimately be let loose on the world in the form of National Socialism. The choices of WWI were only successful in guaranteeing the eventuality of World War II — the deadliest conflict in human history — succeeded by the potentially apocalyptic Cold War immediately thereafter. This brings us to 9/11 and the 2,977 men, women and children who were murdered on that day. The memory of these people has been repeatedly invoked in the years after. Now, 18 years later — and with the first generation of post-9/11 adults coming of age — it is time to question whether the actions that

tion whether a particular violent entanglement is actually advisable. I would further add that the people should be doubly skeptical whenever the deaths of innocent individuals are manipulated in order to advocate any expansive government action. Recall the case of the Archduke in 1914 and how his death was utilized, in part, as a casus belli for action against Serbia. Likewise, the 2,977 victims of Sept. 11, 2001 were used in the U.S. to justify mass illegal surveillance, indefinite detention without trial, torture, intelligence manipulation, unending global

Graphic by Nick Tan

In all, 2,977 people were killed in New York City, Washington, D.C. and Shanksville, Pennsylvania during the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

the U.S. took did more of a disservice to that memory than they did to honor it. Benjamin Franklin once said, “There never was a good war or a bad peace.” This, coming from a man who had a position of leadership within the armed revolt of the American colonies, carries significant weight. More than a pithy reflection on the hefty costs of even justified war, I think what Franklin was asking people to do is to always ques-

wars, abduction of foreign nationals, unchecked executive power to declare war and extra judicial killings. Did spying on American citizens really safeguard American liberties? Did torturing individuals of questionable guilt really protect people’s lives? More importantly, would the 2,977 dead really want their deaths to be used to undermine the very freedoms that they were presumably killed for?

The heartbreaking 9/11 deaths were most prominently used as a patriotic cajole to rally for war. Internationally, the American response, by proxy of the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars — and much like WWI before it — had its own unintended consequences. The Afghanistan War has only expanded the influence of communist China in the region. The Iraq War led directly to the emergence of the ultraviolet al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) which, as history would show, would go on to metastasize into the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) — terrorizing the people living in the fragile states of Iraq and Syria, as well as traumatizing continental Europe in some of the most horrid terrorist attacks outside of the Middle East since Sept. 11. The U.S. was compelled to redeploy military forces to Iraq in 2014, after withdrawing from the country only three years earlier, and — adding to an ever-expanding list of countries — newly to Syria. The subsequent attacks in Europe resulted in a further knock-on effect that contributed to the resurgence of an abhorrent nativist populism within Europe. Perhaps equally tragic, in the end, the various courses of action that the 2,977 lost lives were used to justify utterly shattered the moral credibility of the U.S. government both at home and abroad. The Afghanistan and Iraq Wars, and all other post 9/11 wars — just like WWI — were foolish, catastrophic and unnecessary engagements, made only worse by the exploitation of the 9/11 deaths. These have been wars of neoconservative ambition that America’s allies were not wise enough to stay out of. Regardless of what the Austro-Hungarians thought at the beginning of WWI or the respite that the AMC cadets felt after the dust of the war had settled, the failure of countries to engage critically with the necessity of their actions ultimately damned the world to a second cataclysmic hell and more after. Since 9/11, America has been blindly stumbling from one blunder to the next, despite what you may have read on an ill-advised “Mission Accomplished” banner. The people of the U.S. did not get less death, less war, less suffering — merely more of the same. On this anniversary, as you remember all the innocent lives that were taken so callously and cruelly, you should also mourn the American values that were sacrificed on the altar of opportunistic vengeance, and you should resolve to honor the memory of the 2,977 victims by committing the U.S. to rediscover its moral core. Henry Mureithi is a computer science senior and Opinion editor for The Battalion.

Searching for identity in post-9/11 world News editor Sanna Bhai says the events of Sept. 11 have shaped her experiences as a Muslim American Sanna Bhai

@BhaiSanna

s the years pass, there are more and more people who weren’t alive to witness the events of 9/11. Many are too young to remember — just like me. Where do the events of 9/11 stand in my life? This is one question I have been asked over and over again by my friends, colleagues and professors as soon as they find out I am a Muslim American. Truth be told, I have asked this question to myself a myriad of times, but I have been unsuccessful at finding a clear answer because there isn’t one. What I have come up with is that 9/11 is the invisible source of why I feel different in this country, and that has been, at times, difficult to deal with. I was merely two years old when the Twin Towers were hit and life for Muslims in America changed. My parents always tell me, “You don’t know what life was like before 9/11; there was no TSA, apparent hate or prejudice like there is today.” Whenever they say this, I think, “Is that even possible?” It is beyond my wildest dreams to think that you wouldn’t have to go through the violating security measures at the airport every time you need to fly, or that when I mention I am Muslim I immediately get biased, stereotypical questions. Growing up, my family was the only brown family living in our neighborhood, but this rarely occurred to me. My first day of preschool, someone asked me my name and “Sanna” was immediately turned into “Sauna,” changing the mean-

ing of my name entirely. This wrong pronunciation has stayed with me to this day. During religious class, my classmates and I would ask each other what our school names were and then tease each other about them. We found it funny; it was so normal for us that we never saw it as an issue. But as I began to go out in the world more and more, I would wonder, why is this the case? Why did I need to sacrifice my identity to fit in? I was born and raised in Dallas, and I had assimilated with the community so well that all those years, I never even thought about race or ethnicity. All my friends and classmates were the same to me. Every Saturday at religious school, we were taught the same thing: we are all equal. We studied about the history of Islam, the culture, the traditions and the ethics which we should live by. We were well-informed on our faith and religion. The events of 9/11 did not come up until late middle school and early high school, around the time of the tenth anniversary, in history class. That was the first time I remember actually discussing it in a historical context. We watched the videos of the event, and those in my class, including me, were astonished by the footage. We were in awe to see that something like this had actually happened. When I learned about those events, I was perplexed. I never thought of myself or my community as separate from Americans. I proudly said and still do say that I am a Muslim American. There is no patriotism attached to being Muslim. It is the belief in one God. The only difference is that in Arabic, God translates to Allah. That is what went through my head

and still goes through my head. To me, it is just as simple as it seems. I may have different languages, customs, traditions and physical appearances, but I am still a normal student, wanting to graduate, get a degree and have a successful career. Sometimes, at first glance, it is hard to tell that I am Muslim since I am not a hijabi Muslim. I am afraid to tell people, especially in an environment where I am alone. Not because they will think I am a terrorist, but because I have to justify myself and my identity — sometimes to people who are here to attack, not to learn.

Today, as a student, Muslim and American, I contiue to learn how to navigate both in terms of my faith and the effects of 9/11 that I still deal with today. I can truly say that before creating notions, you should always ask questions. When people ask me genuine questions, free of bias, I am happy to answer. I am proud of my identity as both a Muslim and an American. Sanna Bhai is a political science senior and news editor for The Battalion.

Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

“Flag of Honor” by Nicola McClean incorporates steel from the world Trade Center. The three stars represent the first responders who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.

LIFE&ARTS

The Battalion | 9.12.19

Olivia Treadwell — THE BATTALION

The Stark Galleries is showcasing “Parallel Fields.” Some of the different art featured includes “Strawberry” by Kathleen Elliot and a collection of paintings by Bobbie Moline-Kramer.

Art exhibition investigates impacts of the invisible ‘Parallel Fields’ exhibit on display in MSC’s Stark Galleries until Oct. 20 By Meagan Sheffield @mshef350 Glasswork, collages made from food packaging, mixed media paintings and photographs line the walls of the J. Wayne Stark Galleries, encouraging visitors to become more aware of the impact their choices have on their bodies and others around them. “Parallel Fields” is on display in MSC 1110 until Oct. 20. The free exhibit features artwork in various mediums by Kathleen Elliot, Kaethe Kauffman and Bobbie Moline-Kramer. Each artist focuses on an issue regarding the state of the human body. Kauffman was inspired to create her muscle movement series of photographs by watching others in her yoga class and memorizing the poses she observed. She created her art by applying paint to a joint on herself or a mod-

el and moving the joint in every direction. Her interest in contemplative art also reflects her time spent meditating and focusing on grounding and centering herself as a Buddhist. “I could see what the pose looked like, but I couldn’t see what the movement looked like,” Kauffman said. “That’s when I started applying wet paint to a joint because that’s where movement’s shown most. I see my work as positive and beautiful, but I understand some people in Western culture see them as scars, tattoos and bondage.” Kauffman has exhibited her work in New York, California, Washington, D.C., Australia and Prague. She said she enjoys showing her work at universities to challenge students to become more aware of the impact they have. “I’m very proud and honored to be exhibiting with the other artists,” Kauffman said. “I love to show at universities. I’ve spent most of my life actually as a university student or professor. I love that environment. I believe in it.” Elliot created her series of glasswork and

collages made from recycled food packaging, titled “Questionable Foods,” to encourage viewers to question what they eat on a daily basis. “It’s about the food issues of today: the conflict around genetically modified foods, pesticides, sugar,” Elliot said. “I started thinking about my health more, and I ran into an article about genetically modified foods and discovered the whole conflict around GMOs. The whole conflict intrigued me, and I got the sense that the people that are making these foods are not being truthful with consumers.” Elliot said she first entered the realm of art when her hobby of making glass beads transformed into a passion for creating projects to spread a message. She said she wants to continue working on her “Questionable Foods” series and create glasswork projects about women’s reproductive rights in the future. “I want people to have an experience of wonder and curiosity,” Elliot said. “I want people to recognize foods that they eat in my artwork and to question what they’re eating.”

Moline-Kramer paints hyper-realistic faces masked by an abstract wash of colors that emphasizes the intensity of human emotion. This is her second time collaborating with A&M. “I’m from a biomedical background, so when I first started, I did hyperrealistic work and I got bored after a few years, so I started to do more abstraction,” Moline-Kramer said. “The best artwork is based on the universality of human traits. People have to identify with what you’re doing.” Moline-Kramer said she sold her first oil painting at 14 years old and has been in the art industry ever since, taking up waitressing and stewardess jobs to make a living. She emphasized that anyone who is interested in becoming an artist should take business classes in addition to their art classes. “People view the art world as very romanticized,” Moline-Kramer said. “I work harder at art than I’ve ever worked at anything in my life. One sixth of what you do as an artist is based on a God-given talent. The rest of it is just damn hard work and marketing.”