The Battalion — February 10, 2022 by The Battalion

Aggie artist honors veterans, preserves university history

INSIDE THIS EDITION NEWS: “GOD THE MOTHER CHURCH,” PG. 4 CRITICISM: ART REACTIONISM, PG. 5 ANALYSIS: TRUMP’S PLANS FOR 2024, PG. 6

Ishika Samant — THE BATTALION

Julia Potts — THE BATTALION

The first photo in Benjamin Knox’s “Defenders of Freedom” series located at Texas A&M’s Veteran Resource & Support Center features military veterans who transitioned to student life in Aggieland.

Former student represents past, present, future Aggies in military service through 7-piece campus art display By Caroline Wilburn @Carolinewilb

hrough sacrifices on the battlefield and their dedication in the classroom, Texas A&M has continuously supported student veterans since its opening in 1876. Hanging in the Don & Ellie Knauss Veteran Resource & Support Center, the “Defenders of Freedom” series provides a unique, artistic perspective on the nation’s infantry. The seven-piece series, painted by local artist Benjamin Knox, Class of 1990, includes six paintings representing the branches of the military: Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Space Force. The seventh painting serves as a transition piece for military veterans who chose to become Aggies after their time in the service. VRSC director Col. Gerald L. Smith, Class of 1982, said during the creative process he met weekly with Knox and a group of A&M students who initially planned out the details of the series on a whiteboard.

“We tried to capture a lot of that Aggie history and connections with the military from the veteran side as opposed to the cadet side,” Smith said. “Each of the paintings has a lot of little nuances that tie in different Aggies.” Knox said his focus has always been creating inspirational pieces with which people can associate, and pieces that grab at students’ heartstrings of the spirit and camaraderie at A&M. “I started [painting] 34 years ago, right out of the Corps [of Cadets] dorm, Lacey Hall, and developed from there. By my senior year, it was really taking off,” Knox said. “These go beyond [A&M] because now these are national pieces. But the cool thing is that they’ll always be at the [Memorial Student Center].” The VRSC is a uniquely tailored service at A&M which provides transitional support for student veterans, active duty, military dependents and survivors. Assessment, marketing and campus programs coordinator Ashley Drake said when students come to the center and see the paintings, she wants them to gain a sense of pride, welcome, acknowledgment and belonging on campus. “We want them to walk in and know that we recognize that there are individual branches in the service and the history behind each of those individual branches,” Drake said. “We want them to know that

we recognize [that] we see them each individually and … [to] know what they have done is appreciated. It is acknowledged that they can have a sense of pride by coming here to [A&M] and coming here to the center.” Smith said Knox’s paintings reflect the diversity of experiences veterans bring to campus. “No matter what branch we were in and what our [Military Occupational Speciality] was, we all live by core values that are very similar to [A&M’s] six Core Values,” Smith said. “It was all about selfless service, leadership, excellence, integrity; all those things that we talk about, and respect. While there are seven paintings that identify the military, there’s also seven paintings that really reflect our core values and connect our Aggie Core Values with our military.” A&M has a rich history of supporting veterans, Smith said. “I think it goes back to pride,” Smith said. “Benjamin Knox and the students worked very hard to try to include as much of every branch of the military as we could. It’s relatable to not just our student veterans, but any of our veterans because there’s a historical aspect to all of these as well.” Drake said the student veteran population is currently 1,098 but continues to grow. “As far as the future of A&M, I think [the VETERANS ON PG. 8

Host of the self-titled Matt Walsh Show spoke in the Bethancourt Ballroom of the MSC.

Matt Walsh visits A&M to discuss ‘shocking claim’ Radio host decries leftist views on transgender ideas, identities ‘toxic’ By Coby Scrudder @cobyscrudder The Texas A&M Chapter of Young Americans for Freedom hosted Matt Walsh on campus on Wednesday, Feb. 9. Walsh, the host of the “Matt Walsh Show” on “The Daily Wire,” spoke to a packed ballroom in the Memorial Student Center about what he called his shocking claim: “Men are not women, and women are not men.” Walsh was introduced to the cheering crowd by a YAF representative as a “best-selling LGBT author,” a title given to him by Amazon for his book “Johnny the Walrus,” which is about a boy who wants to be a walrus, but can’t. To begin his lecture, Walsh talked about a supposed “leftist plot” to infiltrate and disrupt his lecture, posing as his supporters by wearing business-casual clothing. “‘Business casual allows us to blend in with MATT WALSH ON PG. 3

A&M prepares for road matchup with SEC goliath Auburn Aggies look to end 7-game losing streak against top-ranked Tigers By Michael Horton @mhhort On the night of Oct. 2, 2021, the Texas A&M football team was in shambles after falling to 0-2 in SEC play with a home loss to unranked Mississippi State. Just one Saturday later, that same A&M team would dethrone the top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide. Moments after the score was final, a tsunami of students flooded the field. In an instant, all of the criticism that haunted the program vanished in the maroon stampede covering the turf. Just a few months later, men’s basketball has the chance to repeat that moment. On Saturday, Feb. 12, A&M will travel to Auburn, Ala., to take on the No. 1 Auburn Tigers. After a 15-2 start to the season, the wheels have fallen off for the Aggies. The squad has dropped its last seven SEC games to fall to 15-9 overall and 4-7 in SEC play. Four of

those seven losses have been by two possessions or less, and the largest margin of defeat was a mere 11 points. Most recently, the Aggies suffered a 76-68 loss at home against the LSU Tigers. With the score tied at 11 in the opening half, A&M surrendered a 25-5 run and went into the half with a 36-16 deficit. In the second half, the Aggies seemed to work out some of their issues, but late efficiency from the free-throw line helped the Tigers fend off a late comeback. Following the loss, A&M coach Buzz Williams said the game was a story of two halves, adding that the inconsistency of effort in the game’s early stages shows that he needs to improve as a coach. “That’s a reflection on me,” Williams said. “I have to do a better job so that we are playing with the energy required from start to finish.” The Aggies have found offensive productivity through several different players throughout the season. Graduate guard Quenton Jackson leads the scoring off the bench with 13 points per game, and sophomore forward AUBURN ON PG. 3

Robert O’Brien — THE BATTALION

Sophomore guard Hayden Hefner had a standout performance against Missouri on Saturday, Feb. 5, but was held to only one point in A&M’s most recent game against LSU.

Car free. Care free. Your first ride is FREE* Use code AGSWIN5

It’s like uber, but for longer distances. Enjoy rides from College Station to Austin, *Discount applies up to $50 Dallas, Houston, and more. RideHitch.com

NEWS

The Battalion | 2.10.22

Welcome weekend

Courtesy of Kelli Hollinger

Aggieland Saturday details Texas A&M customs and traditions, highlighting students and organizations such as the Corps of Cadets, including Parsons Mounted Cavalry.

Prospective students to experience campus during open house Feb. 12 By Aubrey Vogel @aubrey_vogel This Valentine’s Day weekend, the Texas A&M campus can expect to see 13,063 prospective students and parents gathered for the largest open house event of the year. Serving as a way for students to learn more about campus and the A&M culture, director

of Visitor Experience Kelli Hollinger said the annual Aggieland Saturday open house welcomes prospective students to explore and gather information regarding their future college experience. “[Students can expect] a high-energy day that excites them about all things [A&M] to really get a feel of student life by viewing dorms, connecting with student organizations, interacting with resources for student success and touring in many academic colleges and departments,” Hollinger said. “We want to welcome the public to learn about

academic excellence, traditions and a vibrant community on campus.” For a chance to travel around campus, tour director and accounting junior Kaitlyn Grigsby said the Visitor Center worked to create a new route showcasing campus classics with new stops along the way. “We’re keeping the classics because everyone needs to go to Academic Plaza and learn all about our traditions,” Grigsby said. “[A new stop that] I’m really excited about is in front of the Matthew Gaines statue to show his legacy in just a tiny way to literally

CHECK OUT THE BATTALION’S PODCASTS AVAILABLE ON APPLE PODCASTS, SPOTIFY & YOUTUBE!

thousands of people this Saturday and also talk about student services and things that may not be highlighted as much in the other events throughout the day.” As a way to highlight the growth on campus, Hollinger said many of the presentations featured will be at newly constructed areas such as the Innovative Learning Classroom Building, or ILCB. “We are thrilled to showcase the beautiful new [ILCB] that will be a hub for many of our academic presentations,” Hollinger said. “The Department of Multicultural Services and the Math Learning Center are also showcasing their new facilities.” According to the event flyer, Aggieland Saturday will cover topics including admissions, on-campus housing, student resources and will feature organizations and colleges throughout campus. “Representatives from Texas A&M University colleges and departments will be available to discuss the opportunities and activities available for you to participate in as a student at Texas A&M University,” the flyer reads. “Come visit with the colleges and departments to learn about programs and how you can get involved in activities both inside and outside of the classroom.” With hundreds of activities and presentations, Hollinger said the event is not possible without the team of individuals leading the charge. “We are blessed to work with dozens, if not hundreds, of campus partners to make this open house event a great success,” Hollinger said. “It’s really a collaborative effort across units and colleges of staff, faculty and students who care about the campus community and giving up time on their weekends to welcome thousands of prospective visitors.” For prospective students who may still be interested in the event, but have not signed up, Hollinger said students can sign up through Friday, Feb. 11 online. “[Students] can download [the] guidebook to ensure that they have their personalized schedule accessible on the go during the day and can receive push notifications from the university that give them tips for navigating the day or updates regarding any changes to the schedule,” Hollinger said. With many visitors on campus, Grigsby said she encourages current students to make visitors feel welcome by greeting them and helping them navigate campus. “[Prospective students] need to get a glimpse of the actual campus community,” Grigsby said. “Like keeping that word ‘Howdy’ around, at least for me, that’s a huge part of my story. I would visit a lot of these random campuses and I would say, ‘Hi,’ [but] I may or may not get a warm and friendly ‘Hi’ back. But at A&M, I felt bombarded by just the hospitality of this campus.”

LET’S BE FRIENDS

Myranda Campanella, Editor-in-Chief Julia Potts, Managing Editor Lauren Discher, Audience Engagement & Special Sections Editor Robert O’Brien, Photo Chief Ishika Samant, Asst. Photo Chief Aubrey Vogel, Co-News Editor Michaela Rush, Co-News Editor Kyle McClenagan, Multimedia Editor & Asst. News Editor Grant Gaspard, Asst. Podcast Editor

Cori Eckert, Design Editor & Business Manager Casey Stavenhagen, Sports Editor Kay Naegeli, Asst. Sports Editor Jordan Epp, Asst. Sports Editor Caleb Powell, Opinion Editor Nathan Varnell, Asst. Opinion Editor Kathryn Miller, Life & Arts Editor Caroline Wilburn, Asst. L&A Editor

@THEBATTONLINE

THE BATTALION is published Thursdays during the 2021 spring 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.

THE BATTALION

News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in Student Media,a unit of the Division of StudentAffairs.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 979-845-2697. For classified advertising, call 979-845-2697. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Email: battads@thebatt.com.

@THEBATTONLINE

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.

Women in Technology Conference February 18 9 a.m.-3 p.m. At Texas A&M Recreation Center & via Zoom

$12 for students $30 for faculty/staff Women & Men are welcome Registration is open through noon on February 11. Questions: Contact Della Whitcomb, 979-845-1748 dwhitcomb@mays.tamu.edu

To register, visit: tinyurl.com/2022WITConf or scan the QR code.

SPORTS

The Battalion | 2.10.22

MATT WALSH CONTINUED Walsh’s supporters and should be done in addition to dressing cisgender and heterosexual passing,’” Walsh said. “To give you a preview of what’s to come, they’re planning on playing something on speakers that they’re going to smuggle in here.” Although, this supposed plan never came to fruition during the lecture. Instead, Walsh dove into the topic of his discussion: gender ideology. “So, why do I talk about gender ideology? Because the truth matters,” Walsh said. “Gender ideology is the most severe and extreme attack on truth in our lifetimes and possibly in the history of mankind.” Walsh said he has no particular calling to talk about gender ideology, but he talks about it because it is important. “If there was a serious and sustained campaign to convince the world that squares are circles and circles are squares, I’d be standing up here right now giving a speech titled, ‘Squares aren’t circles,’” Walsh said. “There is great value in saying things that you’re most forbidden from saying, whatever truth is considered most offensive.” Walsh started his discussion by talking about John Money, a 20th century psychologist who published novel research about sex and gender identity. “He was among the first to take the word gender out of the realm of grammar and language where it belongs — because words have gender and people don’t — and apply it to

AUBURN CONTINUED Henry Coleman III adds another 11 points per game on average. After receiving limited playing time in the first half of the season, sophomore guard Hayden Hefner shot 5-for-6 from deep in a loss against Missouri, but was held to only one point in 14 minutes against LSU. Auburn heads into the matchup with a nearly flawless resume. The juggernaut ranked No. 1 in the most recent AP poll with a 22-2 record and has registered statement wins against LSU, Alabama and Kentucky. While Auburn has been a force this sea-

people,” Walsh said. Walsh told a story about two children that Money worked with — Bruce and Brian Reimer. After a botched circumcision, Money advised the Reimers’ parents to instead raise Bruce as a girl. “It was not a success,” Walsh said. “The female identity never took hold for Bruce. He was confused and miserable and on the verge of suicide until, as a teen, his mother finally told him the truth: ‘You’re really a boy.’ And he chose to immediately transition back to being a boy, trying to reclaim his true identity, his true self.” Walsh then transitioned to a discussion on transgender children and children choosing their own gender. “Now, the idea that a child can choose his gender is indefensible, and would still be indefensible, even if the broader claims of leftwing gender theory were true, which they aren’t,” Walsh said. “Young children can’t grasp the distinction between fantasy and reality.” Walsh also said it is hypocritical to allow children to choose their own gender, but not their own age, name or race. Walsh used the example of a story of a child from a Twitter thread that he had seen, where the parents were talking about their child, a biological male, who chose to be a girl. “So he can’t choose his age, can’t choose his name, certainly wouldn’t be allowed to choose his race, but he can choose his gender. Does that make sense?” Walsh said. Walsh also referenced his recent appearance on the television show “Dr. Phil,” joking with the crowd about the bearded man in a dress

with whom he was on the show. During the show, Walsh was talking with a woman who was raising a gender neutral child. “I asked if she was progressive enough to let the child choose a race as well,” Walsh said. “What if a child wants to be a Black kid? And she paused and looked at me and then looked away and said, ‘I’m not going to dignify that with an answer.’” After this, Walsh discussed language and the usage and definition of the word “woman.” According to Walsh, gender ideology renders the word woman meaningless. “The theory has made it so that the word ‘woman’ itself and the word ‘man’ have no meaning,” Walsh said. “And that’s why you can walk up to any of these people and ask them to define the word ‘woman,’ and their whole worldview collapses right there in front of you. It all comes crashing down.” Walsh also said the phrase “trans women are women,” is full of hypocrisy. “In order for the phrase ‘trans women are women’ to mean anything, trans women have to be a category distinct from women,” Walsh said. “If they aren’t, then the phrase is a meaningless redundancy.” Walsh ended his speech with a strong rebuke of what he called “left-wing gender ideology.” “Left-wing gender theory is incoherent, dangerous, destructive, insane, toxic, poisonous, horrible mess,” Walsh said. “It’s time to stop pretending.” After his initial lecture, he moved into a period of question and answer. The first question, from a student by the name of Matt who

addressed Walsh as “sweet daddy Walsh,” asked what government institution Walsh would get rid of if he could. “The honest answer would be that the Department of Education is totally worthless,” Walsh said to applause. “There are government agencies that are just worthless, like the Department of Transportation, for example. And then there are ones that are actively harmful, and the Department of Education would be one of those.” Another student by the name of Matthew asked Walsh about the tensions between Russia and Ukraine and whether the U.S. should get involved. “The duty of the United States government is only to protect and defend its own citizens,” Walsh said. “I just don’t see — and no one to me has presented the argument — how American families are going to be at great personal risk if [Vladimir] Putin goes into Ukraine.” A student by the name of Stephen asked about the anti-mask laws which many states have on the books. For example, in Virginia it is illegal to wear a mask in a public place to conceal one’s identity. Walsh responded, saying that he agreed with those laws. “It’s not a coincidence that we had mass masking, and then within a few months, we have mass rioting, mass looting, mass shoplifting and mass theft,” Walsh said. “I think those things are very much connected.”

son, its recent outings have shown signs of weakness. On Feb. 5, the Tigers squeaked by Georgia with a 74-72 win. They followed the uninspiring performance with their second blemish of the season: an 80-76 loss on the road against Arkansas. After the upset to the Razorbacks, Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said over the past two games, his squad has lacked the teamwork and chemistry necessary to make a Final Four contender. “For us, it’s always the sum of our parts when we play well,” Pearl said. “When we don’t — how it’s been the past two games — there’s two or three guys that are carrying us.

We need more balance, and for one reason or another, we didn’t have it.” Although Auburn is coming off a rough patch on the road, there is no reason to believe the Tigers will not find their stride back home. They tout some of the most intense scorers in the country, with four players all averaging double digits in points. Senior forward Jabari Smith leads the pack, averaging 15.5 per contest including a lethal 43.3% from deep. Senior forward Walker Kessler is a force on both sides of the floor, scoring 11.6 points per game and ranking second in the nation in blocks, averaging 4.22 per game. Williams acknowledged Auburn’s talent

and experience will be no small challenge for the Aggies, but a competitive performance would be an indicator of what the team is capable of down the stretch of the season. “[Playing Auburn] will be another great test to see if we can respond from an energy standpoint,” Williams said. “You can argue that they are the most talented team in the country with the most NBA prospects. All of that is good because it will give us a gauge. The ambience and environment, will it change us in a good way or a bad way?” The matchup will take place at Auburn Arena on Feb. 12. Tip-off is slated for 11 a.m.

NEWS

The Battalion 2.10.22

‘God the Mother’ scheme not linked to sex trafficking

Samuel Falade — THE BATTALION

The “God the Mother Church” has been falsely linked to sex trafficking at universities across the nation since 2018 after rumors have gone viral on social media in response to members of the religioius organization approaching students on and off campuses.

Rumor of sex traffickers posing as religious group debunked by UPD By Aubrey Vogel @aubrey_vogel After a wave of run-ins on campus and throughout town, many students have been fearful of a new “God the Mother Church” group, which is falsely rumored to be a sex-trafficking scheme. The group has begun to approach people on Texas A&M’s campus while also going door-to-door to invite them to their new “God the Mother Church,” a nickname for the World Mission Society Church of God, the South Korean-based global church. The rumor that the religious group is tied to sex trafficking goes back to 2018 when viral social media posts began circulating across college campuses, including Ole Miss and Georgia

State. The week of Feb. 6, Aggieland also fell victim to the rumors after several students were approached by church members on and off campus. One GroupMe post by biomedical engineering senior Corinne Petersen, which has spread across various social media platforms, details an uncomfortable encounter. While working at an art gallery in the Memorial Student Center, Petersen said in the post that she was approached by two women in their mid-20s who invited her to study the Bible with “God the Mother Church” and asked for her phone number. “I had a weird feeling so I told one of my friends, and she told me that she has heard of people preaching ‘God the Mother,’ [but is rumored to be] tied to sex trafficking,” Petersen said in her post. After hearing from her aunt that this was also happening at Baylor University and was rumored to be tied to sex trafficking, Pe-

tersen reached out to the University Police Department, or UPD. Since her post in the GroupMe, the Waco Police Department has released a statement saying there are no ties to sex trafficking, according to the Baylor Lariat. On Tuesday, Jan. 18 around 1:30 p.m., psychology junior Abby Morris said she had a similarly uncomfortable experience meeting members of the church while sitting on a bench near the Psychology Building. Morris said she was also approached by two women around her age as an invitation to Bible study, and they asked for her phone number and other information regarding her denomination. “I felt a little weird about it,” Morris said. “I also wasn’t looking to join a Bible study, but they just kept asking me all these questions and they asked me to come to a meeting.” Morris said she urges students to be cautious while on campus and if they are interested in joining a Bible study group to ask questions before attending events and to see if they are

affiliated with the university. UPD Lt. Bobby Richardson said in a statement to The Battalion that the department has received six reports from students who have been contacted by individuals claiming to be associated with the “God the Mother Church.” “It was reported to UPD that the organization has ties to human trafficking,” Richardson said in his statement. “Based on our investigation, there is no evidence to link the group to human trafficking and no criminal offense occurred on campus.” However, Richardson said if individuals are or know someone who is a victim of human trafficking to report it to the police immediately. Additionally, individuals can reach out to the 24-hour National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to 233733.

ARTSCRITICISM

The Battalion | 2.10.22

Art reactionism: The fundamental definition of art Art critic Ruben Hernandez says line between good, bad art is in eye of beholder

Ishika Samant — THE BATTALION

There are multiple places to experience art on campus, such as the J. Wayne Stark and Forsyth galleries in the Memorial Student Center.

Ruben Hernandez @battandmuse

n the encompassing world of art, specifically under art criticism, to truly define art is harder than it seems. One could say art is simply creativity, flowing from one’s imagination and allowing originality to take over, while others would begin to categorize said creativity, whether it be a third grader’s crayon art or fine art that depicts the grand mythology of muses and nature. Then, it can so forth be categorized whether such childish depictions of art are intentional, such as the art of Yoshitomo Nara, or if such fine works of art can be considered fine through

its validity, such as the controversial “Virgin of the Rocks” by Leonardo da Vinci. So on and so forth, to then define art becomes too complicated. Therefore, we shouldn’t purely define art for what it is (although objectively there is good and bad art) but for what it conveys to its audience. After all, art is meant to be consumed through the senses, even by the artists themselves. The significance of an art piece can change in dramatic or subtle ways, either with the access of background information of the artist and history or over time with the shift of cultural norms and perspectives. The definite independent variable throughout all perceived pieces is not the type of reaction that has occurred, rather that a reaction has occurred overall.

In one way or another, art will stimulate the senses, and the stimulation should then elicit a reaction. A delicious smelling platter making you salivate, a sensual and heartfelt song making you tear up or a horror film making you jump; an emotional or physical reaction occurs, resulting in an “experience.” It is these amplified feelings which make us comprehend that we are within an artistic experience. Now, whether an art piece does or doesn’t elicit a reaction is more on the subjective side — just because you don’t react doesn’t mean that others won’t. Either way, in a world with such a large sample of different and intersecting cultures, any form of art can achieve a reaction. This now leads to the argument of the distinction between good art and bad art. As

controversial as it may seem, there is bad art, whether you believe it or not. It doesn’t necessarily have to be dependent on skill, technicality, perspective, opinion or who the artist is, but regardless, the way we subconsciously judge aesthetics eventually plays a major role. There may be some artists who can be deemed morally good or admirable who, unfortunately, make bad art, and there may be some artists who make appealing art that ends up considered bad art by proxy of the artist’s immorality — an excellent example is found in Thomas Kinkade. The special thing about aesthetically bad art is it is still art. It evokes reaction. The most prominent example of bad art causing reaction is “Comedian” by Maurizio Catellan, better known by its unofficial descriptive name, “banana taped on wall.” Everyone and their mothers were talking about how absurd, provoking and insulting this performance piece was to the art world. One might say it required no skill and held no emotional context, yet the piece was still sold for $120,000, then was eaten by another performance artist, stirring further controversy. Running parallel to this form of bad art, the “good art” would be the occurrence of da Vinci’s “Salvator Mundi.” First being sold at an auction in 1958 for merely $60, it was then discovered to be an authentic piece, leading to it being publicly auctioned and sold for a record breaking $450 million, 7.5 million times its original price. What “Comedian” and “Salvator Mundi” have in common is a profound public reaction to what the piece is, whether it be due to absurdity or authenticity. Another common feature is the use of pricing to add value to the pieces; whether it is deserving or not is up to choice. It seems as if art criticism has been formed into two, or perhaps even more, “reactionary” dialects: human reaction and marketed value. One could look at Picasso’s “Nude, Green Leaves, and Bust” and have the human reaction of a simplistic, cubist painting that could be easily recreated, but then see that in market value it sold for $106.5 million, further adding to our reaction and prompting the thought, “Wow! Someone paid that much!” The market value shouldn’t be the one of the two defining pillars of how to view art, nonetheless, the comprehensible — or sometimes even incomprehensible — assigned value that it holds affects how we look at it. This being said, art will be judged for what it stands for and who it does or doesn’t appease. But if it is judged, with it comes a reaction. If it caused a reaction, it’s because it was felt. If it was felt, then that is art. Ruben Hernandez is a journalism junior and arts criticism writer for The Battalion.

OPINION

The Battalion | 2.10.22

OPINION Creative Commons — Gage Skidmore

Former President Donald Trump spoke in Conroe at his most recent rally in his Save America tour on Jan. 29 at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds.

Analysis: Partying like it’s 2016 Asst. opinion editor Nathan Varnell discusses how Trump Republicans are forcing the party to fall in line for 2024

Nathan Varnell @newsncv

lthough former President Donald Trump has not officially announced a 2024 run for the White House, if you were at the Save America rally in Conroe, you would think he already had. Just a few days after jokingly referring to himself as the “45th and 47th” president while out golfing, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick introduced Trump at the Jan. 29 rally as just that. Trump made it clear with obvious, tongue-in-cheek statements typical of many politicians alluding to upcoming campaigns, saying, “In 2024, we are going to take back that beautiful, beautiful house that happens to be white, that is so magnificent and that we all love.” “We are going to take back the White House,” Trump said. This isn’t news, per se. The former commander-in-chief has been making these gestures to an ongoing candidacy since first labeling the 2020 election results as fraudulent. In a sense, his 2020 campaign never ended. This new series of rallies ahead of the midterm elections, however, has begun to hint at what’s in store for the Republican Party and what Democrats will face for the next two years. Not only are Trump and his most loyal supporters tightening their grip on the Republican Party ahead of the primaries, but I would argue the events of the Conroe rally reflect that the conservative movement in America is no longer in the party’s hands. Although the former president’s remarks were scheduled for 7 p.m., the rally was more like a fairground before the event. They celebrated the conservative movement and Trump with music, testimonials, merchandising and a smattering of local candidates in the middle of their primaries stepping up to speak. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Lt. Gov. Patrick, Gov. Greg Abbott and Donald Trump Jr. immediately preceded the former president on the stage, but also in attendance were State Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, State Sen. Dawn Buckingham, Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough and Texas G.O.P. Chairman Matt Rinaldi. Many local candidates got their endorsements early in Trump’s remarks, with shoutouts across the rally fairgrounds. The event had voter registrars

and other G.O.P. staffers ready to get the most impassioned attendees involved in the ongoing campaigns across the Lone Star State. The bird’s eye view doesn’t give the full picture, though. I attempted to attend the rally myself as media, but as reported by The Battalion, the lines into the rally ranged from one to three miles long or more. Sitting in those lines, it took over an hour and a half for my personal traffic snake to move through the final two intersections into the fairgrounds — less than a mile in actual road. Along the lines, attendees kept each other entertained with music, flag-waving and “Let’s Go Brandon” chants. A couple people walked along the traffic with Trump lookalike teddy bears. At least twice, I heard Toby Keith’s post-9/11 hit “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” from nearby cars. The atmosphere was electric, in spite of a wait that rivaled the most popular rides at Walt Disney World. But let’s be clear. All of those supporters weren’t there for the Republican Party. They were at the rally for Trump. And that means a lot for the next several years and any potential challengers. Party politics, by the numbers This January, polling firm Echelon Insights published data on Trump and his only potential primary challenger, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. According to the New York Times, the data showed some ambivalence among G.O.P. voters, nationally, about whether Trump should run again. Although 54% thought, “Trump was a great president and should remain the leader of the Republican Party,” approximately 40% of the remaining voters were open to the idea of a new face going into 2024. That number is by no means insignificant. Internally, there seem to be Republicans who were in the party pre-2016 eyeing to regain some control through new leadership. The old guard have good reason to fear losing control — it’s well known how a number of Republicans left the party or were ousted in their primaries by candidates endorsed by Trump, who tended to be more ideologically conservative than their counterparts. Analysis by FiveThirtyEight in April 2021 found that since Trump took office in 2017, 59% of congressional Republicans who replaced another Republican are more conservative than their predecessors. The remaining members of the preTrump party could be seen grappling

with this challenge in the recent winter meeting of the National Governors Association. Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, the Republican chairman of the National Governors Association, came out against Trump’s 2024 run at the meeting, according to Business Insider. “I do not believe Trump is the one to lead our party and our country again, as president,” Hutchinson told Insider. Other Republican leadership in attendance dodged the question altogether, pointing their focus to the midterms for now. Surely, they recognize that it’s dangerous to step out against the man who has broad support among their constituents — a 74% approval rating among self-identified Republicans, according to a similar Marquette Law School survey. And even if they stepped out, DeSantis is the only potential challenger, and his recent political clout comes from far fewer sources, mainly defying lockdowns and federal urgings in Florida. Trump’s proliferation of sources is far more solid, built across six years of campaigning, making policy and fighting other political figures domestically and abroad. This dilemma was on full display at the Conroe rally when Abbott arrived. However, unlike the aforementioned governors, he decided some time ago to hitch his wagon to the Trump movement rather than be replaced by someone more loyal, and thus more politically viable, than himself. Abbott has garnered disdain from grassroots Texas Republicans for mismanaging the border, unpopular pandemic policies and — most notably — Texas’ grid failure in 2021 that led to several hundred deaths. Judging from the reactions to rhetoric around making America strong again, if Trump’s supporters loathe anything, it’s weakness. When Abbott came on stage, he was met with boos and shouts of “RINO,” for “Republican in name only.” But he drowned out his own ire in praise for the former president, culminating in chants of “Let’s go Trump” following his remarks. The power of that endorsement among the base can’t be understated. Road to 2024 There may be a large portion of self-identified Republicans who want to see new leadership, but the most passionate conservatives coming to these rallies are not attending as party members. Even if their numbers are fewer since the 2020 election, they appear to be more intense in their support for Trump than

ever. Suffice to say, the party’s internal momentum is in Trump’s favor, and I highly doubt someone like DeSantis can pose a real challenge. The most diehard members of the base are more ignited by the threats of President Joe Biden’s perceived failures making the country weak, or of an invasion at the border, than the desire to see anyone replace Trump. After all, many of the base believe Trump was robbed of his second term in the first place; only 21% of Republicans polled by University of Massachusetts Amherst believed Biden’s 2021 victory was “probably legitimate.” And who are the most likely to vote in 2022? Those who believe the election was stolen, ironically. Trump has another advantage up his sleeve going into the next elections: outsider rhetoric. This was the same approach that secured him the 2016 nomination and eventually the Oval Office. However, not only was his lambasting of America’s current weakness powerfully received by the Conroe crowd, it was repeated nearly verbatim by the preceding speakers. “Everyone in Washington is obsessing over how to protect Ukraine’s border, but the most important border … for us is not Ukraine’s border, it’s America’s border and we do nothing about it,” Trump said. “[President Biden] is sending troops to the border of Ukraine, when in reality he should be sending law enforcement and border patrol to the border between Texas and Mexico,” Abbott said. So what do we have? Trump’s powerful 2016 rhetoric, but now amplified by those who fear losing their positions in the party. Entire state G.O.P.’s are falling in line to support an effort that already worked once, and judging by Biden’s sliding approval rating, this revived campaign won’t have much standing in its way. With this kind of grip on the conservative movement, it’s hard to say that the Republican Party even “exists” anymore beyond serving as an organizational tool for the Trump campaign and its political feudal empire. The ralliers in Conroe came because they believe the nation is in dire straits, and Trump has been — and will be — their answer. Democrats will have to match that passion in November to stand a chance. Nathan Varnell is a political science senior and assistant opinion editor for The Battalion.

OPINION

The Battalion | 2.10.22

OPINION

Paul Burke — THE BATTALION

Snow began to fall in Brazos County early on the morning of Feb. 14, 2021, following a statewide winter weather warning the day before. Students and local residents of Bryan-College Station experienced power outages throughout the ensuing week.

On thin ice: Abbott, ERCOT to blame

Opinion columnist Zach Freeman discusses Texans’ fears about future freezes, loss of trust in Gov. Greg Abbott Zach Freeman @ZachAtBatt

earing the anniversary of Texas’ big freeze last February, many Texans’ anxieties and bad memories were rekindled by the prospect of another winter freeze this year. Thankfully, last week’s hard freeze on Feb. 3 and 4 was not too unusually cold for this time of year, and the state’s grid did not feel the same strain as last year. Though, about 70,000 Texans still lost power Thursday and Friday, due mostly to frozen electric lines and failures in local energy infrastructure. In November, Gov. Greg Abbott guaranteed that “the lights will stay on” over the Texas winter. Just last week, he backtracked on that promise, saying “no one can guarantee” there wouldn’t be outages. Abbott’s lack of confidence in the grid during a lesser crisis speaks to how little he thinks he has done to fix last year’s issues. Not only that, the fact that Abbott can’t be trusted to not go back on past promises tests the already razor-thin level of confidence his constituents have

in him. People have not forgotten the outages. Some, like Bryan resident Charnae Meloncon, were trapped in grave conditions. For three days, she was stuck at her job, a facility for the care of the eldery and disabled. “My clients were afraid and some couldn’t understand what was happening,” Meloncon said. In the brief 30-minute intervals that power returned, Meloncon had to prepare food and attend to the home’s security system, which would blare loudly every time it reactivated. Meloncon was equipped with a single flashlight that soon ran out of power, and with no portable heater, she had to ensure that the facility’s elderly residents remained bundled and safe when moving between pitch-black rooms. For Meloncon’s clients, a loss of power without her supervision could have easily meant death, she said. It was not only the elderly at risk, as many Texas A&M students were also put under tremendous stress and uncertainty as a result of Texas’ ill-prepared energy system. “Last year, during the freeze, my upstairs neighbor’s apartment flooded

and all the water flooded into our unit,” sociology senior Gwen Howerton said. “I didn’t have power or water for days during the storm, and we ran out of food, too. It gave me and my roommates trauma. I was in therapy over it for a while, and it put me through some financial hardship having to move so much. It definitely makes me scared for what the future holds.” Apartment complex maintenance had to tear insulation out of the walls and worked on it well into March, Howerton said. Eventually, the complex decided it wasn’t worth fixing the damage and broke Howerton and her roommates’ lease, forcing them to move. “I definitely think it could get worse,” Howerton said. “The cold snap on Thursday made me anxious because I’m worried that it’s only the beginning of a worse freeze this year. I’ve absolutely lost faith in the state’s ability to do anything at this point. We all learned so much about the reality of the Texas power grid; I didn’t even know that our grid was disconnected from the national grid until last winter.” “It’s just all a disaster,” Howerton said. Many Texans echo the same nega-

tive sentiments. According to the Texas Politics Project, most Texans do not trust our grid’s reliability nor the cold shoulder that we’ve been given by our leadership. Though, amid the disaster and icewrought damage, Howerton still managed to find a ray of sunshine. “It was so nice to see the community come together last year, though, to take food and clothes, to open their homes, to help strangers,” Howerton said. “I think we did see the Aggie community come together and really do what Aggies do best: helping each other. So, that’s a plus.” Our strong bonds and willingness to help our neighbors are part of what makes Aggies and Texans great. Simply stated, these great people of Texas deserve better than broken assurances and icy scars, they deserve better than Greg Abbott. Trust is not won back easily, and a year out from disaster, Abbott has not put in the work to protect the people of Texas. As far as Texans should be concerned, Gov. Abbott is on thin ice. Zach Freeman is an anthropology senior and opinion columnist for The Battalion.

classifieds see ads at thebatt.com

FOR RENT

WHEN TO CALL

SPECIAL

PLACE AN AD Phone 979.845.2697 Suite L400, Memorial Student Center Texas A&M University

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday Insertion deadline: 1 p.m. prior business day

PRINT ADS EQUAL FREE ONLINE CLASSIFIED

If you pay for a print classified, it runs for free on www.thebatt.com, which receives two million page views every year and TX A&Mcontent The Battalion 2/10/22 Crossword PuzzleJunction.com this past year had 10.5 million impressions on advertising placed on the site. The Battalion, thebatt.com and the Maroon Life magazines are great ways to reach readers at Texas A&M. Across

HELP WANTED

RV HOOK UPS: Two 50 amp and one 30 amp RV space for rent in Bryan. Email Benjamin at brutland@brazoslink.net or call 979-774-9300.

STORAGE UNITS

CLOSE TO CAMPUS. $50 10x10 Call 979-696-4464 MALE ROOMMATE NEEDED: Room for rent at 529 Southwest Parkway, #202, College Station. $350, plus $100 for utilities with personal bathrooom. Call Olga at 817-480-7708.

thebatt.com

1 6 10 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 24 25 26 30

ALL POSITIONS NEEDED: Drew’s Car Wash is currently hiring for all positions! Flexible schedules for students. $9 to $12 per hour with tips. Apply in person or email careerswithdrews@ yahoo.com. TUTORS WANTED for all subjects taught at Texas A&M, Blinn College and Sam Houston State. Pay starts at $15 an hour. Apply online at www.99tutors.com. Call 979-255-3655 with questions.

PART-TIME ADMIN ASSISTANT: Friendly, energetic person needed for RV park located in Bryan. Duties include answering phone, making reservations, billing, posting payments, enforcing park rules, and cleaning laundry and bathrooms. $15.00 per hour. Basic computers skills a must. Send resume and references to texasfriendlyrvparks@gmail.com

34 35 37 38 39 41 42 44 45

thebattalion

to todays puzzles

www.thebatt.com

to todays puzzles

Lifestyles Lifestyles Photos Photos AP News Classifieds Classifieds

ANSWERS

News News Sports Sports Opinion Opinion Mailcall

ANSWERS

Ê*, /ÊÊUÊÊ"

48 50 52 53 56 57 60 61 64 65 66

Branchlet Wing (Fr.) Sing the blues W.W. I soldier Godsend Shrek, e.g. Certain high card Destroy Our sun Enemy Unventilated Tavern Exhorted Sci-fi event Flamethrower fuel Hydroxyl compound Former Italian bread Motherless calf Partner of void Putdowns Drift Characteristic Airport pickup Penultimate fairy tale word Twilled woolen fabrics Mexican lid Shake off ___-relief Comic Chaplin Hogan of golf Gained a lap Bygone era House of worship “You said it, brother!” “___ go bragh” Fill with joy

24 29

30 36

37 40

45 48

67 Orderly 68 Physics unit 69 Noble gas

10 11 12 13 Down 18 23 1 Hot Springs and 24 others 25 2 Somewhat, to Salieri 26 3 Cambodian money 4 Worldwide workers’ 27 grp. 28 5 Belly laugh 29 6 Competent 31 7 Promise to pay 32 8 Pneumonia type 9 Commissioned naval officer 33

Mighty nations Tropical fever Spring bloom Periscope part Some pinks Try for a part Hostile Revive Collapsible shelters Accustom Back tooth Small stream Mojave plant Inmate who’s never getting out Subway

36 40 43 47 49 51 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 62 63

Magazine contents Cheerless Rossini subject Befitting Newspaper headline Honeybunch Shade of blue “Where the heart is” Bailiwick The “B” of N.B. Bunch Kind of clef Tiger Beat reader Container ___ vapeur (steamed)

LIFE&ARTS

The Battalion | 2.10.22

Photos by Aubrey Vogel & Julia Potts — THE BATTALION

Six of Benjamin Knox’s seven “Defenders of Freedom” paintings feature the U.S. Navy, Space Force, Coast Guard, Air Force, Marines and Army in recognition of Aggie student veterans.

VETERANS CONTINUED series] is going to continue to solidify A&M’s military roots and military history,” Drake said. “Having these paintings on campus and having the center as the population continues to grow [allows student veterans] to come here and see this and still continue to find that [A&M] is a strong supporter of our nation’s military and its veterans, and we are proud to have them among our student population.” VRSC assistant director Donald Freeman said the paintings allow former students who return to Aggieland the opportunity to reminisce on their time in the service. “It’s a symbol of our service from [A&M’s] perspective,” Freeman said. “It’s a symbol of our commitment, as a university, to the service of our veterans. It means a lot, not only to me but all the student veterans that come through the halls, whether they’re here for

undergraduate studies, professional and master’s degrees and things along those lines. It means a lot to them. “The fact that the university took this opportunity to pay honor to their individual service branch or branch of service means a lot to them.” Veteran and history junior David Haney said he often stops at the paintings to reflect on his time in the service. “I think something to take away is that there’s somebody who, though they were not in the military, used their skills and talents and values and strengths to give back in a way that they could,” Haney said. “In this case, painting pictures and donating them to the VRSC or to the school, because I know [Knox’s] paintings are in other places as well. I just think it’s great to know that somebody went to A&M, gained experience, gained knowledge, gained relationships, deepened

Senior Boot Bag

Price Includes Embroidered Logo and Name (More logos available) Shop for Little Aggies for an Aggie Xmas etsy.com/shop/aggiesandbows by Charlotte, Reveille’s Seamstress Aggie Mom & Grandma For A&M Sterling Jewelry: stores.ebay.com/charboeg979

1711 N Earl Rudder Fwy Bryan, TX 77803 979-778-2293 | charboeg@yahoo.com

themselves and then in some way, shape or form was able to give back to the school.” Knox said it was important to make artwork honoring those who made sacrifices by serving. “I looked for Aggie references to put historically,” Knox said. “In terms of showing the spirit of A&M, I would say it’s very much conjoined with this spirit of service and the spirit of benefiting others, but the individual pieces themselves are very much focused on each branch of the military.” Knox said he wanted the paintings to be inspiring from an artistic and design standpoint, as well as make the subject matter uplifting. Included in the paintings are references to Aggie veterans such as Ensign George Gay, Class of 1938, of Torpedo Squadron 8, Knox said. “They’re also a history lesson,” Knox said. “We did a tremendous amount of research as

a team and came up with key historical subjects and items. I think the inspiration [came from] the appreciation and inspiration of people who have sacrificed time to help protect our freedoms so that we can be artists [and] so that we can pursue our passion.” Smith said he wants the paintings to be a reminder of A&M’s roots and Core Values. “When you look at our Core Values and our history and our vision [of] where we want to be and go in the future, where all of that kind of intersects is this very foundational Aggie principle: We serve well, those who have served,” Smith said. “That’s why we always want to have these paintings help us remind us of our past, but also kind of our foundational roots and our core values. We want to continue to serve those who have served us by supporting student veterans and their families.”

NOW IS THE TIME to pre-order your copy of the

2022AGGIELAND A photojournalistic record of the 2021-2022 school year. The 120th edition of Texas A&M’s official yearbook. Distribution will be Summer or Fall 2022. Go Online to tx.ag/BuyTheAggieland or call 979-845-2697 to make your purchase. It’s only $85.00 (Includes Shipping Fee)

OLDER AGGIELANDS

You can order past Aggielands at tx.ag/BuyTheAggieland. All proceeds from sales go back to the students in some way and keep alive this Texas A&M tradition that was started in 1895.