A Thank You to Our 41st President from a Democratic Aggie
Oct 18th, 2009 | 6 responses
A few days ago, Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés shared with us a letter from former president George H. W. Bush (#41) informing his “Fellow Members of the Texas A&M Family” of the gracious invitation he had extended to President Obama to come down to Aggie land to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Bush’s “points of light” initiative, and to talk about “an issue that unites all Americans,” community service and its importance to our nation.
Bush also said: “I cannot wait for President Obama to experience the open, decent and welcoming Aggie spirit for himself.”
There had been some concerns expressed as to exactly what kind of welcome our Democratic president would receive deep in the heart of “Red” Texas, a state Obama pretty much wrote off during last year’s elections.
One of our “commenters” even alluded to a possible tragedy.
As a graduate of a university that sends more ROTC graduates into our armed forces than any other university, as a member of that “Texas A&M Family,” I am proud of how my fellow Aggies received our President, I am proud of the Aggie spirit.
According to my Texas hometown newspaper, the Austin American-Statesman, “Inside the [Rudder] auditorium, the atmosphere was warm and bipartisan,” and Obama’s 22-minute speech was “punctuated numerous times with the trademark Aggie ‘whoop’ of approval.”
As a resident of Texas, I appreciate the peaceful and generally respectful demonstrations held by those who do not agree with the president’s policies.
(Yes, there were some predictable signs and chants by some, elsewhere on campus. For a more extended coverage of these, please read “The background noisemakers who just can’t help it,” by Ken Herman at the Statesman.)
As an American, I was delighted to see a former Republican president set aside the partisanship, the bickering, the differences, and join a Democratic president to “celebrate their shared vision of service and volunteerism in America,” as observed by Michelle Nunn, CEO of the Points of Light Institute.
Thank you President Bush and Gig’em Aggies!
6 Responses to “A Thank You to Our 41st President from a Democratic Aggie”
Yes. Absolutely.
Bi-partisanship of the damned notwithstanding, we will always promote that elusive union.
To little avail, but it's the thought that counts. right?
My father went to Texas A&M for a few years and used to tell a joke:
Alums from Harvard, Yale, and Texas A&M walk into a bar and sit down. After chatting for a while, the bartender tells the first guy “I bet you went to Harvard”. “Why yes, how did you know?” says the Harvard alum. “I could tell by your keen grasp of world events” replies the bartender.
The bartender tells the second man “I bet you went to Yale”. “However did you guess?” asked the Yalie. “I could tell by your vast knowledge and intellectualism” says the bartender.
The bartender turns to the third man and says “I bet you're an Aggie”. Impressed, the Aggie says “How did you know? Was it my knowledge? My intellectualism? My keen grasp of world events?”
“Nope”, says the bartender, “I saw your class ring while you were picking your nose.”
FT: Thanks for your comments
DG: Thanks for the Aggie joke. As I am sure your father told you, there are a million Aggie jokes.
We accept them in the Aggie spirit and even have our own jokes about the “teasippers.” (University of Texas).
It's all in good humor.
Oh my yes we're all so proud of Texas, home of the Kennedy assasination, the Bush family, and a governor who wants to pull away from the Union and who puts possibly innocent people to death. Oh and oil barons who were part and parcel to the lies fed to Congress to “justify” the attempted annex of Iraq's resources to their monopoly. [a thing they know Obama cut short]. I'm sure he'll just be LOVED in Texas..a southern state which like so many others treats those who tan as well as he with such love and respect always!
What's not to be proud of? I think Obama should politely decline the invite.
thanks for the good article Dorian; and the balance with the links. My time teaching at Texas A & M made memory of some of the nicest people… students earnest and passionate, teachers the same. And something else; something I saw in Atlanta and Memphis in some parts of the society, a gallantry that impresses me, both among the women and the men and children and the everyone.
Not to say there arent the Sue Ellens, and also the men's non-ammo shooting society, the rattlesnake bars, and behind closed doors clubs, but as an honorary Aggie, I'd have to say there's also a lot of boys from T A&M who have served honestly and proudly. I mean, a lot. Not so sure about same from H, Y, or elsewhere. Not so sure at all. The old song is in many people's cells still… 'Senators' sons… '
dr.e
Thanks, dr. e.
Perhaps we'll see you in Texas sometime and can visit our Alma Mater together.
Dorian