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!
