By Rey Sifuentes Jr.

There is no perfect solution to the Texas A&I-Texas A&M University-Kingsville debate. A perfect solution would pacify everyone and allow us all to hold hands and sing under a rainbow afterwards. But in this case, one side will be singing and the other cursing. Allow me to debate both sides of this one.

A&I Let It Die!

Time catches up with and passes all of us by. The young and vigorous generation will almost always shrug off the words of wisdom their elders have for them because they are still adolescents; even if they refuse to admit it. The one thing in common when it comes to youth is that we were all there.

The protest at the A&I Alumni Association luncheon by TAMUK students was nothing illegal. The student protesters expressed themselves as they are allowed to in this country. Their youth prohibits them from fully understanding the full details of the history of A&I. They are loyal children of TAMUK and will stand by that name just as I stood by the original name during my freshman year, the last time the university was known as A&I.

I did not favor the name change to TAMUK in 1993 and today’s Javelinas do not favor their alma mater having its name changed back to A&I. Times change.

A&I Till I Die!

The older A&I vanguard is passionate about restoring the university back to its former designation. I am inspired to see people in their advanced years feel so fervent about something.

There is a need for respect of history. Life shows us that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it and someone has to fight to make sure history is not forgotten.

If everything A&I Alumni board member Douglas Vannoy said in a recent story about the protest is true, then the name change back in 1993 was an illegitimate conception. Some wrongs, no matter how much time has passed, need to be righted.

Mr. Vannoy is also right in the perspective that the luncheon protest was in bad form. What is even in more bad taste was that the majority of the protesters were members of the TAMUK Student Government Association, a group whose associates should have shown more class by allowing their elders to congregate in peace.