Bring Veishea back — this spring.

Nothing has happened in the seven months since rioters scourged Welch Avenue to change our minds: ISU students, particularly seniors, should not be punished for the moronic behavior of a few dozen people.

In a summer and semester worth of discussions, we learned a lot more about the pet behavioral theories of ISU faculty numbers than we did about any ways to keep failed car-flipping attempts in Ames off national television. The Veishea task farce, pun intended, didn’t reach any startling conclusions — or, for that matter, any mildly interesting conclusions.

This isn’t to say that the people involved in the attempt to “fix” Veishea were insincere or incompetent — far from it. The 31 members of the task force all had better things to do with their time, yet they did produce a mostly accurate, if practically useless, report on the riot and the culture for riots at Iowa State.

Still, the first guiding principle for the task force is a good model for reaction: “The time for blame has ended, and the time for resolution has begun.” So, not a word more on frustrations with the conduct of the Veishea examination.

We, of course, fully anticipate that the university will continue to disagree with our argument that Veishea should take place in spring 2005. (Actually, to be fair, ISU President Gregory Geoffroy acted first in April by suspending this spring’s event; critical reactions followed.)

To anticipate the obvious rebuttal, no, it would not be a wishy-washy move for Geoffroy to reinstate Veishea now. It would be a reasoned response to a report that established no direct link between any Veishea activity and celebratory riots. If we can reorganize a university budget in reaction to withering cuts midyear, why can’t we put at least a stripped-down Veishea together? No matter what or whom you cite as a cause or causes, it’ll be around, Veishea or no: Police, parties, ordinances, alcohol and idiots aren’t going anywhere.

So don’t let countless retailers suffer. Thousands of dollars for the Ames community is a good thing. Bring back Veishea.

Common sense suggests concerns about large gatherings with alcohol (without taking a position on whether they are really a problem) can be allayed by canceling late-night events, keeping Veishea confined to campus and keeping Welch Avenue open to traffic throughout Veishea.

Offer programming for the under-21 crowd until at least midnight; they can at least choose between those activities and partying.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. In April, we wrote:

“But we fail to see how canceling the one event that brings ISU alumni and student organizations together will help anyone.”

We’re still waiting for an explanation.

— Drew Miller, a member of the Veishea task force, did not participate in this editorial discussion.