Students used to be proud of Veishea. Some upperclassmen can undoubtedly remember a “real” Veishea. That’s all gone now.

Veishea is over. The GSB seems to believe there is something worth saving. I have become comfortable with the fact that Veishea will never be the same.

Veishea was an ugly party. I’m not going to sit here and sing about how glorious it was. No matter what you feel about Veishea, good or bad, dry or wet, the fact remains YOU are being made the fool.

The GSB has its hands tied. As most of you know, the GSB is made up of students who are elected to be senators. These senators answer to you, their constituents. But what can they do when they are given an ultimatum?

Dry Veishea or no Veishea? I say no Veishea. I could care less about the 75+ years Veishea has been going on. I’m not losing money or prospective students if Veishea goes south. Veishea will happen whether the University wants it or not.

Veishea is a student run, student organized celebration of the school we love.

The young man that died here, Uri Sellers, at Veishea ’97 was a tragedy.

Had he not been killed, I think most would agree that the ’97 Veishea was probably one of the best. Yet, as always, those who deserve the blame are not punished. I’m not talking about the man that murdered Uri, I’m talking about the thousands that pillage Ames every spring that have no business being here.

In the end, the punishment should fit the crime, and at present ISU students have no blood on their hands. It’s no surprise the Daily was shocked when the number of ISU students arrested at last weekend’s Phish concert was insignificant in comparison to those from out of state.

I’d imagine more people have been hurt going to football games year after year than are injured during Veishea. Are we going to cancel them?

If over the 75 years some 3 million people visited Ames to attend Veishea one died is it time to close shop? What happens when someone gets killed on Highway 80? What are we going to do? Make it so everyone has to drive foam cars at less than 20 mph.?

Sure, that’s taking it a bit too far, but so is eliminating our choice just because we chose to get an education from ISU. What are we learning from this? If you do something wrong, do it in someone else’s city because its residents will suffer.

Dry Veishea always brings about controversy. I’m vying for choice. Iowa State University issues a Student Information Handbook wherein it is stated that the University regulations cannot infringe on rights GUARANTEED by the Constitution of The United States.

Unfortunately, ISU believes it is above the federal government when it issues proclamations saying that NO student can drink on Veishea weekend. I don’t just mean in your dorm room. If you are 21 years of age and you decide to drink at any one of the bars in town, you can be issued a ticket by Ames police or DPS. This is totally outrageous.

I want the death of Veishea on Jischke’s hands because he is the one who, no matter what YOU want, will do what HE wants instead.

I have given serious thought to gathering petitions from students in an attempt to bring about change.

Give students the decision whether to drink or not. It’s been proven in the past, however, that protesting the university does little or no good. One of the best organized student protests, The September 29th Movement, went down in flames at the feet of Jischke. I would like to see Veishea on his wall of honor too.

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James Primrose

Sophomore

Pre-business