I would like to take this time and express my view of Veishea and the so-called “issue” about Veishea. Many phrases come to mind whenever I read any article about Veishea, for instance, “Get a life,” “Deal with it,” or probably the most important and least childish, “Okay, here, let’s really think about what we are arguing about.”

The way I see it, it really doesn’t matter either way, dry or not.

My wife’s grandfather attended Iowa State University during the depression. Coming from a rural farm, he had to scrape up enough money for tuition, which was not an easy task to do. His job and living quarters during his stay still stand and still house the same kind of livestock he worked with to maintain enrollment at ISU. Working in the barns was his way of bettering himself, of adding to a tradition at Iowa State that I see is lost on today’s students. Who really knows what Veishea stands for?

From what I understand, Veishea is a celebration of the university and it’s original colleges. It is a tradition of the students, celebrated by the community and admired by the country. It is one of the largest student organized events across the country. I say let us take pride in having the LARGEST student organized dry event in the country.

If you believe in the original meaning of Veishea and want to be part of a widely-admired event, then I invite you to celebrate Veishea when the time comes and throughout the year.

Honor the alumni that invented the tradition and what they went through to not only go to school in times that the majority of us have only read in history books but also to create such a potentially wonderful tradition.

On the other hand, if you believe that Veishea stands for Voluntary Engaging In Selfish Humiliating Erroneous Activities, or Virtually Everything Inebriated; Self, Humans, Even Animals, then go ahead and keep arguing why all 52 weekends of the year should not be dry, as opposed to having only one dry weekend.

Or better yet, celebrate Veishea one weekend, and then celebrate “Veishea” the next, previous, or both. Heck, celebrate “Veishea” 49 weeks a year. After all, you need one for New Year’s and one for Homecoming.

Although I am not against drinking, I am not excited to participate in an event that has lost it’s meaning.

Robert Crenshaw

Senior

Civil engineering