Veishea’s in the news again, igniting as much talk and debate as it has since April 1997 — or make that since the first Veishea riot broke out in 1988.

Over the past year, I’ve come to ignore others’ opinions about Veishea, particularly because so many people butt heads about the issue.

In fact, talk this year involving Iowa State’s infamous annual spring celebration rubbed me the wrong way so much that I turned a deaf ear to it.

But ignorance is not a smart or mature approach to the problem.

What allowed me to really confront my feelings was a discussion among the Daily’s editorial board members earlier this week. Although none of us shared the same perspectives, listening to the other four members dissect the topic allowed me to conclude that in the fog of the Veishea dispute, a collective respect, enthusiasm and spirit for the festival has been lost.

Despite all the bad vibes surrounding Veishea 1997, the celebration was allowed to continue this year; and following a “successful” Veishea 1998, ISU administrators announced last week that the community can expect a Veishea 1999.

Considering Veishea’s been prone to cancellation for more than a year, this should be big news.

But no one really seems to care.

Sure, Veishea 1998 was a success regarding the cutback in alcohol-related arrests and violence. But it seems as if this year’s celebration was going through the motions.

A black cloud arose over Veishea on the night Uri Sellers was killed last year. And another one was present in 1998, filled with uncertainty, fear and cynicism. Students were too worried about breaking so-called “rules” to relax and have a good time.

I’ve been trying to recount visions from this year’s celebration, and I have a hard time picking out the highlights.

For me, it was just another weekend in Ames. Veishea’s contagious energy from previous years was gone.

Part of that was due to the incredibly low numbers of visitors from outside Ames, an initial goal of Veishea organizers.

Hmmm, the out-of-towners — the catch 22 of Veishea. They provide much of the celebration’s energy, while at the same time causing most of the trouble.

What’s sad is that visitors didn’t feel welcome this year.

The festival that showcases ISU to the state of Iowa and beyond basically shunned outsiders, barring them from evening entertainment and providing them a sense that they were uninvited.

Also accountable for the lack of energy was ISU students’ views of Veishea.

Images of heightened security and alcohol-free pledges soured their enthusiasm for an event they would normally anxiously await.

A double whammy: out-of-towners wouldn’t set foot in Ames, while many ISU students skipped town for the weekend.

That’s the Veishea spirit.

I can count on my hands and feet how many times I’ve overheard a comment such as “Veishea sucks. Just end all the hype and cancel the damn thing.” I don’t buy into the demise of Veishea as a valid solution.

First of all, a lot of people cherish the 76-year-old tradition.

Second, cancelling it skips around some bigger issues, including out-of-control drinking and those darn outsiders who can’t contain themselves.

So, how do we handle those two major problems that threaten Veishea every year?

The drinking just isn’t going to stop, no matter how many students sign alcohol-free pledges.

In addition, responsible drinkers don’t want to be told they can’t enjoy themselves.

It’s also unfair to declare Veishea a celebration of ISU strictly for the ISU-Ames community, a percentage of which doesn’t care whether it ever comes back. Veishea needs to take a step back in time.

Once it becomes a positive atmosphere again, people will embrace it as a positive event — even if that means going back to the fluffy, candy-apple family event that it used to be.

This year may have been a disappointment to some people, but maybe that’s just what Veishea needed to get back to its original purpose — to celebrate ISU.

Now it’s time to build from Veishea 1998.

Someday the community as a whole will welcome Veishea, and people once again will feel welcome to enjoy it.

But last year needs to be marked in the history books as a turning point, not a constant.

If the university keeps up its threatening attitude, Veishea will be dead even if it’s not cancelled.

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Staci Hupp is a junior in journalism and mass communication from Grimes. She is the editor in chief of the Daily.