I would like to respond to Abe Sweeney’s editorial about Veishea that appeared in the Daily last Thursday. I have a real problem with his statement, “Some say that this will be the last Veishea because the students will not be able to handle it dry, so I’m going to make this Veishea one to remember. I’m going to go out and have a good old-fashioned night of drinking and make it something that will not leave my mind anytime soon.”

It would appear to me that you are one of the people that can’t handle the fact that Veishea will be dry. I do suppose, though, that a night in jail for public intoxication and possession of alcohol under the legal age would be something that wouldn’t leave your mind anytime soon. However, it is irresponsible actions like these that will end up ruining Veishea.

The whole problem with Veishea the past few years is that it has been used as an excuse for people to act irresponsibly. These irresponsible people think they’re having fun, but the truth is, they are ruining the Veishea celebration for the responsible people. It is because of this that I have never found Veishea to be very much fun. As many people have stated, Veishea has lost its true meaning, and this is a meaning that I have never known. Why does celebrating Veishea have to be about getting into a drunken stupor?

Instead of using Veishea as an excuse to get totally intoxicated, students should treat it no differently than any other weekend, and in most cases, act as responsible with alcohol as they always do. I really don’t think that this is too much to ask, but for some reason, there are a lot of people out there that do think this is too much to ask. It is these people that I beg to take the pledge seriously, so that Veishea can continue for many years to come. If we show that we are able to handle the strict regulations laid down for this year’s Veishea, perhaps the regulations won’t be so harsh in years to come. We are down to our last chance.

Please, let’s not be foolish and ruin it.

Kahn Evans

Senior

Electrical engineering