It is a sad thing to admit, but I first heard of Veishea when the news of the 1992 riots reached the Quad-City television stations.

I was a sophomore in high school at the time.

Since then, the Veishea celebrations I have attended have all been fun in their own ways. Each year, of course, there is always talk about riots.

The Daily has its annual “Don’t Riot during Veishea” editorial.

In addition, Veishea 1992 made festival organizers create the “Party Peacefully” program, a series of meetings with student security and local law enforcement.

But this column isn’t about Veishea. It’s about accentuating the positive.

More often than not we are more apt to criticize than compliment.

It is human nature. Our family and friends have done it to us at some point. We do it to them and listen to everyone else do it to others.

It’s a challenge to find something positive to say about a riot, a war or anyone of whom students or the media have been critical this past year.

Take GSB President Adam Gold, for example. He isn’t usually popular in a good sense among students because he has sided with the administration more than with the students during his term.

However, how many remember that Gold tried to talk the Regents into lowering the tuition increase for next year? He failed, but how many remember that changing the stadium’s name to Jack Trice was a successful campaign goal of his last spring?

Another university official students are quick to criticize is Randy Alexander, director of the Department of Residence.

Currently, he is in the process of discussing eliminating summer storage, something that has been around for years, with students.

While many residence hall officials are fuming over his proposal, how many remember that he provided soap for one of the halls and housing for members of the Theta Chi Fraternity after their house burned down?

Good things like this are important to point out, even among the people we most dislike.

But no matter how important it is to acknowledge the good, sometimes the negative can’t help but outweigh the positive, no matter whom you may be criticizing.

Adolph Hitler used to be a fairly good painter early in his life. Much of his work was of nature scenes. However, he was rejected by several distinguished German art schools. Soon after, he joined the Nazi party.

Would Hitler have become a world-class artist instead of the world’s most feared dictator had he been accepted at an art school? It’s hard to say, but his artistic talent fails to outweigh his role in the Holocaust.

Just like it is hard to find good in people we disagree with or dislike, it is just as hard for most people to criticize someone or something he or she really likes.

What don’t you like about your best friend? Your favorite professor? Your major? Veishea?

Riots are not considered the best part of Veishea.

Because it has been mentioned every year, a Veishea riot has become somewhat of a myth.

Riot or no riot, Veishea never fails to reveal a bunch of drunk college students, many of whom are charged with minor on the premises.

This may not be such a positive thing for the person who has to spend the night at the Ames Police Department. However, it is something positive for the Daily’s police reporter, who makes a fortune from the blotter and police stories that Veishea generates over weekend.

I remember. I was at the police station typing names in the computer for five hours over Veishea weekend last year.

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Shuva Rahim is a junior in journalism and mass communication from Davenport.