woo, f'n VEISHEA is no excuse to end VEISHEA.
It should also be noted that lots of people do the "woo, f'n VEISHEA" without destroying property or harming anyone.
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- Thread starter tm3308
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woo, f'n VEISHEA is no excuse to end VEISHEA.
It should also be noted that lots of people do the "woo, f'n VEISHEA" without destroying property or harming anyone.
I get that, and I know I will be the minority (and maybe only one) here to think this way but ask my 11yr old and 8yr old what VEISHEA is and they will tell you it is the most fun Saturday of the spring. We have been going for the past 10 years ever since our oldest was almost one and was pulled around in a wagon to activities after the parade. It was a family event for us--hubby would participate in the parade and after we would do the student run activities. The activities that are supposed to showcase the colleges. You know, the reason for VEISHEA in the first place? We ate cherry pies and fudge and ice cream at Kildee. The kids got to ride horses for the first time, see baby farm animals, and hold animals like snakes and chinchillas. We watched science experiments and learned about geology. We raced insects and got to control robots. We got trees from the forestry department and bought the most beautiful annuals from the horticulture club. We watched glass blowing. And every year there were too many things we wanted to do that we didn't have time. Every year we leave campus and my kids were are so excited about the things they can do when they go to Iowa State.
I know there is no way to get that VEISHEA separated from what has now come to be defined as VEISHEA. How many students participate in the partying VEISHEA for the 4-6 years they are at school and never see the other VEISHEA. The one my kids have known for 10 years and now I have to tell them, guess what? It is cancelled. I'd like some of those students identified at the riots last night to do community service. Go to the elementary schools and tell them why the fun part of VEISHEA for families is done.
- Mar 27, 2006
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100 times this. VEISHEA is known as a huge party, first and foremost. That's the problem.
Until you change the culture, the problem is going to continue to exist. It sucks for the people who did nothing wrong, but that usually means there's some collateral damage in the interim.
Yea, I know, it's not like I never hit the bars VEISHEA week or got drunk before getting in line for pancakes. It's not like it's an unsalvageable event. But to act like it's not the least bit broken or that this hiatus might result in a better event less associated with drunk a-holes, seems, I don't know...stubborn, I guess.
I don't really see anything wrong with that, other than the violence that has crept in.
The Iowa/Iowa State game is known as a huge party, first and foremost. Veishea is by no means the only event tied to ISU that is known more for being a party than what the actual event is intended to be.
Then just leave. If all the people just standing around are potential victims of mistaken identity on the cops' part, then why not get the **** out of the way so the real offenders stick out like a sore thumb?
I guess I just think that making an example of the a-holes is a more just means of handling this. If you hammer the idiots who introduce the element of violence, you will remove that aspect of it.
No it doesn't, but I am willing to bet there will be a lot less people around this weekend and no more riots.
This really sucks like people for you, me, and your kids. No doubt. Hopefully though, when you explain to them why there is no parade this year they remember it and don't become inconsiderate drunken morons at the their first VEISHEA as an ISU student.
No, but it prevents most of those idiots from turning their idiot dials all the way to 17.
So, honest question here guys:
As a way to maintain an atmosphere similar to the standard that Veishea has offered in the past (hopefully sans riot) and emphasize safety/responsibility what about a large scale beer garden on Welch Ave?
Hear me out for a moment, barricade off Welch at Lincoln and at Chamberlain, fully staff security(partially from the bars and from private hired firms provided by the city/university) and police at "entrances" to the garden, admittance only with ID obviously, allow each bar to open themselves up and provide drinks/food both inside and out. Having a joint effort of the businesses on that street may increase the presence of accountable individuals who halt stupidity.
This effectively keeps the underage people house partiers off of welch and away from the "bar close" crowd (the convergence of the two groups seemingly being a large part of the past two issues). By regulating, you automatically provide an element of accountability and lets be honest, if our culture has taught us anything, uncoolness which may ultimately calm the masses.
Thoughts?
As a way to maintain an atmosphere similar to the standard that Veishea has offered in the past (hopefully sans riot) and emphasize safety/responsibility what about a large scale beer garden on Welch Ave?
Hear me out for a moment, barricade off Welch at Lincoln and at Chamberlain, fully staff security(partially from the bars and from private hired firms provided by the city/university) and police at "entrances" to the garden, admittance only with ID obviously, allow each bar to open themselves up and provide drinks/food both inside and out. Having a joint effort of the businesses on that street may increase the presence of accountable individuals who halt stupidity.
This effectively keeps the underage people house partiers off of welch and away from the "bar close" crowd (the convergence of the two groups seemingly being a large part of the past two issues). By regulating, you automatically provide an element of accountability and lets be honest, if our culture has taught us anything, uncoolness which may ultimately calm the masses.
Thoughts?
But people who didn't attend ISU and/or live in Ames or the surrounding communities don't know that these things aren't related to VEISHEA. The national headlines this morning all mentioned VEISHEA and it being an Iowa State University festival, as did the news blurbs on TV and radio. The differentiation is there for us, but not to others. This is a PR nightmare, and a potential liability.
A ton of schools have "party weeks", and for 99% of the people they are a blast. The problem is the select few that are too stupid to get laid or just have a good night and decide they need to destroy property instead.
Al, do you really think that some drunk kid 5 years from now is going to believe he'll actually get and expelled for rioting just because they manage to identify a bunch of them from this year's riot and punish them? No, because when you're college age you don't think you'll ever be the one that gets caught. It's a resolution to this year, but it's not a solution to the problem going forward.
Maybe? Judging from student response to wristbands though, it would probably just drive them away to house parties. And I don't think house parties are this big evil problem, provided that you don't concentrate a bunch of giant mega-parties on the same weekend every year.
And this would have to be a private endeavor by the campustown bars wouldn't it? I can't imagine VEISHEA committee or the university would be able to officially endorse or operate a beer garden. I suppose the prevention of property damage might be enough incentive for the bars to take it upon themselves, but who knows.
And that is what I have advocated in other posts...changing the culture. Specifically, the excessive drinking culture. Banning by "the man" has not worked in the past, and isn't going to change things now. College students are still going to get drunk and stupid. They're going to party. Granted, some people can be "happy drunks". They don't destroy light poles. They just record people doing it & post it on Youtube. Banning VEISHEA is not going to change that.
The media is collaborating in "promoting" the...ummmm...woo f'in VEISHEA...over VEISHEA also, by reporting on the drinking and the "VEISHEA riots". How about more on the club displays, the jousts on central campus, the amazing ethnic food at the MU on Saturday, the great performances on SOV?
Oh yeah, I forgot. They tend to go with "if it bleeds it leads".
How can you make any kind of meaningful, long lasting, memorable "example" of these few people who actually get arrested? There is a limit to what they can be charged for, and the punishment for those charges is limited by law. These people will go to trial, get their sentence, and be quickly forgotten. The police will have to spend taxpayer resources pouring over video to find those to be arrested. It will cost the the government thousands of dollars to arrest and prosecute as it is. Do you want to spend more making a big spectacle?
The only way I see that they might be made an "example" of is if those who lost money because of the cancellation were to sue these people in a long, dragged out civil suit, but that would likely be forgotten quickly as well after it ended.
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