*****LEATH VEISHEA PRESSER LIVE STREAM*****

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.

They already know about drunken idiots from tailgating. ;) Always fun to watch students get arrested by the cops on bikes in the parking lot. They definitely know what is right/wrong at this age--hopefully they will remember that in 7-10years.
 
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.

This is moving in the direction of Orwellian logic. Not that society isn't already there. Like I said, I'm an outlier. Everyone else is breaking out the bubble wrap, and there isn't much guys like me can do about it but ***** on the internet.
 
I'm ******* ****** at the morons that ruined this week for me, and my two daughters that were looking forward the parade this weekend.
 
100 times this. VEISHEA is known as a huge party, first and foremost. That's the problem.

It is a problem. It has been built up as the "big one"... the party of all parties. It's epic, everyone goes crazy, students drink more for VEISHEA then they do on any other weekends, student's invite more out of town friends for VEISHEA then any other weekends, there are more house parties for VEISHEA then any other weekends, students spend more time at the bar then any other weekends, etc...

When you build an event up like that people are expecting and wanting things to get crazy. They desire Ames to turn into a raging party of epic proportions. When the expectations are on that level the entire event is already on the brink of disaster before it starts. All you need to push it over the edge is a few minor incidents and you end up with a full blown riot on your hands.
 
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.

And somehow they manage to avoid having riots every 10 years or so.
 
How can you make any kind of meaningful, long lasting "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 could be made an "example" of is if those who will lose 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.

The university could put up negative testimonials prior to VEISHEA about kids who were kicked out of school for rioting. They do those kind of commercials for alcohol/tobacco/drugs all the time.
 
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.

No. But the City easily could. City of Ames and ISU are very much partners VEISHEA. In fact, VEISHEA came back after '04 in no small part due to the City, or at least the business community. And in the end - that may be what saves it in '14.

Which also brings up the point - any idea that Leath acted alone, or made a unilateral decision on this - is foolish.
 
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.

Then instead of banning the "good VEISHEA", President Leath should have promoted what VEISHEA really is. Instead, it's "oh golly, this is all because of VEISHEA, and all of you students who worked so hard, well, maybe we can refund some of the money you spent, but you're done." It's the wrong response if you want to get out there what VEISHEA is really about. You don't fix a PR nightmare by saying yup...you're right...it's our fault.
 
Wait... people are actually shocked/upset that Leath pulled the plug?

Really?

We had a riot where a kid was put in ICU on a Tuesday night in AMES IOWA!

What did you expect him to do? Nothing?
 
This is moving in the direction of Orwellian logic. Not that society isn't already there. Like I said, I'm an outlier. Everyone else is breaking out the bubble wrap, and there isn't much guys like me can do about it but ***** on the internet.

A little dramatic don't you think? The university isn't under any obligation to continue endorsing and allowing students to use their facilities for an event if they feel it's causing them problems and bad PR. There is unfortunately no right to have VEISHEA.
 
Then instead of banning the "good VEISHEA", President Leath should have promoted what VEISHEA really is. Instead, it's "oh golly, this is all because of VEISHEA, and all of you students who worked so hard, well, maybe we can refund some of the money you spent, but you're done." It's the wrong response if you want to get out there what VEISHEA is really about. You don't fix a PR nightmare by saying yup...you're right...it's our fault.

But you also don't put the University in the path of litigation if there's a death or fire or something at a school-sanctioned event, or caused by a school-employed officer.

And bad news sells a lot better than good news. Leath can try and promote VEISHEA all he wants for the good stuff, but how many national stories are cherry pies, parades, and dunk tanks going to get? I totally get what you're saying, but it is unfortunately just not realistic in today's society.
 
The university could put up negative testimonials prior to VEISHEA about kids who were kicked out of school for rioting. They do those kind of commercials for alcohol/tobacco/drugs all the time.

you're suggesting we begin an anti-VEISHEA rioting marketing campaign.... but you think that VEISHEA doesn't need a bullet to the head?
 
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?

Yes.

(I would have thumbs-upped this post, but the thumb wasn't there)
 
No. But the City easily could. City of Ames and ISU are very much partners VEISHEA. In fact, VEISHEA came back after '04 in no small part due to the City, or at least the business community. And in the end - that may be what saves it in '14.

Which also brings up the point - any idea that Leath acted alone, or made a unilateral decision on this - is foolish.

That's a good point. I hadn't thought of that angle. I think that's why it's a little silly to get worked up over it permanently going away, because I just don't think that actually happens. A few years maybe, but there will be strong support to eventually bring it back.
 
But you also don't put the University in the path of litigation if there's a death or fire or something at a school-sanctioned event, or caused by a school-employed officer.

And bad news sells a lot better than good news. Leath can try and promote VEISHEA all he wants for the good stuff, but how many national stories are cherry pies, parades, and dunk tanks going to get? I totally get what you're saying, but it is unfortunately just not realistic in today's society.

This was not a VEISHEA sponsored event. How would the university be held liable?
 
Really?!?! Really??? So, it wasn't a big deal that someone was murdered in 1997 during Veishea?

Offcampus, by a non student against a non student. Yup, that couldnt happen any other weekend.

So, it wasnt a big deal that there was over $250,000 in property damage in the 2004 riot? So, it wasn't a big deal that someone nearly died last night in a riot? Dude, you need to get a grip on reality!

You want to talk monetary? Do you know how much money VEISHEA brings in to ames every year? Go look on expedia and see how many hotels are full and the rates hotels are charging for this weekend (huge markups) A LOT of people in town giving ames businesses money. VEISHEA is a massive net benefit to the city.
 
This was not a VEISHEA sponsored event. How would the university be held liable?

I didn't say this one was. But a riot on Tuesday could very well mean that things are going to ramp up from there the rest of the week. What if something happened at the concert? Or what if the campus police had to respond to something to help out the APD, and they injured/killed someone? This is a powder keg of potential liability for the university. Whether or not it's the right choice, they would look insanely irresponsible if they didn't do anything and something happened.

Leath can't do anything to stop the house parties and parties on Welch. But he can do something to stop the reason why all of the house parties are happening on the same night. And so he's erring on the side of caution after someone nearly lost his life.
 
Wait... people are actually shocked/upset that Leath pulled the plug?

Really?

We had a riot where a kid was put in ICU on a Tuesday night in AMES IOWA!

What did you expect him to do? Nothing?

I expect him to say "this is not what VEISHEA is about. We are co-operating with local authorities in locating any students that were a part of the incident that occurred in town last night, and any students who were found to have participated in this criminal activity will face University conduct charges, and possible expulsion". He actually did say most of this. However, I would then expect him to say that the "VEISHEA-sponsored events will continue - the parade, the club and department events, the SOV performances, the contests and events held on campus...because THAT's what VEISHEA is all about".
 
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?

Well...yeah, and that's exactly what I did in my own personal situation back in '96 up in Cedar Falls that I wrote about it in my original post in this thread.

My point is that I don't think it's fair to point the finger o' judgement at those in the crowd who weren't causing any property destruction but also not intervening and scream out "WHY DIDN'T YOU DO ANYTHING?!!?" for the reasons I've mentioned.