Renaming VEISHEA isn’t the answer

'What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” ~ Juliet Capulet from William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Act II

While Shakespeare may be right on the subject of the heart wanting what it wants, we are certain the VEISHEA task force will not succeed in winning the hearts of local businesses and residents by simply renaming the student-led celebration that recently has sunk into drunken acts of violence and mayhem.

The name VEISHEA, which dates to 1922, has become associated in recent years with the distasteful displays that have taken place on the sidelines of the otherwise honorable and notable weeklong festival.

But the name, of course, is not the cause, or even influencer, of those displays. Nor would changing the name have any bearing on the underlying culture of the festival in recent years or prevent additional stains on future celebrations.

Even so, some want to discard the name based on the premise that VEISHEA - an acronym originally chosen to help promote the colleges in the 1920s - is nothing more than a historic artifact; no longer a fair or accurate portrayal of all that Iowa State University has to offer. That seems a flimsy argument. After all, the festival isn't what it used to be, either.

Slapping a new label on it won't change what it has become.

But the idea of scrapping the event, which has been an overall boon for town and gown, is disappointing and largely unnecessary.

In May, just before the initial meeting of the task force, we urged forgiveness and cautious optimism. We continue that encouragement today alongside our earlier warning that VEISHEA - organized or unorganized, official or non-official - is too popular and beloved an event to simply end.

To shift the event away from the perception of it being little more than a concert and street-stuffing boozefest, the task force is going to need to ask real questions and evoke true change.

Can local bars be persuaded - through payment, if necessary - to close or not serve alcohol?

Can the large crowds that have traditionally gathered on city streets be dispersed into smaller groupings?

Culture shifts are never easy, and aren't changes that take place overnight. They require steadfast courage, and a willingness to test various scenarios.

If the name change was part of such a larger effort, we'd support it.

As a stand-alone solution, however, it not only fails, it is flipped and crushed at the curb.