Sorry, I Can't Stand Anymore!

I feel like Popeye in the old cartoons. "I've had all I can stand. I can't stands no more!" Or words to that effect.... Where to start?

How about Postville? I continue to read editorials and opinion pieces about the guilt of those illegals who were using false IDs, social security numbers, and other methods to live in our country illegally. I understand that and don't excuse their crime. They should face the consequences, although I would hope those would be as humane as possible while still holding them accountable. What I don't understand is how a company can employ a so many illegals that they make up a significant portion of their work force (and I'm not talking about 4 out of 10, but hundreds of people) and receive so little in the way of their (the company's) consequences? The fact that the company was under investigation for "fair labor" practices and this "raid" seems to have "de-railed" that process, well our government and business have the kind of reputation that makes you wonder about the coincidence of it all.....

And as long as we are in Eastern Iowa, let's move on down the road to Iowa City and the University of Iowa... But before we begin let's be fair. I have been a Cyclone fan for many years. But, when Jason Berryman was an idiot, and Larry Eustachy was an idiot, I didn't support or condone their actions - and in my mind, the allegations (I know they are just allegations, but if the U of Iowa hadn't "handled" this situation in this matter, the entire incident might have already reached a "conclusion), in this case are even worse. Another student wasn't just punched and robbed and somebody wasn't at a party where their presence was completely inappropriate... A student was very probably raped - not by just one man, but two and then possibly an entire "system."

You have to think that people in high positions of authority at the U of Iowa are smart people. The picture of how this case has been handled does not give you that impression. Again, where to start? Let's start withholding information from the Board of Regents because "you" thought FERPA made sharing that information illegal. With the stakes as high as they were in this case, I think the people "at the top" at the U of Iowa would damn well make sure of where they stood before they took action (or in this case decided they couldn't take action).

You read bits and pieces of information in the DM Register (more to come on that later), but you never get a complete and detailed look at the whole picture. If I'm asking questions (and really wanting answers), I'd like to know how football players had keys to unoccupied rooms? Did they get them from the athletic department? Were they gained in some other legal/illegal way? Coach Ferentz has stated that "he doesn't make housing assignments at the U of Iowa... Ok, then why has it been reported that he sent to FB players to live in the "alleged" crime scene after the fact? Was this incorrect reporting or just another unanswered question?

And speaking of questions, when Larry "I have no brain and need a life" Eustachy was busy doing his best to screw up his life and lose his job, the DM Register seemingly lived in Ames and reported on this story daily (it would have been more often but the DM Tribune was no longer printed). Yet this story, until only the last few days, was worthy barely a mention in the paper... Am I bias about this fact - very probably, but can you honest state you believe given the differences in the severity of the "allegations" that the level of coverage on the U of Iowa story is anywhere equal to the one on Iowa State University?

Whether we are Hawkeyes or Cyclones, many of us are parents, and for those who have daughters, the "track record" at the U of Iowa is not comforting. Should young women avoid getting drunk and putting themselves in dangerous situations? Absolutely! But as the father of daughter, who might well have done something equally as stupid, I don't think this should make them "fair game" for the morons that are brought to our state campuses by people paid millions of dollars for their supervision of a program involved with playing "games." This entire thing leds me to wonder - if a scholarship student in the chemistry departments is involved in allegations of illegal behavior, are the professors in that department called upon to help "deal with " the situation?

Am I angry? You bet.... I hope that when both of these incidents are finally put completely to "rest", that their is fair and equal accountability for all those who have errored.....