4
University Daily Kansan / Friday, November 15, 1991
OPINION
Oil price controls
Bill may be in best interest of consumers
A bill is being considered by the Kansas Legislature that would, if passed, force oil companies to stop "predatory pricing" and to sell gasoline at no more than the cost of doing business. The bill would protect consumers and independent gas station owners from monopolization by major oil companies.
"Predatory pricing" takes on two forms. The first is when an oil company sells gasoline at lower prices to company-owned stores, while charging independent stations more. The second is when a company charges less for gasoline at one gas station and then makes up the difference by charging more at another station.
Kansas could benefit if a measure of this sort passed. While it is true that some oil companies are able to sell gasoline cheaper than the independents, it is also true that they can raise prices without limit once the independent stations
have been put out of business by price wars.
Capitalism does mean monopoly, and a monopoly is what the major oil companies virtually have now. Consumers have an interest in seeing that a few companies do not gain a strangle hold in an industry that affects everyone. The competition must be fair. The only desirable solution is the one that protects the consumer the most.
KevinBartels for the editorial board
Human rights
China shouldn't be most-favored nation
The Chinese leadership, while refusing to change its human rights policies, is clamoring for restoration of most favored nation status from the U.S. government. Some in Washington think they should have it.
Has the convenient memory loss so evident in domestic affairs spilled over to recent Chinese history? We hope not.
"rubbish."
China is hanging onto its communist ideals for all their worth. Despite the fact that Chinese youth represent a growing rejection of Marxism, China has not responded to international requests for amnesty for pro-democracy demonstrators. The Chinese government calls Western talk of human rights
If we give up on human rights and the Iwananmen Square protesters in prison, rubbish is exactly what our words amount to. To grant China anything, when student revolutionaries are crammed into jails with inadequate provisions, would be to sacrifice everything we supposedly stand for.
Granting them most-favored nation status would, however, lower tariffs on Chinese imports. Surely the United States will not sell out again.
The censorship that Deng Xiaoping's regime is infamous for continues, and now it has ramifications that can be felt in the Midwest. The Chinese government has disallowed any account of University of Iowa graduate student Lu Gong's killing spree that rocked Iowa City earlier this month. One gets the feeling that they are a bit ashamed, but problems not addressed get larger.
James Baker's visit to China brings to Beijing the highest ranking member of the U.S. government since the pro-democracy uprisings. Human-rights violations and censorship are not at the top of the Chinese agenda for discussions.
ney should be on ours.
Editorials reflect the opinion of the University Daily Kansan editorial board. Editorials reflect the majority opinion of the board.
Michael Dick for the editorial board
Opinions expressed in guest and staff columns and cartoons are solely those of the author or artist. Views expressed in columns and cartoons are not necessarily shared by the Kansan.
Editorial board members are: Benjamin Allen, Kevin Bartels, James Baucom, Michael Dick, Amy Francis, Clarissa Jackson, Ellen Kuwana, Holly Lawton, Holly Neuman, John Noltensmeyer, Karen Park, Jennifer Reynolds, Jennifer Tanous, Jose Vasquez, Julie Wasson and Frank Williams.
LETTERS to the EDITOR
Set drinking age at 19
As a freshman at the University of Kansas, I quickly realized that a social life is vital. But a majority of the social events, or at least the fun drinking, I am not 21 and therefore there must be drink without breaking the law.
But I am strongly against the government lowering the drinking age to 18. If they did, then there would be seniors in high school drinking legally, making poor role models for the high school freshmen to follow. Why
not change the drinking age to 19?
Most freshmen in college are 19 or soon will be. If I am responsible enough to live on my own, I think I can make the choice of whether or not to drink a beer. Better yet, the government can draft me into a war, but not let me drink a beer.
Also, in college towns like Lawrence, there are plenty of bars, more than in most non-college towns. If a majority of the students are still filling the bars? Obviously, it is student-21 or are using false identification.
Another option would be to raise the drinking age to 22 or 23. This way there would be even fewer people on campus of age to influence the younger students. I do not see any other valid reasons for raising the drinking age any higher, yet I see many reasons for lowering it. I would just like to know why the drinking age is 21.
Matt Keel
Glen Ellyn, Ill., freshman
Reporting of Turner story was questionable
The power of the press will never be underestimated by James Turner, former director of the office of affirmative action. Turner resigned from his post after he was quoted as using the words "fat Indian chick" and "fagot." This may not be the first time Turner has used these terms, but even so, does it mean he believes in discrimination?
Are our very attentive Kansan reporters, Justin Knupp and Melissa Rodgers, holier than thou° I would guess Turner didn't think he was on television and gave the reporters an interview that was both relaxed and informative.
At a professional level, this kind of on-the-record/off-the-record dilemma would get a closer look. As a matter of fact, a similar situation involving Ted Fredrickson, associate professor of journalism, did get that kind of attention.
Fredrickson's situation was a bit different than that of Knupp's and Rodger's, but certainly comparable. The thing I mean to point out is the ethics involved in utilizing the overwhelming power of the press, not to attack anyone mentioned in this article.
As reporters, all of these journalists have the right and the obligation to report the news. However, to what extent does the news surpass the integrity of a man giving a reporter the most informal interview he can?
The dilemma that faced Fredrick-sonon Dec. 8, 1989, was whether to publicize an joke made by the director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. The joke was of a racist and sexist nature.
The punch line of the joke included the term "nigger." The context from which Fredrickson took this joke was from a very informal discussion about a related case that both Fredrickson and Dave Johnson, director of the KBL were working on.
However, Johnson never said, "This is off the record." Fredrickson was then presented with a situation that Knupp and Rodgers can relate to in regard to the Turner interview.
Fredrickson had taken a semester off from teaching to work for the Kansas City Times. Fredrickson had never met Johnson before, but was trying to get in touch with him for some information regarding the case. While answering some questions from Fredrickson, Johnson was reminded of a joke that took Fredrickson by surprise.
There is a tremendous difference between the occupational status of both Fredrickson and the team of
Dave
Schreiber
Guest
columnist
Knupp and Rodgers than that of most journalists. They each had a limit on their time with their respective newspapers. Fredrickson, knowing that his time with the Kansas City Times was for only a semester and that he would be returning to the University of Kansas, had a chance at a big story with no fear of having to worry about getting another quality interview.
Would he have printed the detrimental joke told by the director of the KBI if he thought he might need to get another interview? Similarly, if Knupp and Rodgers were working for a professional paper, would they have "shot themselves in the foot?" Obviously, any future interviews would be affected by the outcome of their notable head grabber.
In one of the many critiques done by Fredrickson's article, Dick Snider of the Topeka Capital Journal said, "The traditional dividing line for reporters on what they print or don't print is on the record" or 'off the record.' If a public says something in a speech, a meeting or other kind of formal setting, he can expect to read about it.
"But if he says it in an informalisation, such as a chance meeting in a Capitol hallway, he could safely assume that what he said was off the record. But the professor didn't see it that way."
Needless to say, these reporters got all the attention they could have possibly been looking for, whether they wanted it or not.
I am very interested in any of the interviews that these reporters get in the future. Those being interviewed will be speaking as if they were on "60 Minutes" and will be sure not to say anything that would be detrimental to their careers.
I truly wonder if Fredrickson, Knupp and Rodgers would have done the same thing if they were in a position in which they might have to worry about quality interviews in the future.
Dave Schreiber is a Lake Forest, III. Junior majoring in business communication.
KANSANSTAFF
HOLLY LAWTON Editor
JENNIFER REYNOLDS Managing editor
TOM EBLEN General manager, news adviser
Editors
Editors
News Erik Schutz
Editorial Karen Park
Planning Sarah Davis
Campus Eric Gorki
Espor Mike Andrews
Photo Brian Schoeni
Features Tiffany Harness
Graphics Melissa Unterberg
KATIE STADER Business manager
RICHHARSHBARGER Retail sales manager
JEANNE HINES Sales and marketing adviser
Business Staff
Campus sales mgr...Lee Brennan
Regional sales mgr...Jeffrey Claxton
National sales mgr...David Mellwahne
Co-op sales mgr...Lisa Keeper
Production mgrs...Jay Steiner,
Marketing director...Alise Beheer
Creative director...Daria Keenan
Classified mgr...Jennifer Jaquinot
Letters should be typed, double-spaced and fewer than 300 words. They must include the writer's name, position, department or home institution, or faculty or staff position. Letters should include the writer's name, position, department or home institution, or faculty or staff position. The letter will be written in a standard font size of 700 words.
The Kansan reserves the right to request or edit letters, guest columns and cartoons. They can be mailed or brought to the Kansan newroom. 111 Sauffer-Flint Hall.
Last Hurrahs
by Mike Romane