Letter: Oil industry is taking advantage

Thursday, Sept. 8, 2005 | 9:12 a.m.

When the Twin Towers fell in 2001, a Starbucks in Manhattan charged rescue workers for bottled water. The event, which affected only the rescue workers and only for the hours immediately following the terrorist attacks, was scorned by the national press so much so that a high-ranking official of the Starbucks corporation made a national apology for the actions of this one shop owner.

In Katrina's aftermath, all oil companies raised the price on gasoline, home heating oil and other petroleum products to record levels. The event has been reported, but not with the shame and disgust that was present in the Starbucks water incident. Instead, most news reports (and sadly most Americans) look at this national price gouging as just par for the course for the oil companies. Millions of lower- and middle-income people will feel the devastating effects of these rapid price increases, but the reasons for the rise seem to be begrudgingly accepted instead of questioned.

How sad the misstep of one coffee shop can bring national ridicule but the calculated movements of the oil industry gets no scrutiny but injures millions and pads the oil companies' coffers with billions.

RANDALL BUIE

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