I am writing in response to Aaron Zundel’s column (“Let’s skip a payment to the gas pump?pimps,” Oct. 10).

Zundel’s idea that gas prices will dramatically drop if we all boycott the “big oil” companies for a day is based on pure liberal ignorance. I say “liberal ignorance” because nobody who has an elementary knowledge of economics can be a fiscal liberal. It is amazing to me that otherwise intelligent people can be so ignorant when it comes to the economy. If an oil company has trouble selling gas to us, they simply sell it to other oil companies throughout the world. Big oil has survived the wrath of hurricanes, terrorists and jealous liberals. It will easily survive a pathetic one-day boycott in Utah.

For most of the year, Utah enjoyed some of the lowest prices in the country. Nobody noticed. Now that prices in Utah are higher than the national average, you whine and cry. Prices have dropped dramatically in recent weeks, even in Utah. It’s not the high prices that upset you; it’s the fact that others are paying less that makes you mad.

You can complain about the cost of gas, but nobody is forcing you to buy it. You choose to buy it because you value the gasoline more than you value your money. I recently saw a man at a local gas station exclaim, “I don’t want to pay $2.80 for gas!” As he was saying that, he grabbed the nozzle and started filling up. Obviously, he DID want to pay $2.80 for gas, or he wouldn’t have. He realized the tremendous value of gasoline and the many advantages it brings into his life, so he willingly paid the $2.80 per gallon. And he still would have purchased the gas if the price had been higher. How high? Nobody knows, because in the history of this planet, the price of gas has never been high enough for the people to stop buying it.

If the price of gas were to jump to $5 per gallon, we would keep buying it. I know this because gas in most of Europe is currently around $5 per gallon, and the Europeans continue to buy it. So why don’t big oil companies charge us more? I guess they’re just nice guys. Or it’s the free-market capitalism keeping prices so low. So, instead of complaining about gas prices, you should write big oil a thank you note for giving us the option of purchasing their gas at a price much lower than we are willing to spend.

Your beloved Bill Clinton made a valiant effort to raise the cost of gasoline well above $5 per gallon by signing the Kyoto Protocol, raising serious doubt into his claim that he didn’t inhale. You libs loved him for it. Now, when prices near $3 per gallon, you blame President Bush and swear he is the devil. What really upsets you is that Clinton can’t take credit.

A common complaint is that big oil is enjoying record-breaking profits. Why is that a bad thing? I thought profits were good! This is yet another example of liberals’ hatred of success and love of poverty. If Sam Walton’s original store had been a failure and he had to file for bankruptcy, you libs would love him. Wal-Mart has been a huge success, so you hate it. Somehow, libs believe that being a drag on the economy is honorable. Instead of complaining that big oil is making so much money, maybe you should buy Exxon stock and enjoy the wealth.

Kellen Wilson

Senior, Finance and Spanish