Coke or Pepsi? The Age Old Question

BigU is a Coke franchise. BigU's MedSchoolDean serves on the Pepsi board of directors. Mr. B. has previously written on this embarrassing situation. One post is It’s the Ick Factor… BigU MedSchoolDean Sits on the Pepsi Board.

There really are ethical problem here. It is amazing that the administration seems to be ignoring these issues. Usually they are quite interested in having "conversations" on topics related to achieving greatness, but so far not on ethical matters. At least someone at the Minnesota Daily is finally willing to ask: "The question is, does he [OurLeader] have the guts to face these concerns?"

Adri Mehra in today's Daily:

Bruininks must answer for Coca-Criminals
The University must be responsible world citizen

You can't beat the real thing, and in Coca-Cola's case, that includes a tangled web of apparent lies, intimidation and murder that would make the management of Guantanamo Bay sob with tears of joy and envy.

In December 2005, New York University and the University of Michigan banned all Coca-Cola products from their campuses following Rutgers, Oberlin, Bard and Minnesota's own Carleton College in the removal of the company's bloody stain.

It is thus far past time for University of Minnesota President Robert Bruininks to address these issues with Coca-Cola, as our school has the largest remaining contract with the corporation.

The question is, does he have the guts to face these concerns?

Why don't we ask him?

Further sordid details are presented in the piece, but you get the idea. I admire Mr. Mehra for speaking out about this. When Mr. B. was young, this is what newspapers did. Doesn't seem to be so popular anymore, either at the local or national level.

And unfortunately, I don't have much hope for Mr. Mehra's question being answered let alone anything done about the situation. After all, we have to pay for a Twin City Federal Stadium and the road to becoming one of the top three public research institutions (in the world) will necessarily be paved with gold. So however could OurLeader afford to end BigU's lucrative financial arrangement with Coke?

Now, let's see - where did I put my tea...

Mr. B.