Right or wrong, we’ve been given free will to both look upon and view things from our own perspectives. And as long as we don’t trample the rights of those who disagree with us, and instead listen to their counter-arguments with open minds and compassion, where’s the problem?

Isn’t my opinion as worthy as another’s and their opinion as worthy as mine?

Was out of Wallowa County recently and privileged to spend minutes with a daily newspaper. Too, our hostess had one of those items we choose not to own – a television – and we watched the news.

Following maybe five minutes total between the two, I took a mental step backwards and by my perspective felt I understood why gas prices now are so low.

Way back in high school I learned that the price of oil, aka gasoline, is controlled by what’s now the 12-country organization known as the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

And if you think maximum profit isn’t the driving force behind that organization, I likely could manufacture a deed to an outhouse in Siberia that I’d sell you, sight unseen, for any dollar amount of your choosing above my asking price of $777.

I have no reason to think OPEC has changed its basic philosophy and I believe, for better or worse, that the U.S. is beginning to tap into the world oil market. And our friends in Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Venezuela are taking note.

But wages are higher in America, there’s more cost involved in extracting each gallon of American oil from the ground than in OPEC countries, and money dudes from OPEC are willing to slice their profits, though still above the break-even point, for the privilege of squeezing an unwanted competitor from what they believe is their rightful market.

Keep in mind these are giant corporations we’re talking about, not the average dude walking the streets of Tehran, Riyadh, or even Fargo, North Dakota.

And, by definition, corporations are without souls and exceed legitimate bounds of accountability.

Remember, this is all my perspective and not to be confused with the real world.

I’m a realist, though, and having little interest in barking against OPEC’s god-given right to decide how much I pay to drive my car, I began basking in the glow of the same newspaper emanating from the sports page.

But, once again, perspective jumped up and slapped me in the face. Apparently the perspective I absorbed after watching the Zags win another basketball game the night before differed mightily from that of the sportswriter writing for the only paper in a huge geographic, multi-peopled area.

The fact that the Zags have a 10-1 record, are rated No. 8 in the nation, suffered their only loss of the year in overtime to the nation’s No. 3 rated team on that squad’s home court, and easily won the game in question by 15 points seemed of minor concern to this skilled sportswriter who used his gift of writing to illustrate every lack of perfection he viewed during his all-expenses-paid trip to Seattle to cover the game.

From my perspective, the Zags never were threatened, had myriad players shine whenever need be, and Coach Few threw multiple combinations of talented players on the court to prepare all for postseason play.

The Zags are good.

But if you think they’ll meet and conquer Kentucky at any time in the future I’ll lower my asking price for the outhouse in Siberia.

Jabberwock II columnist Rocky Wilson is a reporter for the Chieftain.