LANCASTER POST, May 30, asks “One law for the rich and connected, another law for the rest of us?” The article goes on to reveal a burglary that took place when, in the middle of the night, celebrating F & M college students discovered a door left open at the Iron Hill Brewery and helped themselves to several bottles of liquor. As a side bar to the article, the Post reveals a letter from John Fry, President of F & M, “threatening legal action if Post News Editor, Ron Harper, Jr. stepped on F & M property.”
WATCHDOG: Although in covering the story NewsLanc would have omitted the names of the students, the issue is legitimate as to whether the same relatively light punishment and opportunity to have their record expunged would have been offered to other young people under similar circumstances.
NewsLanc is not privy to what so offended Fry, but wonders if he overreacted. It is natural for him to want to protect students from potentially career altering consequences for a thoughtless college prank. But a free press also serves an important role in furthering democracy.
Perhaps even more culpable and subject to revocation of their liquor license is the Iron Hill Brewery. The Liquor Control Board would not take lightly a licensed outlet leaving a door open over night, especially one located under a college dormitory.
And also of interest, what was Fry thinking when he approved the location of a brewery restaurant on the ground floor of a college upper division housing unit?
