In Memorium .....

On this truly sad day when vested interests and lobbyists were allowed to prevail and the public and wisdom was silenced, there are many who shone their integrity and courage and stood to speak the truth.

Here are but a few of the heroes and heroines --



... Rep. Ruth Balser, who described deep opposition to the proposal.

"What we're deciding today is about the introduction of slot machines into Massachusetts," she said, before reading from expert testimony that described modern slot machines as devices intended to encourage gamblers to "play to extinction." "If we actually look at what these [slot machine] algorithms are doing, it's a kind of high-tech version of weighting the deck or loading the dice, which no self-respecting casinos would ever think of doing."


Rep. Matthew Patrick, a vehement gambling critic who said he would attempt to delay the House's attempt to pass a gambling proposal, took the House podium shortly before 1 p.m. invoking the prayer offered by the House's chaplain at the start of Saturday's session.

"Would Christ even conceive of a bill that would bring such extreme pain and suffering to so many people?" he said. "In gambling, someone has to lose. That's an unfortunate fact."


Rep. Carl Sciortino (D-Medford), a gambling critic, said he read the compromise gambling bill until 1 a.m. and said it was "a challenge" to understand. He questioned whether his colleagues fully understood the bill they are preparing to vote on. Taking the microphone shortly after 1:30 p.m., Rep. Denise Provost said she sees no silver lining to the proposal, just "pure cloud."

Sen. Susan Tucker, D-Andover, a staunch gambling opponent, said the casinos and racinos will be a "total economic loser for Massachusetts."

Sen. Susan Fargo, D-Lincoln, another expanded gambling opponent, predicted the industry will only grow larger and the state will cater to any new demands of the gambling industry.

"You can't regulate these interests," she said. "They will talk their way out of everything."


Governor, Will you do the right thing?