Say no to Gettysburg casino

Say no to Gettysburg casino


We have nothing against gambling, per se.
Except, well, the obvious things.

Too many people become addicted to it.

Too many of those addicts are people who can ill afford to lose what little money they have.

Even among people who might not be addicted to gambling, many are low-income folks who probably should spend their money on wiser things than "gaming."

Recent stories have not painted a pretty picture of the whole "gaming" culture.


State lawmakers recently proposed legislation outlawing leaving kids under 13 alone in a car - prompted, they said, by recent reports of children being left alone in casino parking lots while their parents "gamed." Parenting is not a game (though that legislation does seem a bit extreme).

Closer to home, a York woman created a stir among readers when she wrote a letter to the editor thanking a good Samaritan for returning her food stamp card that she lost at the Hollywood Casino. She later said she gambled only about $5, but that did little to temper taxpayer outrage.

Speaking of taxes, the slots parlors haven't exactly eliminated property taxes in Pennsylvania - though admittedly that was a million-to-one long shot that no one ever promised.

A recent special editorial noted the case of a former York Police officer trying to get into the ARD program to wipe away a record for stealing more than $25,000 from the police evidence room to support a gambling addiction.
We could go on.

So yes, "gaming" has some baggage - a trunk full of social ills.

That said, we're not so naive as to think that people are going to stop gambling because it can be bad for them and their family.

It's been going on for millennia - and no doubt will continue until doomsday.

The proper role for the state is to regulate and tax the activity to make sure it gives something back to the community.

And so, the state allowed a number of slots parlors that are now morphing into casinos - and the state is considering proposals for new casino sites.

So be it.

But please not in Gettysburg, just a short hike from the site of one of the most bloody battles ever waged on American soil.

As many respected historians have argued, it's just not an appropriate place for a casino.

David LeVan, the Gettysburg businessman behind the proposal, is a good guy who has done a lot for his community. But we must respectfully oppose his proposal.

Yes, the casino would bring jobs - and that's tempting in this dreadful economy. Many in Adams County support the proposal on that rationale alone - and that's understandable.

But considering all the bad things that come with gambling, it's just not worth it.

And we must look at the wider picture - the grand scope of history. Gettysburg holds a pivotal place in this nation. It is, arguably, the place where America was saved. It is hallowed ground. That's the message. Let's not mix it.

What a shame it would be to tarnish that, turning it into a "gaming" destination, for the sake of a few jobs.