Casino would harm community

Letter: Casino would harm community

Concerning the March 13 front-page article "Candidates back casino": To the candidates new to the controversy, let me say that gambling is one of a handful of activities that used to be called "immoral" back when our culture used that word. Immoral activities include prostitution, drug dealing, sex trafficking, drunkenness, gun running, etc. Like the others, gambling was considered immoral because it exploits a common human weakness and harms individuals, families, and society.

There is money to be made in all immoral activities. That seems to be the main (almost only) argument from the casino's supporters: jobs. Yes, there would be an initial boom in construction jobs followed by an ongoing number of service jobs, but at what price in terms of human misery from those we airily refer to as "problem gamblers?" Like fathers who gamble away the rent money, mothers who embezzle from their jobs to support their gambling addiction, or the current problems we have with people stealing wire and metal from any place they can find them.

They do it now for drug money. Do we want the pursuit of gambling money to add an additional bunch of thieves to our streets?

Do we really think that all we have to do is print up some cards: "Problem Gambling? Call ___" and that will take care of the problem? People voted against the casino for a reason; they knew intuitively it would harm, not help our community.

David Hobbs

Marysville



Read more: http://www.appeal-democrat.com/articles/gambling-114971-casino-money.html#ixzz1qjKryJHv