And so the opposition grows across the nation as citizens speak out against short-sighted politicians!



 

Letter: Say no to gambling

• Posted May 25, 2012

Mark Andrews, Sanibel Chair, Florida Casino Watch

Pssst ... It's gambling

With accolades for the Havenick family that wants to introduce us to slot machines, four out of five Lee County commissioners voted to encourage bringing these machines to the Naples-Fort Myers Greyhound Track.

Even though some of our clergy were there to sound the warning bell at the public hearing, their call to leave it alone fell on deaf ears.

So now it appears that the issue will be on the Nov. 6 ballot, promoted by glitzy TV commercials that cleverly twist the truth and sugarcoat an otherwise illegal activity — one that brings with it a dangerous tendency to addiction, destroying family after family.

Across America, where a need crops up, casino money is there waiting to solve the problem.

In some cases, politicians refuse to say "yes'' to an activity that depends upon people becoming losers.

But not here in Lee County.

Modern-day slots are known as the "crack cocaine" of gambling. People get hooked on these machines which bear little resemblance to the old one-armed bandits. The machines maybe coming to Lee will use video screen technology with mind-bending imagery, specifically designed to keep you gambling as long as you have money in your pocket.

Just think what happens when an out-of-control gambler sees an image that makes him think he almost won!

Speaking of gambling, not once was the word "gambling" used in any of the commission's background materials, not even in the proposed ballot language. What industry gets away with asking voters to vote on an issue without calling it what it is?

Let's hope the voters in Lee display more wisdom on Nov. 6.


http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2012/may/25/letter-say-no-to-gambling/