“Listen, this stuff is the best. It’s cool. It’s a rush. It’s fun. And besides,” the man says, lowering his voice into a sincere tone, “do you how many poor people benefit from this? Not just in the US, but all over the world. I mean they get jobs on farms, jobs turning what they grow into powder, jobs driving the trucks, jobs in security protecting it?” the man says, “Unless you use this stuff, they won’t get work. Do you want poor people to be unemployed?
“Well, I don’t know,” says the woman, “do you use it?”
“Well, actually, no,” says the man, “I don’t, not personally. I am working too hard, you know dealing with the money this generates. But you should! You will feel fantastic! It’s a form of entertainment. It’s your right!”
“Well…” says the woman.
“And I tell you what,” the man continues, “if you get started today, I will promise to give some of the money you gave me to the local school so that they can fund some after-school programs for at-risk youth. Would that make it okay? Then you will be having a great time and doing a good thing for other people! And giving people jobs – in South America, in Afghanistan, in the US! This is really a fantastic deal for everyone”
She looks dubious. “But I have just met you – I can’t keep looking for some random person on the bus.”
“Yeah, I know, so I will make that easy for you — in the future I will bring the stuff right to your front door! We want this kind of entertainment to be as convenient as possible.”
The woman hesitates, “Nothing bad can happen?” she asks.
“Nothing,” he says, “you can trust me. For one thing, I am a member of the Democratic party. We stick up for the underdog. Would I lead you astray?”
“I guess not,” she says — and she sticks out her arm. He advances towards her vein with the needle.
What would we do then?
Would we sit back and say nothing? Or would say “hold on, miss, what he has been telling you isn’t true?”
Imagine how much harder it would be to object if the man could say, “hey, back off buddy, it’s legal, my father owns the distribution company, our local school has become addicted to the revenue, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Even as we debate our past mistakes or the large issues facing the country, we must not take our eyes of the question of predatory gambling. It goes to the heart of the question of whether we are willing to let other people get ripped off in order to “create jobs” and “fund programs.” This is not an idle question of revenue creation: it is a question of our core values.
Predatory gambling – through slot machines — is DESIGNED to be addictive. You can sell it straight through Cahill’s slot parlors or you can dress it up as “destination casinos,” but 90% of the money is made from 10% of the gamblers. And while some money goes to the state, much, much more goes to privately held companies who care nothing about the values of community about our party.
Check out this video, with its scientific discussion of the brain chemistry of slot machines
Our arm is out. Our tourniquet is on. The legislative needle is advancing. And we are, for the most part, in Massachusetts and in others states sitting there talking about other stuff. We need to pause and express our values against this abuse of our autonomy as citizens.
If you agree with this, PLEASE COME TO THE STATE HOUSE AT 10:30 ON WEDNESDAY AT APRIL 1 FOR A RALLY AGAINST PREDATORY GAMBLING.
The admission of slot machine gambling to a state is, according to the governor’s own report by Spectrum Gaming, an irrevocable decision. It is not something we will be able to review years from now. It must be stopped decisively.
It must be stopped by US.
And It must be stopped NOW.
If you are within 50 miles of here on Wednesday morning, please come.
The practice of predatory gambling is being done in my name and your name. It’s become a preferred method to fund public services that each of us benefits from. All of us are equal partners and shareholders in our democratic government that is pushing these predatory gambling products.
<
p>And because we own it, it’s up to us to fix it.
<
p>Les Bernal
I’ll be driving in from Western Massachusetts for the April Fools Day anti-slots rally at the State House.
<
p>I hope to see some fellow BMGers at the event.
<
p>Not only is the issue of predatory gambling a “sleeper progressive issue,” as Bob Massie and Les Bernal have argued on BMG and elsewhere. The recurrent casino/slots proposals allow us to ask fundamental questions about–and stake out progressive positions on:
<
p> 1) the economy: What is the economy for? Do we really want to promote ANY kind of economic activity? ANY kind of job?
<
p> 2) democracy: What does it mean to play our fellow citizens for suckers? Is this compatible with democratic virtues?
<
p> 3) taxes: Do we really want to PROMOTE an addictive behavior in order to collect a regressive tax?
<
p>So, contrary to some, I don’t see this issue as a “distraction” at all, but rather as a fantastic opportunity for organizing and writing and talking about fundamental/defining values (and policy and political questions).
<
p>It also allows for some fascinating coalition building. See Massachusetts’ writer/activist/BMGer Fred Clarkson’s interesting and important piece on this: “Play to Extinction: Religious Groups Unite Against Predatory Gambling.”
<
p>–Leo
I gave up a half day of work to go to the State House and rally for court funding. I have ZERO W2 income. I cannot justify giving up two days income.
<
p>I agree, however, that slots and gaming are essentially cannibalism.
<
p>Rather than creating goods, or adding to our gross state product at all, we are eating ourselves when we rely on gaming…it is financial cannibalism. Nothing is created. No one is served; rather money generated in the past is thrown into a pit, and lost for any practical use.
<
p>Nothing is created at all.
<
p>In Detroit, all gaming did was kill every neighborhood where a casino was placed.
<
p>I suppose the race tracks are already kind of like “red light zones” and maybe if these bloodsuckers go there at best, harm is minimized as there is no manufacturing, no cultivation of crops, no growth at those locations anyway.
<
p>But I agree with you that Slots Factories are cannibalistic, and will not reverse decline in economic growth, nor do I expect profits to remain in state or benefit very many people at all. Those who gorge on addiction are not generally inclined to be philanthropists.
apparently the weed in the area is laced with rat poison. Someone I work with already got sick from smoking it and someone else on campus had to get rushed to the ER from it.
<
p>Just another reason to stay away from all that shit. It’s scary!
if the advisory came out this morning it must have been an April Fools joke. I looked at their website and could find nothing about any such health advisory. I think someone is playing with you. I would bet the house on it.
and was from the campus announcement system.
<
p>Oh, and my friend who saw the kid drop like a ton of bricks on front of one of the dorms with cardiac problems after smoking that stuff…he wasn’t kidding either.
this diary is about gambling and I said I would bet the house on it.
its gambling, not heroin. Get a grip.
give a slot addict an MRI and you’ll note that slot machines actually have similar effects on the brain as heroin.
<
p>The level of ignorance on this issue sometimes astounds me. You really walked into that one.
take a look at an MRI when you see your child being born and you will see the same thing. take a look at an MRI when you watch your team in the final minutes of the championship game and you will see the same thing. Jump out of a plane and take a look at an MRI (quite a feat) and you will see the same thing. People like excitement, it causes changes in their brain chemistry that is pleasing. Just because you like it doesn’t make it bad. Are you from the if it feels good then it must be bad school?
to let me know all those medical/psychiatric experts are wrong.
<
p>Thanks.