The North Andover Democratic Town Committee would like to invite you to a forum on Casino and Expanded Gaming.
The forum will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday (1/28) at North Andover’s Stevens Memorial Library (345 Main Street).
Moderated by State Sen. Steven Baddour (D-Methuen), the forum will provide an opportunity for attendees to hear from opponents and supporters of allowing casinos in Massachusetts.
State Sen. Susan Tucker (D-Andover) will speak against casinos, while State Rep. Kathi-Anne Reinstein (D-Revere) will speak in support.
Each speaker will be given 15 minutes to state their position, followed by 30-45 minutes of the audience being able to ask questions.
This forum is free and open to all who are interested in learning more on this topic. Please visit www.NorthAndoverDems.org for more information.
Thank you,
Phil DeCologero
Secretary, NADTC
…on the left margin to which you can add this event.
It’s incredibly disingenuous to use the word “gaming.” This is not some harmless fun. I applaud your town committee for being willing to put this on, but I suggest in the future that you not use an industry’s focus-group tested name, meant to lesson resistance to a nefarious business scheme that people would be much less likely to support if we called it what it is and described it for what it was.
There are speakers for both sides of this and either term is equally fine in my book. It clearly is labeled a forum about casinos and we all know what the topic is. You’re being terribly nitpicky. Are you denying that slots, cards, etc. are games, because that’s what I call them? (though I also say gambling sometimes too, whatever happens to roll off my tongue) I’m sure Sue Tucker will make her points about this whatever you call it.
in Bizarro world.
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p>Gambling is what’s being done. Gaming is the code word to make it more politically palatable. Please, let’s not kid ourselves, Christopher. If calling it “gambling” would help get it passed in state legislatures, that’s what they’d call it. They don’t. They only stopped calling it gambling because calling it gambling instantly makes it politically toxic to politicians and the voting population.
I often use “gambling” even though I’m not necessarily opposed to it. If they said it was a “gambling” forum then someone on the other side (not me) might complain they were loading the dice (that metaphor was too easy!) in the other direction. The point is the content is going to be balanced and frankly, you’ve always struck me as a bit of a zealot on this issue. Don’t be so quick to dismiss an opposing view as “Bizarro World”. I’m also not convinced the word “gambling” is toxic to anybody. I’d need to see a comparison of polls showing differences based on the different words.
No one on the other side would be bothered by it. They have about a million bucks a year to lobby for changes, Christopher, we don’t have to be giving them ANY freebies. I have some serious questions of the people putting this event on, right off the bat, when they call it a “gaming” forum. It’s just disingenuous — and using the industry’s term.
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p>Then you’re ignorant of the history of the word. I don’t have the patience to coddle you, Christopher. You can’t use your own ignorance as a defense for your ignorance. You have a pattern of doing this extending back nearly as long as you’ve been on this site, on myriad issues: if you don’t want to learn the facts, then you ought to stop complaining about them. I like interesting debate, but when people are intentionally obtuse, it ceases to be interesting.
Your accusations of ignorance and being obtuse are extremely patronizing and shows you cannot accept differences of opinion. I don’t believe I have questioned many of the facts, but have simply drawn different conclusions from them, and have tried very hard to find a middle ground to ameliorate what I acknowledge are legitimate concerns about this. I’m not looking for coddling; I’m looking for respect. I plan to attend this forum tonight, which I’m glad presents both sides. Senator Tucker is my Senator and very much opposed to casino gambling. She is also very articulate and I have no doubt will more than hold her own tonight. As for the wording I’m not looking for a big study on the linguistic history, just polling that might show that people react differently to the question based on which word is used.
That gambling companies and lobbyists employ the term “gaming” because it is more politically palatable is a fact. This is like arguing over the ‘theory’ of evolution. PR is everything. Gambling is seen as risky and bad; gaming is seen as fun. Why do you think the casino industry uses the word “gaming,” and those effected by it call it by what it is — “gambling?” Coincidence?
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p>Like I said, you’re rising to the level of being obtuse. I don’t say this to hurt your feelings or deny you “respect,” but as a sharp dose of reality that may just get you with the program.
The recluse is loose … again!!!