Gambling battle 2008: The same old story
- Feb 5, 2008 - comment
Another year, another battle in the Kentucky General Assembly over expanded gambling in the commonwealth.
Frankly, as Gov. Beshear and state legislators wrestle over the alleged merits of casino gambling, there’s little new information to add to the debate. The fact is that Kentucky Baptists and other concerned citizens have gone on record year after year about the devastating economic, social and moral fallout that expanded gambling would bring to the Bluegrass State.
The tragedy, however, is that while gambling opponents must be successful every year in their efforts to halt gambling expansion, proponents only have to succeed once for their pet project to become law.
Why politicians who claim to be public servants would seek to prop up an ailing state budget with a currently illegal activity that has proven elsewhere to increase divorce, crime, bankruptcy, child neglect and suicide is difficult to fathom. Yet gambling interests continue to gain their attention and support year in and year out.
The reality is that the vital arguments against casino gambling remain unchanged as politicians come and go. To illustrate the point, here are a few excerpts from previous editorials the past several years:
August 1999: “From a moral perspective, there is no reason to spend state resources to conduct a study of gambling’s impact. Kentucky Baptists repeatedly have gone on record in recent years opposing expanded gambling. Anti-casino resolutions approved by convention messengers in 1993 and 1995 affirm ‘the biblical principles which define gambling as inherently evil and grossly immoral.’…Don’t merely sit back and allow others to set our state’s moral and social agenda. Now is the time for Kentucky Baptists to let their voices be heard.”
January 2002: “The Kentucky General Assembly convenes this week for its 2002 legislative session. Facing the prospects of a $300 million budget shortfall, legislators are anxious to find additional sources of revenue. Some apparently are even willing to consider options that already are proven losers—such as expanded gambling. Despite the failure of previous attempts to dupe Kentuckians into approving video slot machines as an answer to the state’s financial woes, gambling advocates are expected to make another major push this year. Hopefully, legislators have learned their lesson and won’t waste their time on such claims. But concerned citizens must be willing to voice their views to ensure that politicians in Frankfort hear and respond to their concerns.”
March 2004: “They’re baaack! Just when you thought it was safe to turn on your radio or television without being bombarded by pro-gambling ads, the gambling industry is gearing up once again to try to legalize casino gambling in Kentucky…. It’s up to Kentucky Baptists and other citizens concerned about the negative impacts of expanded gambling to encourage legislators to reject efforts to put casino gambling on the ballot this fall.”
October 2005: “Gambling supporters claim there is more momentum across the state for expanded gambling than in recent years. Obviously, that is what you would expect them to say (and what they tend to say at the beginning of each legislative session), but those who oppose gambling’s negative moral, social and economic impact must be prepared to mount one more fight—again.”
September 2007: “One of the first editorials I wrote for the Western Recorder was titled ‘Expanded gambling is a bad bet.’ Unfortunately, more than eight years later it’s still necessary to continue to battle gambling proponents who falsely claim that casino gambling will be good for the commonwealth. To put it mildly, hogwash! … Numerous studies from other states clearly indicate that social costs quickly outstrip the economic gains touted by gambling advocates…. In the meantime, it’s clear that casino advocates intend to keep pushing their agenda to their detriment of Kentucky and its families.”
Well, you get the picture. You likely are growing tired of having to mount one more battle against casino gambling. Me too.
But we must remain diligent. In the words of Galatians 6:9, “Let us not grow weary in well doing.” This battle remains worth fighting for the benefit of families throughout the commonwealth.
You can let your voice be heard by calling the legislative message line toll-free at (800) 372-7181.
This article is reprinted from the January 22, 2008, issue of the Western Recorder, the newspaper of the Kentucky Baptist Convention.
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