The odds are stacked against you, Massachusetts

Is it just me or does anybody else think that this is just a really bad idea?

This week the sleepy western Massachusetts town of Palmer joined Middleboro, East Boston, and New Bedford to claim their share of casino glory. After centuries of being driven out by the white imperialist, pols from Boston Harbor to the Berkshires are welcoming the newly federally recognized Wampanoag tribe into their communities with open arms. Despite the fact that casino gambling isn't even legal in the Bay State, the 351 cities and towns of this Commonwealth are hedging their bets by guessing that it's only a matter of time before they receive their highly anticipated Indian casino revenues. If being sucked up to in this manner this isn't poetic justice for the once strong Wamps, the same folks who's ancestors kept the Mayflower Pilgrms alive, then I don't know what is.

Not a day goes by when the sun doesn't rise, set, or that I'm not subjected to no less than dozen ads from neighboring Connecticut casinos. From watching the commercials, you'd be convinced that Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun was packed with good looking wealthy people, all there for a bit of fun and the "wonder of it all". The truth is unfortunately a lot more depressing.

There are lots of people who can set out for the day with $10 in their pocket and play nickel slots for an entire afternoon. When the $10 is gone, they pack up and leave for the day. For them it's entertainment, a fun diversion from their everyday normal lives. Most of us have the willpower to leave the slots after the machine has sucked up our $10. However, how many of us have the willpower to leave while we still have $5 in machine credits?

Gambling is a terrible affliction that ruins countless lives, most of whom can least afford it. Don't believe me? Walk into any convenience store on a Saturday and you can watch folks spending their entire afternoon in front of the Keno screen. Casino gambling, Keno, and scratch tickets drain its victims dollar by dollar through the lure of instant gratification.

Legalizing gambling in Massachusetts would be a grave mistake, one which would have a very adverse effect on the communities who can afford it the least. Our poorer communities are being sold down the river by casino insiders who are not going to be able to deliver on their promises of better paying jobs and lower crime. Politicans from Newton, Dover, and Wellesley are simply sighing in relief that at least a casino isn't going into their town.

If our policians put as much effort into attracting legitimate businesses to set up shop here as they do attracting casinos, perhaps our state wouldn't be ranked #39 out of 50 according to Forbes magazine. With casino gambling still on the table, we've got to know when to hold 'em/when to fold 'em/when to walk away/and when to run. Any good poker player would advise you to quit while you're still up. It's about time that we folded on casino gambling.