Why he's voting no

Dear Editor,

The United Methodist Church's official teaching on gambling is that gambling is a menace to society, deadly to the best interests of moral, social, economic and spiritual life, and destructive of good government.

This would be a long article if I gave you all the reasons why I am opposed to gambling, but I will briefly give you a few. From a political standpoint, it is reckless for Nebraska to alter its Constitution to allow expanded gambling. Once that door is opened, it is like the nose of the camel in a tent. It will not stop at just two casinos. Indian Tribes will be able to place casinos wherever they want.

Gambling promotes an attitude of getting something for nothing. This undermines a good work ethic. Gambling is oppressive, as those who can least afford to gamble are the ones who gamble the most. Thus, it becomes a tax on the poor. The excuses we use to justify gambling are that the money generated in gambling through jobs and taxes will benefit society and save Nebraska money. That is just not true. We fool ourselves into thinking that the tax money will lower our property taxes and will fund schools and parks. Both Iowa and South Dakota, which have legalized casino gambling, have raised their property taxes several times since gambling was legalized. Crime has increased and there has been an increased demand for tax dollars to pay for social services and law enforcement.

Gambling does not generate new income. Gambling cannibalizes a community's economy. It sucks money from small business and funnels it to Las Vegas. Why have Las Vegas gambling interests spent more than $3 million advertising for expanded gambling in Nebraska? It isn't out off the goodness of their heart. They know that expanded gambling in Nebraska moves money from Nebraska to Nevada.

It is true that there are some initial economic benefits from the building of casinos, but there is no economic growth from new jobs of working in the casinos.

The only people who make money from gambling are the owners of the casinos and gambling interests which are located in Las Vegas.

Nebraska will not become a destination gambling place like Las Vegas or Atlantic City. It isn't going to help communities like a Nebraska football game benefits Lincoln. Our casinos will be like convenience stores. They won't be glamorous. They will suck money out of our communities, not put money back in.

To vote for gambling measures as a way to lower taxes is selfish in my opinion. If our roads, police, fire and emergency services and schools are worth having they are worth pay taxes for.

If we want our community and state to grow and prosper it will not grow through gambling. It will only grow when we invest in our community and state and educate our youth.

Our parents and grandparents sucked it up and paid for our infrastructure and schools so that we might benefit. We need to pay it forward to our children and grandchildren and pay our taxes to support our infrastructure and schools. It's not just our duty as citizens, it's a ministry and our duty as Christians to help the next generation.

According to Saint Paul in the book of Romans, the purpose of government is to bring order and protection. God blesses good government.

In Isaiah and other Old Testament prophets, the prophets criticized Israel because their government became corrupt and evil. Their leaders did not protect the citizens, but instead allowed them to be oppressed. Gambling is an evil.

It is called a vice for good reasons. It leads to addictions and harms society. For government, whether it is local or state, to promote and legalize gambling is bad government. Rather than protecting our citizens and bringing order, it results in oppression and chaos.

Lastly, the role of a Christian Disciple is to be salt and light tot he world. It is to work for justice and peace in the world.

It is to share the good news of Jesus that sets us free from sin and death.

Even if I might be able to partake in gambling as entertainment or see it as a harmless diversion, there are many for whom gambling is addictive and dangerous. Saint Paul tells us that my freedom should not be used to harm others and cause them to sin.

For the sake of my Christian and non-Christian brothers and sisters and their families who would be harmed by gambling and its effects, I will not vote for legalized gambling.

Nebraska's motto is "the good life." I think Nebraska and McCook really are the good life. I'm not willing to gamble with the good life. We may lose money to Iowa and South Dakota.

But we would lose so much more than money by legalizing gambling. The money we think we are losing to Iowa and South Dakota, we will still lose to Nevada. Either way we lose, only we lose a lot more.

We will lose people as well. We will lose families and jobs. We will gain heartache and pain. That's not a good gamble.

The Rev.

Dr. Jeff Thurman

McCook