I have been asked by a few people over the last few weeks, “Why are you against gambling?  What difference does it make?”  Let me try to explain.  What I talked about a few weeks ago was that ideas have power.  The idea of something for nothing or by luck has power and is not good.  It is impossible to isolate our values so they don’t affect seemingly unrelated areas of life.  Gambling is one of those practices that appeals to the lowest part of our financial nature.  The higher part is the productive, committed part that says, “Here is a product that will benefit people.  I’m going to sell it,” or “Here is a service that will help people and make a positive difference.  I’m going to sell it.”  All gambling is based on the notion that with luck I can get rich.  It brings out the worst in people, and it is something no community needs to support. They look to luck rather than preparation, hard work, and good execution.

             There is also a big difference between regulating what becomes legal and regulating personal behavior.  When the county makes something legal, its proponents will say – that makes it ok.  I want to make sure that the law approves as few harmful practices as possible.

             We are going through a stage right now in our culture where legislators don’t want to raise taxes but they need more money. An easy way to do this is through allowing and taxing gambling.  We have had widespread gambling in the past.  Ride out Devine Street and Garner’s Ferry Road and you’ll see near the Lutheran Church of the Incarnation an historical marker indicating there was a horse track where the children’s home now stands.  Further out by the VA Hospital there was another one.  That one belonged to Wade Hampton.  So we have had organized gambling in this state in the past.  We don’t have it now because back then we discovered that while it looks like fun, it’s actually quite harmful.  The human cost exceeds the human value. Right now it’s back on the upswing, and it will take awhile before we see the error of our ways and again restrict it.  However, I think it is important to take a stand and raise the issue wherever it makes sense.  The human cost is still too high.