Thoughts about the Proposed Casino

I have been following the proceedings about the proposed casino in Middleborough with interest. I won't hide my hand: I think gambling is bad for the human spirit. God has made us for such dignity and glory, gambling only works against and impoverishes this. I am surprised that I haven't seen anything in the papers from the UCC which has steadfastly taken stands against gambling and especially casinos.

In today's Boston Globe, former Attorney General Scott Harshbarger asks, in my opinion, some important questions about the race to embrace casinos, and makes some important points as to why the current rush makes no sense in his OP-ED piece, "Casinos--the new gold rush." He doesn't raise moral questions about the casino frenzy, but raises important questions about who will bear the brunt of it, who will make out the most, what effect it might have on other businesses. He writes, " As with prior casino proposals in Massachusetts, the Middleborough proposal is all about money, special interest, and politics...This is an invitation to casino owners to fest on gambling profits, with few checks and balances. The gold rush has just begun. The only winners in this game are the casino owners."

He finds the rush to approve and construct a casino particularly troublesome given some of the formidable legislative and regulative requirements needed to insure fairness. I think turning to casinos is short-sighted and ultimately a cowardly way of addressing fiscal responsibility. Any thoughts?