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CD ROM Paradise Collection 4 1995 Nov.iso
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53.DOC
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1995-05-07
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ESSAY 53
NO PRODUCT,
NO SERVICE,
NO WAY!
The advertising for legalized gambling is deceptive
advertising and should be illegal.
First of all, if there is no product or service in-
volved, the enterprise is illegal. There is no product
offered. And there is no service offered. Therefore gambling
is illegal.
The United States Postal Service would put a stop to any
U S citizen for having a lottery or any form of gambling
through the mail. At the least, you or I would receive a
Cease and Desist Letter from a postal inspector, or at the
most, we could go to prison.
The Federal Trade Commission also may become involved in
such an illegal activity and prosecute. The deceptive adver-
tising that implies that it is easy to win in gambling, is
illegal for the private sector. However, it does not seem to
be illegal for the government. There is a better chance of
being struck by lightning than winning a lottery!
One ad states that Missouri people are already gambling
out of state, so we should make it legal here--this is illog-
ical. It is the same " logic" that organized crime uses:
"People are going to use drugs and prostitutes anyway, so we
may as well get the profit as any other group."
As for the rationalization that profits will go to a
good cause, gambling fails here also. Is gambling a charity?
In order to qualify, it must pass on at least 85 percent of
the money collected to qualified recipients. In my denomina-
tion, we have a program whereby 100 percent of monies col-
lected go to the recipients in third world countries. The
general program passes on 95 percent to the recipients. ANY
CHARITY THAT EXCEEDS 15 PERCENT ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS IS CON-
SIDERED UNETHICAL.
As for the rationalization of creating new jobs, gam-
bling fails here also. Since there is no product or service,
the new "jobs" are a waste of money.
Actually, there is a "service"--some victims are helped
towards becoming addicted to gambling. Most victims are
given a false hope, which keeps them in poverty. Instead,
people need to know the truth, which would motivate them to
become productive members of society. Then, they would gain
wealth slowly.
Games and gambling devices are designed with the odds
for the house. Simply put, gambling hosts do not gamble!
And, in a final sense, gamblers do not gamble either--they
give their money away!
Gambling establishments appeal to the customer's greed.
The gambler wants to get something for nothing. The house
(or the government) gets something for (almost) nothing.
The house (or the government) tempts the gambler to
break the tenth commandment: "You shall not covet." The
gambler does. Then, the house (or the government) breaks the
eighth commandment: "You shall not steal."
END