It ain’t often that guys like myself feel the need to get up on the old soapbox and do a little campaigning for political issues. Every once in awhile, however, an issue that is actually germane to my life comes up, and I feel the need to address it.And right now, there is an issue floating around that affects each and every one of us. Not since prohibition has one singular issue had the opportunity to affect all of us quite so profoundly.Riverboat gambling.On Nov. 5, I am urging all to follow in the ways set for us by the greatest baseball player of all time, Pete Rose, to get out there and make your voices heard. I want everyone to listen the classic song by Kenny Rogers, ‘The Gambler,’ and exercise your voting privilege. Instead of punching your claim ticket at Scioto Downs, go out and punch your voting ticket at the booths.Vote yes on Issue One.Basically, Issue One seeks to legalize riverboat gambling in this fine state of ours. In other words, folks out there are looking to actually legitimize something everyone has been doing for years anyhow.There has been a lot of controversy surrounding this issue. Some people are afraid organized crime will take over these floating casinos.Well, that’s certainly better than having unorganized crime run it, isn’t it?I mean, if I were to go into a riverboat casino and lose a bundle of money, I would have a huge debt to worry about, but little else. If I make a bet with a bookie and suddenly find I can’t pay my debts, I have to worry about having my thumbs broken.Which would you rather have?Recently in theColumbus Dispatch, I read how some woman was afraid the areas surrounding these riverboat casinos would become a seedy underbelly of crime and corruption, a modern day Soddom and Gemorrah, if you will. She even went so far as to say that God didn’t want riverboat gambling to come to Ohio.Hmmm… I must have missed that week of Sunday school.The simple fact of the matter is that most of the people who get on the pulpit and preach against legalized gambling probably have no problems playing the Ohio Lottery every week. Nobody ever gets up in arms over the moral implication of our beloved Lottery.Well, there used to be another term for the Lottery before it was the Lottery.The numbers racket.Yes, when every one goes out and plays the Lottery, they are essentially participating in a form of already legalized gambling. You try and explain the difference between a Keno game and the lotto.I think the real whiners out there are people who don’t know when to hold ’em and when to fold ’em. They have no idea when to walk away and when to run. They always count their money, when they’re sittin’ at the table, not realizing there’ll be time enough for counting, when the dealing’s done.As it stand, if Issue One passes, they hope to put no more than eight riverboats in Ohio, mostly in the Cleveland and Cincinnati areas.Forget that. I want a floating Shangri-La of gambling right on the Olentangy. I want to be able to shoot craps after a Buckeye game. If I want to put big money on my beloved Troy Trojans to cover a 47-point spread against the Piqua Indians (which they covered Friday, go Trojans!), I want to do it in my backyard. (And no, I don’t think high school football gambling really is a possibility).So yeah, go out and vote yes on Issue One. Trust me, it’s a pretty safe bet.
David Fong is a senior from Troy, Ohio, majoring in journalism. Hey Piqua, good game on Friday. Ouch.
