Focus On The Family Supporters Should Educate Not Legislate

Responding to the proposed legislation to legalize Internet gambling by Congressman Barney Frank on Thursday, Chad Hills, a Focus on the Family action analyst, stated in an interview with CNBC's Melissa Francis, that internet gambling is at best, "social cannibalism".

Mr. Hills is taking the far right religious position that internet gambling is bad because it entices young people to act irresponsibly, causes suicide, tears apart families, and ruins communities. Although this may occur in rare situations, quite the opposite is true. There are more who kill for their god, or have such a feeling of not being good enough for their god that they commit suicide. In both instances they are very rare and unordinary situations.

Fact is that 48 of 50 States in the US allow some form of gambling, which proves that gambling is not such a great moral issue in the country. Fact is that States that offer gambling have revitalized blight and enhanced education from revenues derived through gambling. Fact is that jobs are created and living standards are improved as a result of taxing and regulating gambling operations.

Mr. Hills is taking the position that American Families are not strong enough and do not educate their children well enough on the possible dangers of excess. He is using a tried and effective method of instilling fear into those that may not have been themselves fortunate enough to be taught restraint. Focus on the Family is asking our government to intervene in situations where the families themselves will not. It may be a better approach for FOTF to educate instead of legislate.

There is something fundamentally wrong when parents do not teach their offspring well enough that the government must intercede.

Gambling has existed almost as long as man has. There is nothing immoral with gambling. We do it every day when we wake up and go outside. Through religion, we are gambling that the God we believe in is the right One. We are betting that we will not get in a car accident every time we drive in a car. We gamble that the air we breathe will not make us ill. Everything we do is gambling. When we marry, we gamble that our spouse will be faithful and love us forever. And are we to believe that these very same people from the Family Values wing of the country do not buy lottery tickets or go to bingo?

If you have been raised properly, have reared your children properly, you can be confident that when they reach the age of reason, they will behave properly. You must lead by example. Do not want your children to gamble? Then you must not gamble.

Internet Gambling is not a moral issue. It is a social freedom. No authority can, or should, tell us that we cannot spend our hard-earned money as we see fit.

It is time for us to take a stand in America and do what is right for our Freedoms and Liberty. It is time to have your voice heard on this subject by joining the the Public Outcry Campaign.

American's worldwide are encouraged to call their congressmen and express their concerns about this issue. Americans are also encourages to sign the petition to join in on the fight to regain one of the freedoms that has been stolen from us.

2007-04-28