"What do mobsters, prostitutes, pimps, loan sharks, drug dealers, drug addicts, alcoholics, thieves and gambling addicts all have in common?

You can always find representatives of each of these groups at a casino. I am not denying that some of the people who attend casinos are just enjoying some good wholesome fun; I'm just saying that these other subgroups also go with the territory.

Why would Mainers want to bring this to western Maine? Well, in a word, greed.

Nearly every book or movie about gambling at some point uses this cliche: "The House always wins." It's a cliche because it's true.

But some people think we're smarter or luckier than those other communities. They are willing to gamble away our safety for profit.

And let's think about fairness. People who live far from Oxford County and who vote for a casino are gambling with someone else's community, which is not fair.

Voters by referendum, the governor by veto, and the Maine Legislature by vote have all rejected gambling proposals by the Passamaquoddy tribe and the Penobscot Nation.

So, casino gambling's not OK for Maine's Native Americans, but it's OK for some white investors?

Don't be duped by slick-talking big money. When you vote on Nov. 2, please remember that the House always wins."

Get the Story:
James J. Siragusa: Oxford casino bad idea for county -- and for state (The Portland Press Herald 9/25)