Did you know that Americans gamble more money each year than they spend on groceries? Or that nearly one in five homeless people admit that gambling contributed to their poverty-yet 37 percent of them continue to gamble?

Or that 75 percent of pathological gamblers admitted they had committed at least one felony to support their habit?

In the past 50 years our country has quickly moved away from a belief in absolute truth to relativism. Gambling is just one more vice that is destroying our nation little by little. Its promoters have tried to give it a facelift by changing the name to "gaming," but it is still the same unsavory habit to which many have become addicted.

Fifteen years ago, only Nevada and New Jersey permitted casinos, but now 48 states have some form of legalized gambling. Nevada ranks first in the nation in suicide, divorce, high school dropouts and homicide against women; third in bankruptcies and abortion; and fourth in rape, out-of-wedlock births and alcohol-related deaths.

Atlantic City, N.J., has been called an "extraordinary success story," but the vacant land one or two blocks either side of the main thoroughfare resembles a bombed-out war zone. Many businesses have gone broke since the arrival of casinos.

Even Donald Trump stated, "People will spend a tremendous amount of money in casinos, money that they would normally spend on buying a refrigerator or a new car. Local business will suffer because they'll lose customer dollars to the casinos."

We don't need gambling in Marion County and I encourage everyone to do their part in preventing it from coming here.

Steve Greenhaw

Hillsboro

The issue is more than just building a casino

I am writing this letter in response to Dale Nuss's letter (Nov. 14 issue). I am speaking for myself and not the county commission.

First of all, I need to make sure all understand that this is more than a casino we are talking about in this ongoing debate. This endeavor also includes a hotel, convention center, restaurants, shops, day care, etc.

One is sometimes left with the impression in all the literature being passed around that this casino is about some seedy little building and nothing more, when in fact it is a large complex providing 1,000-plus jobs and a facility this community could be proud of should it come to fruition.

Mr. Nuss made the statement that Glenn Thompson made a calm and accurate case that it was very unlikely that a casino would ever be built in Marion County.

Of course he did. That is what he was recruited to do' just as Mr. (Bob) Knight came here to make a case for a casino. Now the voters can weigh the relative merits of both sides and then decide for themselves what they feel would be good for Marion County.

The statement was also made that Marion County was an unlikely candidate and the casino would end up in a more densely populated county-like Sedgwick County, which, by the way, is not in the running because, as I understand it, they are not having a referendum.

There are three successful casinos north of Topeka that are not in a densely populated area and I would guess since they have been open for several years they are successful in spite of their location in a mostly rural area.

Comments made in Mr. Nuss's letter and in brochures I have seen insinuate Marion County has nothing to offer for this sort of enterprise.

I would guess that when someone suggested Branson, Mo., for an entertainment center, there were those against the idea who also ridiculed the idea as preposterous, and focused on all the negative aspects. I wonder what they think now?

No one knows what is possible without trying. In 1960, JFK committed this nation to putting a man on the moon by the end of the decade. This was at a time we did not have rockets that operated consistently, nor had we any idea of what all was involved.

Immediately, there were experts citing studies, etc., that showed this was a wasted effort and a sorry way to spend tax dollars, especially when there was no chance of success.

Then there were those who asked "Why not?" and started making it happen. We all know what happened in summer 1969.

Why not Marion County?

Mr. Nuss made the statement it is the job of our state legislature to look out for the well-being of Kansas.

To a point that is true. Their job is actually to represent the majority view of their constituents, thus the voters are allowed to decide what they see as best for kansas.

Government derives its power from the people and not the other way around.

With this in mind, I still do not understand all the opposition to putting this casino question before the voters on a ballot.

The alternative was to have three commissioners decide the issue, or, on the other hand, an unknown number of opponents who wanted to kill the issue by stopping the vote.

The voters will now have their chance and, come what may, the majority will have spoken, not the few.

In trying to respond to Mr. Nuss's challenge to produce the "model casino community" I spent several hours on the Internet. I came to a solid conclusion, there is enough information out there to support any stance one may take on this issue.

All one has to do is cite the studies and experts that support his or her position and ignore all the other information-type in "casino impact studies" on the Web to search for yourselves.

I didn't feel that was an ethical way to approach this subject, so instead I started calling people in Holton to get their opinion. After all, they aren't referencing "studies." They have three casinos within 35 miles-they are living it.

I talked to people in their Chamber of Commerce, economic development corporation, four business owners, sheriff's office and one county commissioner.

I asked specific doom-and-gloom questions that have been provided concerning a casino's impact on a community and it seems, at least to the people I visited with, that they are not experiencing all these apocalyptic predictions.

There have been problems to be dealt with, but no rampant increase in crime, bankruptcies, etc., that can be attributed to the casinos.

On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being favorable, I asked each person I visited with to give me his or her opinion of the impact of the casinos on their community. The lowest number I received was a 7.

Keep in mind these are Indian-owned casinos and there is no tax benefit to Johnson County what-so- ever. All the benefit it receives is from the increase in the number of people visiting their county.

I encourage everyone, rather than take my word for it, to take the time to call people there so you also can make an "informed decision" without being inundated with "studies, expert opinions, and sanitized statistics."

One final comment concerns a statement made that the money for the election would have been better spent helping the needy rather than on an election.

First, tax dollars are used for social programs but are not meant to be used as donations for charitable purposes.

Second, I personally subscribe to the adage "give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach him to fish and he will eat for a life time."

My intention is not to belittle the efforts of so many to help the needy of this community. Rather, it is to point out that I feel it is the county's job to provide jobs for the needy so that they may help themselves and "eat for a lifetime."

It is to this end that I personally pushed for this casino resort issue to be put before the voters.

There is far more than the jobs created by this enterprise. I also envision this being a catalyst for other business and job opportunities.

Commissioner Dan Holub

Marion

Marion's support for class was appreciated

We sing the praises of the Marion community for the help they provided us in putting on the hunter education and bow-hunter class this past weekend.

We were so supported by everyone in the community and I must tell you that we are not used to such wonderful support.

Our job was made so much easier by the following businesses and people who helped provide food to feed the students on Saturday: Ampride and manager Laura Legg; Carlson's Grocery and owners Greg and Mitch Carlson; and Atmos Energy and Greg Wolf.

Also, the Cottonwood Valley Quails Unlimited and Ducks Unlimited of Marion County for seeing that the meal was prepared and for helping with the class as mentors. Also, Gary Vogel let us use his farm to have a virtual hunt and walk through and a shooting range for the students to fire shotgun and black powder guns.

If Marion ever wants another class, you can be sure we will not mind the drive to help put on one for a community that supports its youth as you all do.

The greatest reward we have are the smiles and thank-yous we receive from the young people at the end of class. When people like these step up and add support, it makes a double reward for us.

Ted Billingsley & IvaMay Cook

Instructors & area coordinators

Kansas Hunter Education

Hope