No shortage of hypocrisy

The headline said, “State targets illegal gambling.”
But it could just as easily have read, “State moves to protect its monopoly.”
The original thinking behind laws against gambling had a moral basis. Gambling was detrimental to society. It weakened families. It wasted resources. It fostered a culture of something-for-nothing.
But that moral foundation has been gone for more than a generation.
Today, the sad fact is that the largest purveyor of gambling in the state of Indiana is the state of Indiana.
The lottery opened the doors. Riverboat gambling and race track gambling soon followed.
All quaint notions of morality were jettisoned so the focus could shift to the real issue at hand: Generating revenue for the state.
And that, no matter what platitudes might be issued from Indianapolis, is what’s behind headlines like “State targets illegal gambling.”
If there’s a raffle at a lodge or a Cherrymaster machine at the neighborhood saloon, the keepers of peace and order aren’t concerned a bit about questions of right or wrong, of what’s good for society or families. They’re just making sure the state gets its piece of the action.
And the state wants to make sure that these little freelance games don’t undermine the revenue flow from games that are sanctioned and have the official seal of approval.
Years ago, Indiana clergy warned that once the genie was let out of the bottle, once the state became a partner and promoter of gambling — or gaming as its hucksters prefer — it would be impossible to put the genie back in.
Either the state has moral authority or the state is a hypocrite.
You can’t have it both ways. And thoughtful Hoosiers know the state is a hypocrite. — J.R.[[In-content Ad]]