In a previous article I wrote about a woman who took her life due to her gambling addiction. The family decided to tell people it was due to personal problems she was having adjusting to living in the United States. She had moved there in June of 1998. Everyone accepted the explanation with out commenting. This is very typical behavior which leads to bad statistical information being presented by local governments. Gambling addiction is a silent killer that strikes innocent people when they least expect it. It only creates a world of misery with a self destructive behavior. Compulsive gamblers are able to beat their addiction if they have the proper resources. If governments can not get the true statistics they will never be forced to deal with this addiction. They will continue to raise needed taxes from the gambling establishments. What the government never realized or refused to say is that if their states business industry began to thrive the taxes levied against them would be equal to or greater then the amount of revenue generated from the gambling establishments and the states lotto. The government looks for the easiest way out verses taking the time to put a good plan into motion. Its political suicide to face this addiction head on. I find it ironic that a new governor will take the time to tell its people that over the next four years we are going to boost our economy and reduce unemployment. There are so many promises made that are not kept that people have lost respect for their political leaders. Those who have been negatively affected by gambling know the truth and need to come forward in order to help others who are living similar lives. I would like to see one political leader step up and admit their state has a gambling problem. Its easy to see that doing something like this may cause them to lose their next election. Unfortunately there is no quick fix. Another reason political leaders are afraid to come forward is due to the gambling establishments are run by very powerful people. When you here rumors that the governor is spending the weekend with the chief of one of the local casinos and a week later the casinos request for expansion is approved. You have to start questioning the motives. How is the state benefiting from this expansion? Do political people only march to those who pay the piper? Is this rumor true or false? Does it matter? Do I care? Does anyone care? I have found people do care but are not willing to get involved. This type of thinking becomes evident after you have a Governor of Connecticut jailed, mayors in multiple towns jailed and other minor infractions by political candidates. All do to pure greed. Once people decide they have had enough and only then can change occur. Once this change happens, recording of gambling addiction statistics information will improve and governments will be forced to face reality. Then you will see change and people will begin to heal. |
