LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: CARTOON WAS MEANT TO BE OFFENSIVE

To the Editor,

I would like thank the gentleman who responded to my earlier letter and cartoon about riverboat gambling.

You are correct in stating that riverboat gambling is about economics (money). I guess we differ as to how we reason with these truths. Webster defines gambling as: 1. play a game for stakes; 2. bet; 3. take a chance; N. risky undertaking.

I cannot separate gambling from riverboat gambling. For there is no reason for the riverboat without gambling. I also cannot separate bad and wrong from moral reasoning. To do so would be to bankrupt truth.

In ANY endeavor of life we face the challenge of moral reasoning and our choice. Today we seem to be questioning the moral reasoning that has held sway for most of our country's history.

Webster defines moral as: 1. relating to principles of right and wrong; 2. conforming to a standard of right behavior; 3. relating to our acting on the mind, character or will.

These morals have kept us in check for over 200 years, although they have become imbalanced at times. Each time it took courageous individuals -- willing to face the immorality -- working together to correct the problems.

Over the past 30 years these sound principles have been replaced with experimental ideas. Since they are based only on man's ideas they lack the "Godly laws" that uphold "true moral ideals." So, lacking any real substance, these false ideas have allowed our culture to slide deeper and deeper into a cesspool of sin.

If this continues, it will take far more than riverboat gambling to bring our community back. For true morality is NOT based upon money, it does NOT fluctuate like the Dow Jones and most importantly, it cannot be bought.

If the cartoon offended you or others, I am sorry. Yet if you were offended it shows that we have something in common. For that is precisely why I drew the cartoon. In hope, that if the people of our community would seriously consider what is going on right here, right now, we could begin to make decisions on a solid moral basis.

BRUCE COLLIER

Cape Girardeau