LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: `YES' VOTE ISN'T CONDEMNING

To the Editor:

The riverboat gambling campaign basically has been a debate of economics versus morality. However, I am compelled to vote "yes" on both economic and moral grounds.

With respect to the economic issue, we need to look no farther than Metropolis to see the effects of riverboat gaming. That city has seen 30 new businesses open in the first seven months of 1993 compared to only three new businesses for all of 1992. And these businesses, as well as those that were in town prior to the arrival of gaming, are all thriving. In addition, the riverboat itself provided the city of Metropolis with over $2.1 million in tax revenue for the first seven months of 1993.

And what about riverboat gaming as a "moral" issue? Gaming opponents claim that riverboat gambling will increase crime, yet they still have not cited even one instance in which a community experienced an increase in crime after the arrival of riverboat gambling. In fact, during the recent campus debate, the campus adviser for the "No" group conceded that no evidence exists to suggest that riverboat gambling increases the crime rate in the community.

Gaming opponents also claim that riverboat gambling will bring in more drug users, prostitutes and even drive by shootings to Cape Girardeau. Yet, they cannot offer one shred of evidence to support any of these claims. Nor can they cite even one example where riverboat gaming had any such effect on a community.

The fact is that riverboat gaming will not detract in any way from the beauty of our community nor will it tear apart our moral fiber.

Finally, I want to address the argument that we as Christians somehow have a moral obligation to vote "no" on this issue. Before doing so, I need to point out that I have been an active member of a Baptist church for most of my life, and I plan to continue working vigorously in the church after this election.

First of all, I think it is questionable whether the Bible condemns the act of gambling. I know that I can't find any direct reference that gambling is a sin.

Even so, we as Christians too often have trouble distinguishing between the application of principles to our own lives and mandating those principles to the lives of others. A "yes" vote on Nov. 2 does not necessarily mean that I support the act of gambling. Rather, it simply means that, regardless of my own personal viewpoint, I respect my neighbor's right to choose for him or herself whether to take part in that conduct. I do not believe that the goals of the church are reached by attempting to force the entire community to conform their conduct to one perceived view of morality. And the fact that I have that view does not mean that I love God or Cape Girardeau any less than anyone else.

Scott D. Reynolds

Cape Girardeau