Local pastors opposed to new gambling legislation
By Staff
Nathan Strickland
The Franklin County Baptist Association passed an Anti-Gambling Resolution during its executive board meeting March 22.
The resolution was put forth to reaffirm the association’s position on opposing electronic bingo gambling at any location in Alabama and to any form of games of chance in general.
Franklin County Baptist Association director of missions Larry Dover said our local state leaders continue to push an issue that has been knocked down every time.
“We keep getting bombarded every year with legislators trying to push some form of gambling into our state,” he said. “They come back time after time with every scheme imaginable and we, as an association, felt like it was time to take a stand and fight for what is right.”
The FCBA encourages Franklin County Baptist pastors and churches to inform and educate their members and the public on the evils gambling could bring to the area.
Dover said gambling preys on the poor and could possibly take control of some people’s lives to where they can’t even afford food for themselves, much less if children are involved.
“Like it or not, all gambling does is prey on those who can’t afford to spend the money,” he said.
“I know there are people out there who like to take trips to Tunica and are good at budgeting themselves, but what about the ones who are not good budgeters and have addictive qualities about themselves. If someone takes their last few dollars and don’t win anything, then they could possibly be in a whole heap of trouble.”
The resolution states that the FCBA expresses profound disappointment with local legislators, Rep. Johnny Mack Morrow and Sen. Roger Bedford, in their support for legalized gambling, whose constituents expressed their opposition to legalizing gambling in a previous statewide referendum.
“I’m disappointed that they keep saying ‘well let’s let the people vote,’ we keep saying no every time they bring it to our attention, but they just don’t hear us,” Dover said.
“The Alabama Supreme Court has even ruled that electronic bingo machines are illegal in this state. The evils that gambling brings doesn’t balance out with the benefits.”
The resolution applauds Gov. Bob Riley and the task force that was created to combat unlawful gambling.
The resolution has been sent to numerous state officials including Riley, Bedford and Morrow in an attempt to suppress the gambling issue.
