CHRISTIAN SENSE
BY TOM SMIKOSKI
A
publication devoted to making sense out of the twenty-first
century.
TRAPPERS
By: TOM SMIKOSKI
During the eighteen hundreds, trappers would navigate the rivers of our
great nation, setting their traps along the banks. The traps were
skillfully baited with food, giving unsuspecting animals the impression
that an easy meal was attainable. Once caught, the animals were killed
and stripped of their valuable furs and hides. These trappers slowly
disappeared as the animal population died off, until they both became
virtually extinct.
Today, more than one hundred years later, the trappers are back. Once
again they navigate the rivers, setting their traps along the banks. The
unsuspecting animals are much different then those hunted one hundred years
ago, although there are similarities. Some still have fur coats, others
have leather and some visit the traps in nothing more than shirtsleeves.
Today's animals are two-legged, young and old, fat and skinny, tall and
short, they are both male and female. A few come on foot, but most come
in cars, buses and even limos.
The trappers of today still skillfully bait their traps. They still bait
them using an easy meal, or a free lunch. But, most of all, they use money
as their bait. They use a jackpot as bait. That jackpot could be three
sevens on a slot machine, a red hot streak on a backjack or crap table, or
even a winning lottery ticket.
Today's trappers are the casino operators and lottery agents, both
sanctioned by our Government. The unsuspecting prey are our families,
neighbors and friends. I say "unsuspecting" because many truly believe
they have a chance at winning. Yet, the possibility of winning is about
as good as a raccoon escaping from a steel trap. Oh, I am sure that some
of the trapper's steel traps didn't work and an occasional animal walked
away with an easy meal. But, most traps worked and the trappers won.
The same is true today, a few people win an occasional jackpot, but most
lose. The house always wins, if not, they wouldn't be in business.
Our political leaders seem to think that the gambling industry is an easy
way of raising money without raising taxes. What they fail to realize is
that citizens are getting hurt. Gambling is addictive. Many families have
lost everything to the casinos and lotteries. Many individuals have filed
bankruptcy leaving creditors holding the bang. Many have taken up crime
to pay off debt. Many have committed suicide, leaving their families in
need. If any other industry or business caused the same results they would
be closed and their owners or officers imprisoned.
Some day we will pay for our growing problem. Let us start now to find
a way of getting away from this horrible vice. Let our leaders find
other sources of revenue. We must stop thinking of gambling as innocent
and harmless fun. It isn't. It is serious business run by serious
individuals, whose only goal is to strip the unsuspecting players of
everything they have and own.
Tom Smikoski
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