An Open letter to Families Against the Casino Threat in Singapore (FACTS), from Wannabe Lawyer.
I mentioned the online petition before, and it is currently at more than 24,000 names. Wah.
The comments following his post are also fascinating and intelligent reads. I love a good debate, even if in my heart of hearts, I know the casino is coming anyway. Sorry, integrated resort.
Excerpt:
From what I can gather, you have two main objections to gambling. Firstly, you oppose it as a matter of principle, because it is wrong. Secondly, you oppose it because of the harms that it can cause to society.
1. To your first objection, I believe the onus is on you to explain why gambling is wrong. I don’t believe that public policy is formulated with “negative energy” in mind, and rightly so. If you could raise any reasons in which gambling is wrong in itself, I would be glad to either publish a rebuttal, or retract this objection.
Secondly, if you don’t want your children to think gambling is right, then it is YOUR responsibility to educate them that you believe it to be wrong. It is neither the government’s responsibility, nor the responsibility of others.
Thirdly, even as you believe gambling to be wrong, there are others who do not agree with you. Is it right, that you choose to impose YOUR choices in life upon them? If you dislike gambling, then don’t gamble. If you don’t want your children to gamble, or to think that it is right, then educate them thus. But leave your lifestyle choices in your homes, and not out into other people’s lives.
