Just when you thought marriage was safe
Posted on September 18th, 2005 by Reformed Pope into the Uncategorized categoryGood god ladies and gentlemen,
It has come to my attention, thanks to an email from an old friend at the Oregon Family Council, that the sanctity of marriage is once again under attack.
Is it those pesky gays again? Wanting to destroy my marriage by making another commitment that only heterosexuals should make? No. Thank god. This time the gays are building a casino. I know, I know, why do the gays want a casino? Well, I don’t know, but since the OFC is emailing about it the gays must have something to do with it, right?
I guess it doesn’t really matter, if theOFC says vote no then I’m voting no. (As long as Marc Estes approves, I always copy his ballot anyway).
Here is what the email said:
3 Reasons to oppose the Gorge Casino Proposal.
1. Bad Precedent. Allowing Oregon’s first off-reservation casino at Cascade Locks sets a bad precedent and opens the door to even more casinos closer to Oregon’s cities and neighborhoods.
2. Risk to Families. Building a 500,000 square foot casino only 45 minutes from Portland, a population of over 1 million Oregonians, will place Oregon families, marriages and children at a greater risk than ever before. (Visit our website for more information on gambling.)
3. 63% Oppose. According to a recent statewide poll, 63% of Oregonians oppose the Gorge Casino and 71% believe approving it will lead to more casinos off reservation lands.
Yes, you read it right. OFC thinks the casino will place Oregon marriages at a greater risk than ever before. But I wonder? Will marriage really be at a greater risk than when the gays were destroying it? ‘Cause from what I remember, that the greatest risk of all time. How could anything be any greater then gay marriage? (I know, Christian affairs, but we sweep those under the rug so our cell group leaders can go on sinning without the shame).
Are these really the 3 best reasons to oppose the casino? Just because the “defense of marriage” worked once doesn’t mean you should use that as an excuse for everything. Think this through people, dig around, you’ll find better reasons.
For the record, I’m against building a casino in the gorge. Here are my 3 reasons you should oppose it too:
1. Casino’s are trashy
2. The gorge is beautiful
3. Trashy Casino + Beautiful Gorge = Trashy Gorge.
Thats just my opionion, for more info visit http://oregonfamilycouncil.org/. Read their link on gambling; it really is entertaining.
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September 18th, 2005 at 5:50 pm
This blog has nothing to do with anything anymore. It is trying my patience. - joel
September 18th, 2005 at 6:16 pm
2. Risk to Families. Building a 500,000 square foot casino only 45 minutes from Portland, a population of over 1 million Oregonians, will place Oregon families, marriages and children at a greater risk than ever before. (Visit our website for more information on gambling.)
They care about Portland? Most of the rest of the time, Portland is a nexus of e-ville that prevents Regular Oregonians™ from having the state they deserve.
Typical. Everyone who they feel might be affected by anything is little more than a prop to be used or demonized as required.
September 19th, 2005 at 7:15 am
If they really feel this way about gambling, then they also need to oppose the Oregon Lottery.
But they’re really just looking for an issue, that will allow them to raise more money.
September 19th, 2005 at 10:43 am
who the hell heads up the oregon council? They are all a bunch of retards! They’re constantly grasping for straws to try and prove their invalid points.
September 19th, 2005 at 11:11 am
Cat,
I went to the site and it does sound like they oppose the Oregon lottery. They talk about the lottery and other gambling and Oregon’s dependence on those revenues and then they say:
“The OFC believes the state of Oregon and its citizens should look elsewhere for entertainment and revenue.”
(You do have to go to their main page on gambling, not the one they have when you first click the big button on the home page.)
By the way, what is so wrong with wanting to encourage Oregon to find revenues in other ways. It is a pure fact that gambling hurts families and marriage, statistics every where show it does much more harm than good.(many of which are on their site too by the way)
I suppose one could argue that everyone should just be free to make their own choices and one shouldn’t be involved in their personal lives or dictate what they can and can’t do. I’m sure the state would take that angle if necessary (unless it has to do with the second amendment), but the fact is that they just want the money. It’s all about the money. But then again so is life. I don’t think you’ve ever considered working for free. Watching your bosses profit, while you work your tail off in a loving benevolent sort of way…of course not. You’re out to get yours, like everyone else…the feds, the state, the business guys, the middle people (ie you and me), even the little people to some extent who by and large would rather live off the “cheese” than strive to work hard. It’s like that seen in Million Dollar Baby when she buys her welfare mom a house and the mom is ungrateful and worried about her welfare check. Everyone is out for money to some level or another, so you can’t just say well OFC or CBC is only in it for the money.
Not to mention, you obviously have no proof of this. Your pal that works there, does he bring home buckets o’ money each month? And I am sure all the work they do doesn’t require any sacrifice on their part. But then again, when has “proof” every been a necessity on this blog?
As for SJK’s comments, well…I don’t really know what he is talking about. I am sure all Portlanders feel they are just a pawn in this big chess game when they read about OFC and their dislike for the casino proposal. Nevermind that OFC might actually have a sincere desire to protect Portland families from the clear and evident hurts that gambling can cause to families and marriages.
By the way, hasn’t the OFC been around a fairly long time? Way before “the gays” were all that active? Maybe I’m wrong? But if I am right, I suppose they have been invlolved in other non-gay rights stuff before.
On the contrary, mono, this blog seems to finally be discussing something worthwhile…our world and society in general… not some over-active distaste for one particular church in Portland, Oreegone.
September 19th, 2005 at 11:42 am
Cat and RP, ouch that had to hurt. Man up and for once admit when your wrong, please don’t pull a cbc and ignore valid criticism.
September 19th, 2005 at 12:24 pm
Frankly, I’m just happy people are still reading this blog.
And unfortunately our friend at OFC doesn’t get paid much money, so I suggest they give him a raise.
I don’t really have a problem with OFC going after gambling. They are a non-profit political organization that is trying to stay relevant. The “gay” issue has died for the time being, so now they need something else to focus on.
I thought RP made some good points, but whatever, we’ll see what happens.
This is probably a dead issue for OFC, because I don’t think many Christians really care that much about gambling… but maybe I’m wrong.
September 19th, 2005 at 12:31 pm
I do want to be a man, but I just can’t admit I’m wrong; especially when I didn’t really say anything. All I did was post their email and then give my opinion.
And for the record, I have never misstated my own opinion; therefore I have never been wrong.
The good news is that the OFC is on a current 2 issue streak for protecting marriage, and with any luck they’ll make it 3 for 3.
I just celebrated my 6th anniversary and my wife and I are rooting for the OFC to help us make it to year 7.
September 19th, 2005 at 12:37 pm
It is not the healthy that need a doctor, but the sick.
September 19th, 2005 at 1:52 pm
I think you guys are a little guilty of sensationalism in an attempt to bash the OFC. They simply stated 3 good reasons for oppossing the casino, one of which was applicable to their mission/goal. They never implied these were the best reasons to oppose it, so be careful not to put words in their mouths.
The impact of gambling addiction on families is a valid one and you can’t blame them for focusing on it, since that is their purpose. That’s like mocking Smokey the Bear for opposing smoking in National Forests.
Hope your next post is about something better…
September 19th, 2005 at 2:17 pm
I know when I’ve been beaten.
Well said, FICM.
Let me make it up to you with this next post.
September 19th, 2005 at 7:58 pm
Anonymous:
As for SJK’s comments, well…I don’t really know what he is talking about. I am sure all Portlanders feel they are just a pawn in this big chess game when they read about OFC and their dislike for the casino proposal. Nevermind that OFC might actually have a sincere desire to protect Portland families from the clear and evident hurts that gambling can cause to families and marriages.
You’re being disingenuous.
You got what I meant when you mention Portlanders (well, this Portlander at least) feel like a pawns in some big game they’re all playing.
I don’t doubt that a lot of members of OFC and thier supporters believe that gambling as state revenue is a bad idea and increasing the state’s dependence on it makes the State of Oregon the biggest gambling addicit in the state of Oregon.
But the ultimate goal of OFC and groups such as that isn’t merely objecting to gambling. They want power and will stop at nothing to get it. In terms of the group goals, whether they admit it or not, to themselves or otherwise, it is the will to power-over thier members lives first, and society at large second.
It’s nothing more, and certainly nothing less.
September 19th, 2005 at 10:44 pm
SJK, you’re so full of shit. Don’t be a moron. OFC isn’t some conspiracy to take over the planet, they’re an organization to promote a conservative agenda, just like any other political organization promotes an agenda. There’s nothing wrong with that. Those little voices in your head aren’t necessarily being truthful with you.
September 20th, 2005 at 2:54 am
SJK, you’re so full of shit.
And you, nameless one, are an ad hominem jackass.
That is all the response you get from me. As it stands, this response is more dignity than yours deserved.
September 20th, 2005 at 3:00 pm
You really have to hate those paranoid people that actually expect a political activist group run by Christians not to lower themselves to the rest of the US political scene. By using half truths and strawmen arguments to promote their agendas, they’re just Greenpeace, PETA, or any other lobbying group out there. SJK hit it exactly on the head, the OFC is about controlling people’s views by leveraging scare tactics and their status as a “Christian” group to get their way. You want some proof? How about OFC’s attempt to get Ralph Nader on the 2004 Presidental ballot in Oregon. (http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Oregon_Family_Council)
Now do you think OFC was really supporting Nader’s campaign or were they supporting a spoiler candidate to take votes away from Bush’s main competition? Hmmm, sounds like good old fashioned political dirty tricks to me, so forgive me if I give OFC no more credit than any other slimy political lobbying group…
September 20th, 2005 at 5:38 pm
Fezzik: Thank you for saying what ought to have been said.
I’ll only add this: to understand what political games are being played these days it’s only necessary to realize that while local politics is local, anything beyond, say, city council or school board (and really not even those anymore) is pretty much a chessboard for interest groups.
The power-political landscape of the present day was well-hinted at by you, with groups I partially agree with (Greenpeace) and those I partially disagree with (PETA). There is no perfect pressure group, alas.
To paraphrase Marc Maron (yes, I’m that kind of person, I listen to Air America), it used to be “am I true to myself?”. But these days it’s “who’s using me, and am I okay with that?”
Some people think me a pessimist. I, on the other hand, think I practice realistic optimism.
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