Saturday, March 1, 2014

ON TAP: Bob Oakes (WBUR's Morning Edition) interviews Dr. Rachel Volberg & Laurie Salame on Massachusetts Casinos

Bob Oakes of WBUR's Morning Edition, interviewing
Dr. Rachel Volberg & Laurie Salame, JD, at the WBUR studios
Dr. Rachel Volberg (right) who conducts epidemiological research on gambling throughout the world, and Laurie Salame, JD, (left) who has worked in the casino industry and now teaches courses on hospitality law and casino management.
At the end of the evening, Bob Oakes asked the audience:  "How many of you here today are in favor of casinos in Massachusetts?  How many opposed? How many neutral?"   The vote in one family of three was 1-1-1!
On Thursday evening, February 27, 2014, Bob Oakes of WBUR's Morning Edition, "held court" (live) before an audience of WBUR supporters in the studios of WBUR.  During an interview with  Dr. Rachel Volberg (who conducts epidemiological research on gambling throughout the world) and Laurie Salame, JD (who has worked in the casino industry and now teaches courses on hospitality law and casino management) on the pros and cons of casinos in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Oakes directed a lively, audience-interactive discussion where one member of the audience commented, "Casinos in Massachusetts?  Make way for the pawn shops!" 
Summing up the issue, a young woman challenged the presenters: "Do you know what it's like growing up in a  community blighted by a casino?"

See earlier posts by Marash Girl on the proposed casino in Springfield, Massachusetts:

http://marashgirl.blogspot.com/2013/07/mgm-offers-gambling-jobs-and.htmlhttp://marashgirl.blogspot.com/2013/07/mgm-wins-vote-for-casino-in-springfield.html

2 comments:

  1. one of the characteristics of a people under judgment is foolishness. the folly that people ascribe to is a bellweather of how turning their back on the God of life and light leaves them in darkness and death. The bible defines a fool as one who says there is no God. action speak louder than words. one can act as if there is no god despite verbally ascribing to one. of course that verbal ascription might be enjoined with exactly what God and what is his name, and what and who is he? most will have no answer, or a neatly contrived, self-serving one. thus, foolishness becomes pervasive, like a discussion of the pros and cons of having a neighborhood casino, as if there was even one good thing that could come out of such an event.

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  2. In response to the women bragging about how wonderful the enabling legislation was, providing assurances against the dreads of casinos, two older gentlemen in the audience reminded us that just having the enabling legislation means nothing if the legislation is not enforced or if the state budget prevents it from being enforceable.

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