"Intellectual Acrobatics"
Deval Patrick's shameful display of intellectual acrobatics called "The Case for Casinos" (Sept. 9, 2007), regarding what "economic development" is, ignores the fact that economic growth is ultimately reflected by the personal development, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, of the citizenry.
After all, people are not talking insects. Instead, we are political/social animals whose behavior is based upon our experiences and interactions with others. Therefore, making additional tens of thousands of people (we already have that many scratch ticket addicts) gambling addicts at casinos who will rarely win anything implicates both Patrick and the state government in crimes against citizens' mental health, for starters. How is that a gain in either economic development or even our standard of living? In fact, gambling is "anti-community" since it pits citizens against their fellows, with the former only wishing the best for themselves at the expense of the latter.
G. Djata Bumpus
Northampton
R.I.P. Free Speech
It's an amazing world when a student can get tasered by the police for asking a question and not yielding the floor at an open forum to Senator Kerry. If those are the ground rules, then what can we expect of our politicians? Imagine if we had the same response to a person who started an illegal war! It did happen in Florida, so I guess we could expect an overresponse to civil disobedience—this state being the one who helped steal an election. Shame on Kerry's people for not doing more in this poor student's defense. Shame on the police.
Neil Fahey
Chicopee
It is with deep regret that I announce the passing away of Free Speech in Gainesville, Fla. Free Speech had been suffering from illness for some time and finally succumbed whilst attempting some exercise on Monday afternoon.
Free speech was born in 1776 and quickly matured into a vibrant entity. Free Speech married The American Dream and together they produced many happy offspring. Unfortunately the children of the marriage passed away over the years due to occasional epidemics of political greed, corruption, subversion and self-enrichment. Free speech is therefore only survived by The American Dream, who, it is feared, will be too ill to attend the funeral, to be held in November, 2008.
No flowers.
Brandon McHale
Brookline, Vt.
