The Nanny Staters have a new target

[Lostit]

Apparently alcohol and pool/darts/videa games are unhealthy for us now too. This is an isolated incidence, but I think it gives good insight into the fact that our opponents want to take this country to some scary extremes.

This item comes from Covington, Georgia, which is about 30 miles east of Atlanta.

http://www.covnews.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=2&ArticleID=675

They don't explain the reason why this ordinance is in place or why they are focusing on enforcing it, but they basically pulled all dart boards, pool tables, video games, and any "Machines operated for amusement" out of the local bars.

The overwhelming sentiment is that this is absurd, but even in this case, it only takes a minority to keep something in place, once its already passed.

Why am I posting this on a poker site? I think it gives good insight into how fanatical our opponents are. It also comes in useful when trying to explain to other people, how its not just poker that we're fighting for, its our basic rights, and sooner or later, the nanny staters will focus on a topic that they might care about.

[CybrPunk]

As of the census of 2000, there were 11,547 people, 4,261 households, and 2,906 families residing in the city (of Covington, GA).

How does a story about about antiquated "blue" laws in a town in the middle of nowhere relate to poker... or anything for that matter? This story isn't some incredible foreshadowing of the impending pressure of the religious right to strip us of our freedoms...

Besides.... that's already happening.

[SmackinYaUp]

I found it an interesting read. It's a ridiculous law. I can't believe people still get so weird over gambling and alcohol.

[Lostit]

Many states have ridiculous laws. For example, an existing law in Massachusetts says that if a person from Rhode Island sets foot on your front lawn, you are legally allowed to shoot them dead. If they are from any other state, you do not have same right. Now do you expect anyone to actually enforce that? I hope not. My point is that every state has antiquated laws, but when people start to go out and actively enforce them, it becomes quite scary.

The reason for including this is to be able to have extra examples of what these anti-poker types will do, when left unchecked.

Also, Covington is not exactly in the middle of nowhere. Its a suburb of Atlanta, and containts many affluent professional types who commute into the city for work. Unless you live here, quoting census statistics doesn't really do it justice.

[oldbookguy]

OK, though a small town paper, lets comment and make a comparision.

My comment:

WOW!
You all can drink beer and play pool and other games.
You all can drink wine and play pool and other games.

Kinda reminds me of the recent GOP congress that passed a law allowing us to bet on horses but not play poker on the Internet.
That same law allows us to play solitaire, hearts, spades, free cell, CHILDREN’S VIDEO GAMES on the internet, but alas, no poker.

I am not sure which law is more absurd. No Jack Daniels and pool or betting on Children’s Games at AOL, MSN, YAHOO! and other places but no five and dime poker.

obg

[fnord_too]

Oh you've got trouble,
Right here in River City,
With a capital T and rhymes with P and that stands for Pool!

[MiltonFriedman]

God doesn't want a bunch of distractions around people who want to get likkered up ?

[BigAlK]

[ QUOTE ]
How does a story about about antiquated "blue" laws in a town in the middle of nowhere relate to poker... or anything for that matter? This story isn't some incredible foreshadowing of the impending pressure of the religious right to strip us of our freedoms...

[/ QUOTE ]

Someone already addressed the middle-of-nowhere comment. But antiquated doesn't seem to fit a law that was passed in 1982.

[bwehrm]

It seems as if we are living in some sort of Footloose hell.

[strategery]

[ QUOTE ]

Oh you've got trouble,
Right here in River City,
With a capital T and rhymes with P and that stands for Poker!


[/ QUOTE ]

FYP

[Legislurker]

Its only going to get worse. FoF et al have been preparing for this for a GENERATION. They got it better than Falwell who thought he could win on just radio and tv. These false, old-lady extorting, child molesting, biblethumping unclefuckers knew they had to raise a generation of foot soldiers. Home schooling, bare bones private christian secondary schools, "chirstian" universities, and political involvement were the route they took. CHristian tv, radio, books, the whole Goebbels playbook was put to work. Now, its bearing fruit. 25 years ago politicians invoked God without meaning it. Now, they have a hardcore group of brainwashed truebelievers fighting a holy war. And we are a target they want and see as vulnerable. Fromaggio can dis me and call me what names he wants, but he doesn't and hasn't lived frontlines through this. I know these people, Engineer does too. Im not sure if peopel realize it, but they have mapped out the country and voting patterns, and for YEARS have bought land and encouraged people to move. They set up towns, counties, and Congressional districts to be "christian". They are now using those people and areas and money and votes to fight back in the Culture wars. They know the Bush Era is ending, and they are going to scorch the Earth and take whatever laws and victories they can on the way out, regroup, and fight us again. I don't really care what I call them, or whose feelings are hurt, I know these scumbags and the fuckjobs they do to people's minds. When you come back from burying people who killed themselves for failing to live up to what was expected of them from these churches, told they were a failure and a disappointment to God, fromaggio, then you can lecture me on my language and namecalling.

[frommagio]

[ QUOTE ]
Its only going to get worse. FoF et al have been preparing for this for a GENERATION. They got it better than Falwell who thought he could win on just radio and tv. These false, old-lady extorting, child molesting, biblethumping unclefuckers knew they had to raise a generation of foot soldiers. Home schooling, bare bones private christian secondary schools, "chirstian" universities, and political involvement were the route they took. CHristian tv, radio, books, the whole Goebbels playbook was put to work. Now, its bearing fruit. 25 years ago politicians invoked God without meaning it. Now, they have a hardcore group of brainwashed truebelievers fighting a holy war. And we are a target they want and see as vulnerable. Fromaggio can dis me and call me what names he wants, but he doesn't and hasn't lived frontlines through this. I know these people, Engineer does too. Im not sure if peopel realize it, but they have mapped out the country and voting patterns, and for YEARS have bought land and encouraged people to move. They set up towns, counties, and Congressional districts to be "christian". They are now using those people and areas and money and votes to fight back in the Culture wars. They know the Bush Era is ending, and they are going to scorch the Earth and take whatever laws and victories they can on the way out, regroup, and fight us again. I don't really care what I call them, or whose feelings are hurt, I know these scumbags and the fuckjobs they do to people's minds. When you come back from burying people who killed themselves for failing to live up to what was expected of them from these churches, told they were a failure and a disappointment to God, fromaggio, then you can lecture me on my language and namecalling.

[/ QUOTE ]

I haven't dissed you or called you names. All I've asked is that you not refer to our opponents as Nazis, ChristaNazis, facists, unclefuckers, followers of Goebel - any of that stuff.

It doesn't make us look good; in fact, it makes us look worse than our opponents. There's no way that such language could help to convert anybody who doesn't already agree with our position; it can only help to lose supporters that we already have.

Do you really disagree? Would you be proud to show your 2+2 postings to your parents?

Think about it.

[Legislurker]

My father would probably agree and add a couple names. My mother just isn't very smart. She still won't admit to herself the truth about them. We have first hand family experience of these fakes. Close relatives almost went bankrupt giving to Swaggart. Teenage suicide egged on by "christian" counseling who told him Kurt CObain was the spawn of Satan and liking him was akin to devil worship. Her mother was totally taken in by a charismatic preacher who broke off from the family church and started his own megachurch, and is now a millionaire. Stood up at my grandfather's funeral and said he was going to hell. So yeah, I'm damn proud of my 2p2 post. And, these people are evil, and deserve every appellation I can summon out of thin air to disparage them. And [censored] the media who wants to play nice and call them people of faith, or evengelical, or whatever the new terms are. I understand some people are just too stupid to realize what they are, and Im related to a bevy of them. I think its high time the country stood up and called these people out for what they are. That requires direct shocking language. You can't sugarcoat it, they use the war or words better. SPitting in their face is the first step to people seeing what they are about. They don't get it. Hell, Haggardy's(spelling) church is still GIVING him money to undergo counselling, and receive direct state sanctioned access to CHILDREN for counselling. After he admitted to meth and child prostitution. They pray for him and think he will do good work for kids. Is that beyond sick or what? It makes them douches, [censored], Nazis, molesters and worse.

[XChamp]

[ QUOTE ]

I haven't dissed you or called you names. All I've asked is that you not refer to our opponents as Nazis, ChristaNazis, facists, unclefuckers, followers of Goebel - any of that stuff.

It doesn't make us look good; in fact, it makes us look worse than our opponents. There's no way that such language could help to convert anybody who doesn't already agree with our position; it can only help to lose supporters that we already have.

Do you really disagree? Would you be proud to show your 2+2 postings to your parents?

Think about it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I totally agree. The name calling doesn't help at all, and may actually hurt. I never take anyone seriously that resorts to ad hominem attacks; many people react as I do.

[frommagio]

It sounds to me like you have a gene pool problem. If you just try to restrain yourself, you might get along. Other than that, I really don't know how to help.

Just one humble request: Please don't write letters, and please don't go out in public to lobby for our mutual interest. I want to play poker online, and nobody needs crazy guys like you screwing it up for the well-balanced majority.

[ QUOTE ]
My father would probably agree and add a couple names. My mother just isn't very smart. She still won't admit to herself the truth about them. We have first hand family experience of these fakes. Close relatives almost went bankrupt giving to Swaggart. Teenage suicide egged on by "christian" counseling who told him Kurt CObain was the spawn of Satan and liking him was akin to devil worship. Her mother was totally taken in by a charismatic preacher who broke off from the family church and started his own megachurch, and is now a millionaire. Stood up at my grandfather's funeral and said he was going to hell. So yeah, I'm damn proud of my 2p2 post. And, these people are evil, and deserve every appellation I can summon out of thin air to disparage them. And [censored] the media who wants to play nice and call them people of faith, or evengelical, or whatever the new terms are. I understand some people are just too stupid to realize what they are, and Im related to a bevy of them. I think its high time the country stood up and called these people out for what they are. That requires direct shocking language. You can't sugarcoat it, they use the war or words better. SPitting in their face is the first step to people seeing what they are about. They don't get it. Hell, Haggardy's(spelling) church is still GIVING him money to undergo counselling, and receive direct state sanctioned access to CHILDREN for counselling. After he admitted to meth and child prostitution. They pray for him and think he will do good work for kids. Is that beyond sick or what? It makes them douches, [censored], Nazis, molesters and worse.

[/ QUOTE ]

[Quicksilvre]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

I haven't dissed you or called you names. All I've asked is that you not refer to our opponents as Nazis, ChristaNazis, facists, unclefuckers, followers of Goebel - any of that stuff.

It doesn't make us look good; in fact, it makes us look worse than our opponents. There's no way that such language could help to convert anybody who doesn't already agree with our position; it can only help to lose supporters that we already have.

Do you really disagree? Would you be proud to show your 2+2 postings to your parents?

Think about it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I totally agree. The name calling doesn't help at all, and may actually hurt. I never take anyone seriously that resorts to ad hominem attacks; many people react as I do.

[/ QUOTE ]

Amen, brothers.