The California Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling that Indian tribes can be sued for violating campaign disclosure rules. This is a minor victory in trying to keep Indian casinos from buying off politicians to help them continue to expand. This is not about self reliance but about letting a small group of people, not a large percentage of Native Americans, profit from a vice that is a danger to our society. I am also against state sponsored gambling such as lotteries which hurt poor people. Las Vegas? I am also against it but not to such an extent because there is a lot of entertainment besides gambling there and unless you live nearby it would take a lot of efforts to get there. The Indian casinos, however, are all over the state with more on the way.
Just as dangerous, if not more so than the types of gambling mentioned above, is poker on the internet. Now people do not have to get up and go to a casino but can gamble in his pajamas. Poker is growing rapidly as demonstrated by the numbers of times it is on ESPN, FSN, Travel channel and the old Outdoor Living Network. What poker has to do with outdoor living is beyond me. But since the "sport" is popular among the young, various channels are broacasting it. In the past the game is played by ugly old men in dark glasses and long beard, the type you would run away from in a dark alley. Recently I surfed through one of the sport channels and noticed all the poker players in a tournament were young men. Several of them were Asians. Some of these young guys had quit their job to go on the poker tour full time. One Asian kid had dropped out of U. of Florida where he was a pre-med student with a 4.0 GPA. Even if these young men are successful on the tour, we are wasting a lot of talent in this gambling business that could have been used elsewhere.
Few years ago I wrote something tongue in cheek that said that UCLA should get rid of their football and basketball programs because they were hiring blacks who normally would not get into school to play for them. With the large number of Asians at the school, they should have scholarships for sports like ping pong, gymnastics, and field hockey so that the Wongs and the Patels can play. If enough Asians actually concentrate on sports, they will do less well and will actually lead to more opportunities for other ethnic groups to get into UCLA. Although it was tongue in cheek, I truly believe that having role models in sports and entertainment business actually hurt blacks in the long run. Very few blacks actually make it in sports and entertainment and they would be better off understanding that and try to make it in academics. If the sports opportunites existed for Asians, then less of them will do well in academics. This may become prophetic from what I see on the poker tour. If more Asian kids believe they can play poker for a living, whether on tour or on the internet, they will care less about school. Asian females already outnumber their male counterparts in colleges and the gap will only widen if poker and other forms of gambling become even more popular. On the other hand, I did see couple of Asian women the other day on the professional billiard tour.......
Sunday, December 24, 2006
4 comments:
Use the following html code to make a clickable link in your comment (instructions in the sidebar). You can test the link by previewing your comment.
<a href="http://angryyellowman.blogspot.com">Angry Yellow Man</a>
The above example will display as Angry Yellow Man
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Well, I thought I'd chime in on this one. I'm not sure what your point was for the blog though.
ReplyDeleteIs it anti-gambling? Role models?
I think there's a difference between gambling at casinos and playing in poker tournaments. I don't dispute that gambling is a dangerous activity and that casinos on some level target those that are most vulnerable. But it is a business and people who go into these establishments only have themselves to blame should they become addicted or lose their money. Everyone knows the odds favor the casinos. If they didn't casinos would be out of business.
For those that decide to make a career out of playing poker, well, I say, good luck to you. The game is still a game of chance and there is some luck involved. But there are guys and gals out there that are making a living doing it. I suppose that with sponsorships and what have you it could be a feasable profession. Like any self-employed job, there are risks.
I actually don't mind seeing asians on the gambling and billiards circuit. It sure mixes up some of the stereotypes. Though if more asians join these professions, people may label them as people who like to gamble (which may be close to reality---I know a lot of asian people who like to go to the casinos).
As for role models in the black community, I agree with you to some extent. I think to some degree that role models are molded at home. But kids are bombarded with entertainment and celebrity is something that many people dream about. So I wouldn't think that it's a black community problem, but more of an american social problem.
How many people actually look up to scientists and politicians as role models? I would venture to guess that not many kids do unless they have a dream or a passion to become a doctor, scientist or politician. I would think that more kids dream of being an entertainer or athlete. Is it far-fetched? Sure, but that's what's great about this country...you are allowed to dream.
OK, so maybe you don't make it to the pros, but maybe you get a scholarship and graduate with a degree.
For the others, hopefully the parents or guardians can instill in the child a sense of responsibility and discipline to advance themself.
Well, that's my two cents...Happy New Year, hope you have more blogs in 2007!
-LBOAYM
Well, I thought I'd chime in on this one. I'm not sure what your point was for the blog though.
ReplyDeleteIs it anti-gambling? Role models?
I think there's a difference between gambling at casinos and playing in poker tournaments. I don't dispute that gambling is a dangerous activity and that casinos on some level target those that are most vulnerable. But it is a business and people who go into these establishments only have themselves to blame should they become addicted or lose their money. Everyone knows the odds favor the casinos. If they didn't casinos would be out of business.
For those that decide to make a career out of playing poker, well, I say, good luck to you. The game is still a game of chance and there is some luck involved. But there are guys and gals out there that are making a living doing it. I suppose that with sponsorships and what have you it could be a feasable profession. Like any self-employed job, there are risks.
I actually don't mind seeing asians on the gambling and billiards circuit. It sure mixes up some of the stereotypes. Though if more asians join these professions, people may label them as people who like to gamble (which may be close to reality---I know a lot of asian people who like to go to the casinos).
As for role models in the black community, I agree with you to some extent. I think to some degree that role models are molded at home. But kids are bombarded with entertainment and celebrity is something that many people dream about. So I wouldn't think that it's a black community problem, but more of an american social problem.
How many people actually look up to scientists and politicians as role models? I would venture to guess that not many kids do unless they have a dream or a passion to become a doctor, scientist or politician. I would think that more kids dream of being an entertainer or athlete. Is it far-fetched? Sure, but that's what's great about this country...you are allowed to dream.
OK, so maybe you don't make it to the pros, but maybe you get a scholarship and graduate with a degree.
For the others, hopefully the parents or guardians can instill in the child a sense of responsibility and discipline to advance themself.
Well, that's my two cents...Happy New Year, hope you have more blogs in 2007!
-LBOAYM
Thanks for the comment. You are right, I did try to make more than 1 point in 1 blog and it may be confusing.
ReplyDeleteI am anti-gambling but I don't think that the Indians are worse than the Las Vegas owners. As you say its a personal choice to go into casinos and gamble. What I have problem with is that the Indians use their profit and buy off politicians so that they can spread their casinos in ever wider areas in this state. If someone wants to drive to Las Vegas to gamble, that is their choice but I don't want casinos all over my backyard with the message that this all about self-reliance.
I understand that we are bombarded with the messages that it is cool to be an athlete or an entertainer. It is all right to dream also. This is not a ethnic or cultrual phenomenon. But in reality it hurts blacks more than Asians because there are many more of these so-called role models among blacks so that there is a false sense that these are reachable goals. Sure, Asians may look up to Yao Ming (who doesn't?), but they understand there is no chance that they will be 7'6. In fact in China the basketball player the kids try to emulate the most is Allen Iverson. But once they failed to make the regional tryouts the dreams end. One of the biggest idol among young Chinese is Bill Gates. Gates is not an idol at all among American youths. While you may not succeed emulating Gates, if you get one-tenth as far, you will have succeeded economically. If you saw the movie Hoop Dreams, you can see that while basketball gave the 2 boys a chance for education, it was way short of what they could have done if they had spend the time studying instead. And many black kids believe that they can go beyond those two main characters in the movie.
While most Asians realize by the time they get to high school, basketball is not for them, they may think that poker is a possibility. Afterall, they may have grown up watching their parents play mahjong and go to casinos. This certainly won't help our sterotype.
I know there is no way to decrease the influence of sports and entertainment on our youths. It is just make me more angry that they glamorize an activity that can lead to addiction and personal failures. I think all those networks should think about this, although I am sure they won't. You are right that it is ultimately up to the parents which of course does not make me optimistic.
So I have not narrowed it down to one single point. This may have even confused you further but hopefully we can discuss this and other topics again soon. Happy new year!
I think I understand where you are coming from on all points and to a degree I agree with you.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the underlining theme for all these points is that people need to take responsibility for themselves and their families.
I am neither anti-gambling nor pro-gambling. That is a personal choice that people make. Would I oppose a casino in my backyard? Probably. I guess it all depends on the socio-economic effects it would have on my community.
I know that the Native Americans here in Michigan have had a harder time getting casinos here in the past, but I do recall that the people of the city got the chance to vote for it.
Has the three major casinos in Detroit helped the city at all? I think it's still too early to say. If you talk to city officials, they'll claim that the casinos bring in jobs, along with money.
Sounds good, but I'm pessimistic. Detroit is unique where it is not a destination city. People do not go to downtown Detroit unless it's for a big event like the Super Bowl, so I don't see why anyone from out of town would come just for the gambling.
I would venture to guess that the money the casinos make here are off the residents of metro Detroit. So how does this help the residents if they're the ones losing their money?
I am unfamiliar with the situation in California but I am not surprised that the casinos are buying off politicians. It is unfortunate that this could happen. But like any other business the people involved are in it for the money and they'll do whatever it takes to make that money and squeeze it out of consumers.
How many casinos are popping up in your area? Last time I was there, there was only one. How can any economy sustain so many casinos? To me, they're more of a drain to the local economy.
I think as far as role models go, I still think this is a family issue. I don't have a problem with kids chasing their dream and idolizing others. But in the end, I think that they have to be prepared for the real world in case those dreams don't become reality and that starts at home.
The question is, how do you convince a whole society to take ownership in their kids' lives?
At this point I totally agree with you that we are bombarded with visions of wealth and celebrity. Everyone wants to "be like Mike".
Where are the leaders? Who's going to tell them, "Hey, stay in school, study and be kind to your fellow man?" Who is the Martin Luther King Jr. of today?
I almost liked your use of Bill Gates as an example, though I think that he has a god-given gift that many don't have and he was at the right place at the right time.
I have no problems with people idolizing him or striving to be like him. And in that point, you are also correct by saying that if you get 1/10th as far, then you've done well...and that CAN be done.
Lastly, you are correct that the networks glamorize this stuff. Hey, it's what sells and they're in it for the money.
You and I know it's not going to change. So it comes back to the point I made about a half an hour ago. It all starts with the taking ownership in yourself and your family.
Well, I am willing to "bet" that this blog is not over! I didn't mean to post twice, but it makes the blog look like it's been read by more than two people.
LBOAYM