Poker in the land of the not-so free
October 06, 2006 -
Listen! It's been a rough week for US-based poker players. Especially those of us who play primarily online. I've been annoyed and upset because at least three of my online accounts have been closed or are in the process of being closed. Ugh!
Gaming companies have lost stock power and revenue. People are up in arms. In fact, this whole week smacks of some weird kind of mass hysteria a la War of the Worlds or something.
Truthfully, online poker wasn't dealt a death blow in the United States by the anti-gaming legislation thrown into the Safe Port Act. However, it sure seems like it because people, including myself, have been panicking.
Now that I've had some sleep - and my antidepressants (hehe), I can begin to see that some good will come out of this poker witchhunt - and yes, that's what I'm calling it. People who are serious about the game will continue to play. The rest will go bye-bye! That could be very good for the game. There's too many donkeys and idiots playing, especially online. A lot of those donkeys and idiots hail from the good ole U S of A. You know it's true!
Okay! I'm not stupid. I know some businesses will close and the WSOP may see a drop in attendance next year. But, is that really so bad?
In a way, I'm glad. I will continue to play the game within legal parameters whatever they should prove themselves to be. As of right now, NOTHING HAS CHANGED!
I will make time to play in Vegas or Foxwoods more. I will play because I want to and I feel it's my right to do so! My right as a free person, and I'm still free although the way things are going in the United States make me wonder otherwise sometimes!
This anti-gaming legislation is being enacted by a few conservative individuals who represent a vocal - and unfortunately powerful - minority in this country. They're so right wing they can't even turn left. It's frustrating and annoying that they're singling out gaming...and doing so in such a cheap way, by tacking riders onto the Safe Port Act which we definitely need.
Oh well! I still have freedom of choice and freedom of speech and the freedom to play poker where I'm allowed to play poker so I'm going to play poker for myself and for my freedom. How about you?
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