LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY ordos45)

Lawsuit of veiled religious reasons threatens economic development and scholarship programs...

Okay, here's the situation. A lawyer named Harless (who's fundamentalist Christian) is launching a lawsuit against my state government over the new video poker machines. He says its because he feels they are rigged to make people lose (imagine...man's never played in Vegas has he). Now, also backing him silently is the Greenbriar Group (also Fundamentalist Christian and anti-gambling).

Supposedly this is all about people losing money, not his personal beliefs. But when listening to his speeches it leaks through this is about his faith, not anything else. Anyhow, normally if someone wants to flaunt his beliefs in form of a lawsuit, I can care less, but this time it would effect a number of things the proceeds of the machines go to. This includes:
Care for Senior Citizens
Economic Development Projects
State Parks
The Promise Scholarship

Now, I'll admit it becomes personal on the last item. The Promise Scholarship requires I stay in state for a few years after using it, but with my 21 or above on the ACT Test (I got a 23) and a 3.0 in your core classes it will pay a good deal towards your tuition, books, or room and board for in state colleges. I am elligible, and will recieve the Promise Scholarship (in addition to a few others) as long as Harless (and his Fundamentalist backers) don't shoot down the gambling.

So, is it really worth it to possibly take away people's educations, care for the elderly, possible economic growth, and care for state parks over religious beliefs?

For a few references (which unlike local news don't mention the religious aspect):

http://www.lotterypost.com/threads72047.htm
http://www.msnbc.com/local/wsaz/M324062.asp
http://www.newsandsentinel.com/edit/story/0825202003_edtprojects.asp
http://www.wvchamber.com/video_lottery.htm
(Last link mentions the best information on what is funded by the machines.)