Protect me from what I want

House approves online gambling ban

Who the hell do these people think they are?
Oh yeah, elitist, holier-than-thou, masters of the great unwashed masses.

"Gambling?! The peasants subjects citizens can't do that, they have no self-control!"
I think that's what the actual bill says... I suppose it's possible that some folks still haven't heard of Nevada.

So is ALL gambling immoral or is it just the gambling that takes place on the internet?

It seems that this legislation has roots in the increasing number of "young people" becoming addicted to internet gambling an going into debt. So, whenever people become addicted to something, just ban it? Or is this just about vices? And, since when did these guys become champions of the moral high-ground?!

The funny thing about vices, is that they aren't really a human invention (or a legislative one!), they're a religious one. A civilized society without any form of religion would develop its own kind of morals, but they would be very human; don't hurt others, don't take what's not yours, etc. But the idea the gambling is evil and prostitution is wrong, and homosexuality is satanic are all religious ideas.

While we have a moment, please allow me to get into the constitutionality here; there's none.
Ok, moving on...

So, are they really concerned about our eternal souls, or are they all just bitter because they're not getting a piece of the billions of dollars being spent on internet gambling? Spoil sports...

"I wanna play, guys!"
"No, we're playing."
"Fine! I'm taking my ball and going home so no one can play!"
"??? But, that's MY ball!"

But, lets give them the benefit of the doubt for a moment... (don't worry, it's just for argument's sake) They see so many people getting addicted to internet gambling, and going into debt, and feel that they should save us from ourselves. Their intentions may be noble, but they simply shouldn't have the power to wag their finger at us, and say "You'll poke your eye out!" Our parents told (or taught) us not to touch hot stoves, we didn't our "moral betters" to make it illegal to touch stoves to keep people from burning themselves.

That seems to be the problem with America now. We're so sheltered by parents and society and kept from doing "wrong" by laws that we don't make any mistakes growing up, and learn nothing.

People need to make mistakes to grow, if that mistake is getting addicted to online gambling, they will realize they've got a problem, and get help with their addiction, and learning from the experience.

Keeping the citizens of a society from learning from their mistakes by making the learning experiences illegal raises a personally crippled people, ignorant to the dangers of the world they live in.

The drug war is no different.