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BY MELISSA LAUBER
UMCONNECTION STAFF

Opposing slot machines in Maryland has been compared to the battle between David and Goliath, with the grassroots community battling large corporations to prevent this form of legalized gambling from being added to the state constitution.

"It's similar, but David at least had a stone," said Scott Arceneaux of Marylanders United to Stop Slots, who recently lamented the millions of dollars that will be spent by pro-slot forces to convince voters to bring up to 15,000 slot machines to five locations throughout the state.

Fortunately, it's not money that will win this battle, said Bishop John R. Schol, of the Baltimore-Washington Conference. "We're counting on people who care about doing the right thing for the right reason to vote ‘no' on Question Two on Nov. 4. Slots here in Maryland are not acceptable."

The bishop spoke Sept. 26 as part of a panel of faith leaders at the National Coalition against Legalized Gambling's annual convention at the Gaylord Hotel at the National Harbor.

"Our opposition to slots grows out of who we are as people of faith," Bishop Schol said. "We follow Jesus' commands to ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself.' Gambling violates those principle understandings of our faith."

Joining the bishop in the discussion were the Rev. Jeremiah Weaver of Mt. Nebo African Methodist Episcopal Church in Bowie and the Rev. Byron Brought of Calvary UMC in Annapolis.

Brought and Weaver pointed out that local churches will be responsible for addressing the negative impact of slots on people's lives. As a regressive tax on the poor, which prey on people's addictions, slots are a tragedy in the making, they said.

"It will be the churches who will have to pick up the pieces," said Brought, who characterized the legalization of slots as "predatory, addictive and deceptive."

United Methodists have been fighting the threat of slots being legalized in Maryland for more than a decade. "We're down to the wire," said Sandy Ferguson, director of social justice ministries for the Baltimore-Washington Conference. "The actions we take in the next few weeks to get people out to the polls to vote against slots is critical."

United Methodists oppose slots as "a menace to society and good government," Ferguson said. "The fact that Maryland is facing budget shortages does not change that. Slots are not a magic bullet to cure all our fiscal worries."

In fact, Ferguson said, some studies show that slots actually cost the state $3 in services for every $1 they deliver in revenue.

History also shows that slots kill local businesses, bring addiction, destroy neighborhoods and increase crime. "They are insidious, and we must work now to defeat them," Ferguson said.

Ferguson applauded the efforts of people like Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot, who has spoken out, along with Bishop Schol, for several years against the legalization of slots.

Franchot warned the people at the conference that approval of the ballot measure on Nov. 4 could open the door to more gaming, including casinos at the National Harbor, the Inner Harbor in Baltimore and other locations around the state.

"We all need to be asking ourselves: when slots come to town, who wins and who loses," asked the Rev. Tom Gray, director of the National Coalition against Legalized Gambling. "Who plays and who pays?"