Getting Gamblers Off The Streets - And Response (4)

  • Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Our city is beset on all sides with sex offenders who fail to register, non stop gunfire, drug dealers, repeat offender thieves who never spend a night in jail. Domestic assault runs rampant, burglaries a hundred times a day. Thieves ransack cars parked at motels all over town.

Maybe these things are happening because the focus of investigators for the past year has been on a card game at the VFW on Amnicola Highway.  Really? 

I've got a secret to share with the investigators. Every convenience store in Chattanooga is promoting gambling and making a profit off it.  I confess; I'm in possession of a gambling device myself. Although I'm not hooked on scratch off lottery tickets, I think there are a few of them in my glove compartment.

Now, my business has been broken into twice in the past month and the thieves will get suspended sentences again and will continue with immunity to steal from other people because we don't have enough jail cells to hold them all.  

What's the difference in these criminals?  Ten thousand dollars was seized from these notorious gamblers and they will probably pay the fines levied against them. The real criminals, thugs, thieves, rapists and robbers won't pay their fines, and will cost the court system tons of unrecoverable money to prosecute them. 

One nation, under God with liberty and justice for all, well, not all. 

Harry Presley
Chattanooga 

* * * 

Mr. Presley, 

I know I will sleep much better at night knowing that the local police and law enforcement agencies focused their resources and our hard earned tax dollars on these hardened criminals.  The city of Chattanooga is a much safer place.  Now that this mission is accomplished and these gamblers have been arrested, maybe we can focus some of those now available resources on the numerous stabbings, shootings, armed robberies and thefts that are plaguing our once fair city.  If we’re lucky, maybe those criminals can have their day in court along with the VFW gang.  

Chris Morgan 

* * * 

The government doesn’t like any competition, they will whack you if try to get in on their turf.  How many bets will be made this weekend on football games? 

Chuck Davis
Lookout Mountain, Tenn. 

* * *

Let's be clear. The police are employed to respond to violations of the law. Lottery ticket purchases are legal, so buy all the lottery tickets you desire. Poker games for money are illegal. Hence, the recent arrests at the local VFW.  

Once an illegal activity is reported to the police, they are obligated to assess the situation and deal with it. The police are not at liberty to pick and choose which laws to enforce. They are not at liberty to ignore repeated public complaints about illegal activities either.  

Don't expect the police to look the other way on illegal poker games.  If you want poker gambling legalized in the state of Tennessee, lead a political movement and bring it to a ballot for a vote.  Don't berate the police for enforcing the law. That's their job.  Also, it's illogical to think if the police had not raided the VFW that they could have wiped out crime in America.   

Children: If you play with matches long enough, you are going to get burned. Teens: If you drive at excess speeds long enough, you will eventually get a ticket. Adults: If you play illegal poker games in an organized setting at the local VFW long enough, you will be arrested. Please don't whine about our police officers when you, your family or neighbors are arrested and booked for committing a crime. It's bad for the morale of law officers and it reflects poorly on those doing the whining.  

Deborah Scott
Chattanooga 

* * * 

I want to start out by saying that while I read these articles on The Chattanoogan regularly, I normally do not participate in the discussion. I have probably responded to maybe two articles over the last five years or so. However, I found my blood pressure at a significantly higher rate than normal after reading these entries. I also want to point out before anyone points fingers and says that anyone is “whining,” that I have never participated in any of these illegal poker games or wished to do so.  

With that being said, I have to say that I agree with Mr. Presley on this issue. The crime rate in our once great city is at an all-time high. Every day I turn on the television to local news or read online about more violence, shootings, stabbings, fatalities, more gangs, more rape, more drugs, more crime. The only thing the citizens of our city have less of is safety and comfort.  How many people have been shot this year alone in Chattanooga? How many of those responsible have even been charged or arrested, much less brought to justice?  

And the main focus of crime as far as law enforcement has been concerned for the past year has been a card game at the VFW hall? Now I realize that there are multiple branches of law enforcement, and that the raid on the VFW was more than likely just one of many operations currently underway in Chattanooga. That being said, it would seem that rather valuable resources and taxpayer money is being used to combat a victimless crime. At the end of the day, was anyone even pleased about that game being raided? Did anyone even care? I didn’t. After all, gambling is a misdemeanor. 

Not that I am or ever would accuse law enforcement of such, however it wouldn’t be that far-fetched for myself or anyone else for that matter to consider the fact that the police seem to be more interested in the crimes that are more profitable for the city of Chattanooga. How much money was “recovered” at the “scene of the crime?" It seems to me that if the police were as dedicated to taking the drugs off the streets and ending all of this violence in our city which has led things to the point where the citizens that are actually contributing to our local economy are afraid to walk down the streets at night, then the city we all live in and call home would be a much better place.  

Sounds to me like the fine officials of Chattanooga wanted a piece of the pie, and succeeded in doing so in the name of “law and order.” 

I would also like to address the points of defense in regard to Mr. Morgan. How can you possibly consider anyone participating in a simple poker game, illegal or otherwise, a “hardened criminal?”  Really? By that logic, I suppose that we are all hardened criminals for shooting off fireworks on the fourth of July. I can see it now; “Notorious Hardened Criminal Finally Arrested For Fireworks Display On America’s Birthday.” Sounds ridiculous, right? Well there isn’t any difference in my opinion as they are both illegal in Tennessee.  

Gambling is a victimless crime. The same cannot be said about virtually anything else that is going on in Chattanooga in regards to crime. You say that you sleep better at night knowing that these “criminals” are off the street? So you were losing sleep at night about a possible illegal poker game at the VFW hall?  

Chattanooga has multiple shootings per day, an all-time high murder rate which is still climbing, an overall crime rate that would probably rival Flint, MI and you’re losing sleep over a card game?  I’m scared to ask what you’re losing regarding the plague of crime in Chattanooga. To each their own, I suppose, but I’d be willing to bet that just about every other taxpayer in Chattanooga is less than pleased that the “VFW gang” took precedence over what most would consider the “real crime” in our city.   

Well, I’m off to buy some lottery tickets so wish me luck. Feels like today might be the day so it’s worth a gamble. Anyone ever noticed how you have to pay cash for those things?  

Shannon Cox
Chattanooga

Opinion
We Owe Rhonda Thurman So Much
  • 3/28/2024

Thank you, Rhonda Thurman, for your excellent representation and service. You have totally fulfilled your commitment to be the voice of your constituents. Balance is always the objective in making ... more

Democratic View On Top State Senate Issues - March 28, 2024
  • 3/28/2024

Constitutional amendment would ban state taxes on property. Who would benefit? 8:30 a.m. Senate Regular Calendar — HJR 0081 would amend the Tennessee Constitution to prohibit the legislature ... more

Democratic View On Top State Senate Issues - March 27, 2024
  • 3/27/2024

Gov. Lee reveals $797M of new spending, but withholds funding for legislature’s voucher proposals View the Lee Administration’s Budget Amendment — The Lee Administration made its last revisions ... more