Poker prohibition bad hand for Americans

I hope to shed light on the controversy surrounding the movement
to ban Internet gaming. It is an issue of much personal concern for
me, having become an avid and successful online poker player. It is
also an issue of a much broader concern as well ““ one of
civil liberties.

A recent bill, which was pushed through the House by Republicans
and is expected to be signed by President Bush soon, makes it
illegal for U.S. banks and credit card companies to process funding
for Internet bets.

The bill has effectively been swept under the rug by politicians
and is a blatant disservice to the general public and an insult to
our American constitutional principles.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist hailed the bill, saying,
“Gambling is a serious addiction that undermines the family,
dashes dreams, and frays the fabric of society.”

This makes it sound like the House is doling out care and
generosity to the masses, and that we as a government are taking
time out of our day to tend to the poor, depraved individuals in
our society who don’t know better.

But apparently, they believe we can’t make personal
decisions or form opinions on our own.

There was a scenario similar to this modern battle against
online gaming that occurred roughly half a century ago:
Prohibition.

It turned out to be such an embarrassing and uncontrollable
policy that the government felt obligated to provide a public and
lasting apology known as the 21st Amendment.

We are very fortunate to live in a democratic and capitalistic
society here in the United States where we are guaranteed the
freedoms and opportunities necessary to grow as a society.

I trust I will always have the ability to use my money the way I
want. Gambling, defined as risking money on the outcome of chance,
is a mere one of many ways that I am able to practice this
freedom.

Americans are no strangers to using money in unorthodox or
seemingly wasteful ways. I have a friend who enjoys working on cars
in his spare time. Just recently, he spent a small fortune jazzing
up a classic Mustang he had purchased as a joyride.

Another friend spent hundreds of dollars on a little piece of
plastic that he told us was an important accessory for his digital
camera.

Should we ban McDonald’s in order to protect “Fast
Food Nation” from itself? Should we make gas illegal to
protect citizens from the insane price hikes?

Should college final exams be deemed illegal? I heard that some
people become very stressed out, become detached from reality,
change their sleep and dietary habits, and have huge mood swings
because of them. That sounds a lot worse than a casual game of
cards.

I view online poker as a great form of satisfaction, as well as
a valuable source of my income. Just like I can play solitaire,
hearts and backgammon with the click of a mouse, so too can I find
myself playing a casual and efficiently run game of poker.

Congressmen have worked hard to take away this right to play
online poker. It’s a scary proposition, because chances are,
they aren’t bluffing.

Shinzaki is a second-year pre-business economics
student.