How long will we continue to fool ourselves into believing that a casino, bar, or pub can bend our social and moral values? Come on, it’s time to face the reality! Human beings have the ability to think, analyze, and decide what is right and what is wrong. Therefore, it is us who are responsible for degrading or upgrading our social and moral values. The fact is that a casino is like any other workplace; it provides jobs to thousands of unemployed people. Therefore, in a place where more than 20 percent of the population is jobless and their only ray of hope is a casino, contemplating on the impacts of a casino just does not seem right. You see, there are always two sides of a coin; it is up to you to figure out what is more important for the society in Sturgis Michigan and the surrounding area.

Another thing that you clearly need to distinguish is the difference between speculation and fact. The point that a casino can pollute the area and destroy social and moral values of a society is pure speculation. It is a topic that can have endless debates without any outcome. However, the fact is that thousands of people are unemployed in an area and do not have money to buy one square meal. The fact is that these people have not seen happiness for a long time. The fact is that these people hate themselves for not being able to fill their children’s stomachs. The fact is that these people die a slow death everyday and do not want tomorrow to come. The fact is that these people cry everyday when they are alone. The fact is that these people want a job and want to live just like you do. Is that asking for too much? Taking into account these facts, how can people block their only ray of hope? In a place where there are no other means of earning money, stopping a casino from being built is not justified.

Come to think of it, the construction of a casino can generate 1000 to 1200 temporary jobs. After the casino is constructed and is operational, it will provide anything between 2000 to 2400 permanent jobs. How does this make the casino a culprit? In fact, it is a blessing in disguise to all the jobless individuals who are in desperate need for money. Can you be heartless enough to oppose the building of a casino and deprive these jobless people of the only source of income? Can you be selfish enough to consider the social impacts of a casino far more important than the feelings of all the jobless people? Thinking just about us is something that each and every person does. Let us take a step ahead and think about all those unemployed people who want to live a normal life just like we do. Let us help them in getting a job so that they can fill their stomachs everyday. Let us bring smiles to the faces of all our jobless neighbors. Let’s do it this time.

Mark West is a researcher and advocate for the Sturgis Needs Jobs Website. After a proposal was submitted to develop a very large scale Sturgis casino that would create thousands of jobs in an area where more than 20 percent of the population is unemployed and our Michigan Representatives have opposed the development, he writes to help his fellow citizens who are deprived of basic needs such as a job. He writes to defend the only chance that the jobless people have to earn legitimate money and put food on their table. Help Sturgis and the neighboring community in their struggle for existence. It is time we stand united and fight for our basic right, the right to survive. Visit the website and learn more about the ultimate weapon against unemployment at—> http://sturgisneedsjobs.com