He lights fires, and they spread. The flame that first lit Grey's fuse was a riverboat casino in Galena, Illinois, the quaint Mississippi River town where he lived quietly with his wife and served as the local Methodist pastor. This hometown fight led to invitations to speak in Iowa, Indiana, Missouri and other states grappling with a riverboat onslaught. After all, a majority of Americans gamble. But we're not for prohibition.
People can go to Las Vegas or play poker in their homes.
We are just saying, Let's stop the expansion of gambling. In fact, in several states, Common Cause and N.A.A.C.P. chapters are fighting gambling alongside restaurant associations, bowling alleys, video arcades, theme parks and racetracks that fear losing business to casinos. In Louisiana this week Southern Baptists are escorting Grey to rallies around the state. In Michigan Christian Coalition members helped collect 100,000 signatures on petitions to block casinos in Detroit. I don't have time to organize the goddam rear.