Instead of asking casinos for financial advice, look to the ladies of the Red Brick Church

Would you click through to my guest column in the Register Star and comment about whether or not you think bringing a casino to Rockford will help our financial situation?

***********

The Rockford Register Star is one of the most influential papers in Illinois.  The Register Star editorial board recently argued that Rockford should pursue a downtown casino (see here).

I responded with a guest editorial in which I contend that the route to true financial recovery is not taxing the gambling industry.  Instead, we should cultivate sound financial values in our citizenry.

Government leaders who face the brutal task of making decisions about budget cuts are looking for answers. In this column, my proposal is that they receive counsel from a group of ladies right here in northern Illinois.
Many Sundays at the Red Brick Church in Stillman Valley, I have noticed how classy the ladies from my parents’ generation look.

I’m more than a little biased, and our men may be a different story, but where the ladies are concerned, there isn’t a better looking group around. Often, as I shake hands at the front door as people leave, my wife and I comment about how nice we think the ladies look.

When my wife and I do directly compliment one of these ladies, perhaps on a particular dress or jacket, there is a typical response we often receive. The lady who received the kind word will say quietly, “Pastor, I got this on sale for 40 percent off.” Or, “Pastor, would you believe that this dress is over 10 years old?”

The reason, of course, that the ladies from my parents’ generation respond to a compliment about an outfit in this way is because being frugal is deeply ingrained in their value system. Granted, they like the minister noticing that they look nice. But it wouldn’t do for him to think they are throwing money around like sailors on shore leave.
So, there you have my recommendation. . . .

Read the rest here and consider commenting on the Register Star web site.  What’s important on the Register Star web site is not so much that you agree our ladies look nice (they do).  Rather, give input on the decision about whether or not casinos are the right solution.