Idea: Gambling Civil Disobedience

[FTL_Ian]

Here's an idea.

FACT:  Governments outlaw gambling so they can have a legal monopoly on it and give people really bad odds in state lottos.

IDEA:  One day, NH Free activists sell raffle tickets out front of the state lotto office, pull a winner, and award cash.  Publicize in advance as usual.  Attack the state monopoly, and encourage decriminalizing gambling.  It is not necessary to push for abolishing the state lotto as people will stop using it anyway once private ones with far better odds spring up!!

This could get wide support, and would be an EASY event to pull off.

[Russell Kanning]

I really like the idea.

[Russell Kanning]

That is a sscard that Roger made.

[Russell Kanning]

[FTL_Ian]

I bet you got no sleep thinking about this one.  I guarantee you ---you would be screwing with NH's holy grail....  "Pick as Many as You Want"  do not pass go and go to jail for life... sure some federal RICO Act charges could be thrown together....to make the sentence as severe as possible to prevent it from happening again.  Multiply manicurist reaction by State x 10,000. You go IAN--- maybe while you are at it--- you can podcast it live from the Capital steps.   Just have someone lined up to Broadcast Free Ian live....

Heh.. afraid I'm not quite in NH yet.  This would be so much more powerful than the manicurist, because it would be EASY to have a crowd of NHFree activists participate in the raffle.  How many will they arrest?

Techincal note: Podcasting by it's nature is not live.  Broadcasting is.

[Michael Fisher]

Make it as innocent as possible.  If it's pulled off correctly, then this will be an excellent event, Ian.   

Also, freedominnh is correct.  The state will most likely overreact again, and the outcome should be the same:  the government's loss of the consent of the governed.

The government's reaction to a gambling-related noncooperation event will be similar to its reaction to an alcohol-related event.  The government makes countless millions by monopolizing these industries, and it will show extreme jealousy of any competition.

[JonM]

I would expect many groups are doing 50/50 type raffles in NH.  You sell tickets, one gets picked, half goes to the winner, half to the group selling the tickets.  How regulated that is . . . dunno.

On the other hand I don't know if you want to muck with getting the state coming down on gambling civil discordance right when you want to run a gambling fundraiser for the LSF, it could make that more difficult.

[Michael Fisher]

On the other hand I don't know if you want to muck with getting the state coming down on gambling civil discordance right when you want to run a gambling fundraiser for the LSF, it could make that more difficult.

Good point.

[FTL_Ian]

Sounds to me like it would result in more publicity for your fundraiser, and therefore more funds raised.

[Lloyd Danforth]

It would be a good stunt aimed at bringing about legal privite gaming in NH.  I'm not sure if a connection would be made between the Civil Disobediance and the LSF thing, but, perhaps the first could wait until after the second is set in motion.

[tracysaboe]

Go for it.

I mean, if you think it'll accomplish anything.

Tracy

[FTL_Ian]

Valid point, I keep forgetting the State has a complete monopoly on hard liquor.  You have to admit rest stops with liquor stores are unique flavour....gives people a chance to pee, sleep it off and then refill their tanks for the next leg of their booze cruise...

Ian, I understand, that is why you would be on videotape first

Huh?  Maybe it's a little too early, but I don't understand the videotape comment...

[FTL_Ian]

Seeing that it is your idea and all....thought that you would want to be the grandmaster of ceremonies....

Well, if no one does it before we get up there, that sounds like a good idea.

[FTL_Ian]

You think?  Maybe if there were only 5 participants, but what about 10?  20?  30?

[Michael Fisher]

Uh, yeah... a government will arrest 60,000 people if necessary.

You don't think they will?

"The law is the law!"