Giving thanks on November 26
and praying for representative democracy in Md.

Perhaps it’s all about lies and lying. In 1493, Columbus first reported back to the Court of Madrid about the riches he had found in Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic) and about the gold; the malleable and trusting natives; the rich, fertile lands; and the good harbors he had seen. He was quickly rewarded. Instead of a measly three ships, he was given 17 along with 1200 men, all in return for the slaves and gold he promised to bring back.
In the end, he caused murder and suicide, brought fatal diseases to more than 100,000 natives, and destroyed indigenous societies and cultures. Indeed, within 35 years, the Arawak population of Hispaniola had declined from 250,000 to 500.

Native people, as chronicled by contemporary ethno-historian Frances Jennings, would eventually learn three lessons from their interactions with Europeans. First, they broke promises “whenever obligation conflicted with advantage.” Second, their way of making war had no “scruple or mercy.” And third, as seen in the premise of Jared Diamond’s Guns, Germs and Steel, contemporary native weapons were relatively useless against those of the Europeans. In the end, massacres, sickness, and duplicity decimated the regional Pequot and Wampanoags of the northeast, and many of the nearly 10 million natives that inhabited North America.

The Puritans, to whom we attribute our Thanksgiving feasts, cited two biblical references as rationalizations for seizing settled land. One was Psalms 2:8 justifying taking heathen property. The other was Roman 13:2 countenancing the use of force to take the land. God was on their side.

So, while we’re giving thanks, we ought to ask ourselves if we’ve become the new “heathens.”

Has our trust in elected officials made us into a community of patsies? Like those Europeans in the age of exploration, they come into our communities, shake hands, kiss babies, etc., and the next thing you know, they’re advocating for measures that change the basic ethical nature of our state.

Although during his campaign, Governor O’Malley quietly took a position in favor of saving the horse breeding industry, and his rival Doug Duncan was strongly against slot machines, those issues were hardly the center of the campaign.
Slots are about enriching the coffers of a few well-placed and privileged people while capitalizing on the addictive inclinations of some. Like the Court of Madrid, slot machines are also about appealing to the call of greed and easy money. Moreover, they are a sign of a concession by Democrats to the right wing that has tried to exact a pledge against new taxes for the past two decades.

The argument that Maryland is losing money to neighboring states should not be our primary concern. Building a more ethical and efficient government and state should be. The government has better ways to raise money and balance the budget, and we need to be looking at those alternatives.

But lobbyists, representatives of special interest groups, and those wishing better to fill their own pockets line up to curry favor with politicians we’ve elected to public office.

I’m assuming, for example, that the residents of Calvert County know that when they elect Thomas V. Mike Miller to his state senate seat, he’ll go on promoting gambling, hospitality, alcohol, and horse breeding interests. They must know he received almost $100,000 over two election cycles from those interests, and that his family business, BK Miller Company (Super Liquor Store, run by his daughter), benefits from decisions he makes in his leadership position in the senate. He does not recuse himself when alcohol-related issues come up for a vote.

My guess is that raising alcohol taxes (something that hasn’t happened for at least 40 years in our state) would bring in as much money as slots. And it might deter underage drinking and save lives to boot! I’m not talking about putting a proposal of a measly tax of five cents a drink on beer, which would raise approximately $30 million annually. I’m thinking more like 25 cents. Ditto on alcohol, wine, and hard liquor. That could bring in $300 to $500 million a year!
Closer to home, District 20 State Rep. Sheila Hixson has “held” in her Ways and Means Committee any proposed alcohol tax. Every year it comes up, and every year it fails to get out of her committee.

Perhaps this Thanksgiving, we need to do more than offer a small prayer before chowing down. Unlike America’s original natives, who had no way to prepare for the disease and societal devastation that Columbus brought, we have every opportunity to inform ourselves. Maybe we ought to commit to reading and learning about those in whom we place our trust to hold public office. We can study other examples of the impact of slot machines and the effects of politicians who yield to special interests.

If we are an informed electorate, we do have the power to remove elected officials “whenever obligation conflict[s] with advantage.” We don’t have to allow their selfish, short-sighted interests to negatively impact our communities.
Happy Thanksgiving!

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