SHROUDED IN DEMOCRACY

Re:"Majority of Calgarians favor limiting access to VLT's," Calgary Herald,
Apr.5.

It's ridiculous to suggest that the VLT issue is one of freedom of choice
and democracy. We, as a society, are constantly limiting some of the
choices we can make in our daily lives through our laws.

Witness anti-drug laws. Without a doubt this law attempts to limit the
freedom of choice of a junkie to pump himself up with heroin. Collectively,
we have spoken to our politicians and demanded that this kind of behaviour
not be tolerated.

Sometimes the laws may seem arbitrary. Alcohol and cigarettes, for example,
are acceptable whereas marijuana is not. I'll argue that cigarettes kill
more people in a year than marijuana ever will - or VLT's for that matter -
but the point is that society has deemed some activities legal and others
not, with little regard to "freedom of choice."

The VLT issue is about whether or not we allow people to destroy their
livelihood and that of their families.

As we debate this issue in the following weeks, beware of those who shroud
themselves in democracy and freedom, all while pursuing their own interests.

Dan Lemay Calgary