LEGALIZE VICES

Regarding ``Seminoles' Gamble: Hard Rock Casino'' (MoneySense, June 14):

Tampa's first Vegas-style casino - the new Seminole casino - is another
joyous jump toward freedom in Florida and worldwide. It will be a great
source of tourism and growth. As libertarians say, ``Vice is nice.''

Vices have made Amsterdam into an international tourism destination. On a
recent trip, I was invited to speak about local vice laws in the Hague to
the Netherlands Libertarian Party. Holland has casino gambling, legalized
prostitution and small-scale use of marijuana and hashish. I advocated
repealing vice laws to make Tampa more free than Amsterdam.

Thank goodness for the ``four I's'' : Indians, international waters,
international travel and the Internet. They expand freedom for Tampa
residents. And the Seminoles are doing it without taxes and in defiance of
government. It is fortunate that our local socialists aren't taxing us to
build government-owned casinos. Instead, local hypocrites subsidize
competitive recreation with tax money stolen for socialized stadiums for
violent sports.

Legalizing vices in order to tax vices is wrongheaded. The government
doesn't need more money. Government needs to shrink. Vices should be
legalized, not for taxes, but because criminalizing peaceful activity is
wrong.

The Seminoles are an inspiration to fight government's
antidisestablishmentarianism. As an attorney, a libertarian - and as a
future mayor of Tampa - I say, ``Let's support the Seminoles against the
government.''