I obviously completely disagree with the anti-gambling croud, but I would not be so judgmental to deem all North Carolinians as "close-minded," as you do.

I think a large segment of the population in N.C. despises gambling, which is their right.  I don't think some of the comments about BINGO mentioned above apply to such people, because I don't think BINGO is used as a fundraiser in Born Again ministries.  Someone can certainly correct me on this if I'm wrong.

I guess it's not in my personality to give a hoot about what someone else thinks, so it's hard to sympathize with the "shameful winners" described in the story.  I do feel bad for them, in that they do not have the ability to enjoy their new-found wealth, and are dragged down by feelings of guilt.

By the way, regarding the "red state" comment mentioned by Brad, I would rather live in a red state any day of the week.  And this comes from someone living in a blue state (me).  If I'm lucky, someday I'll move to a red state, and it may even be one of the eight without a lottery.

That does show how narrow minded North Carolinans are.  WHAT A BLANKET STATEMENT! - Does that statement cover me too?  I am a native North Carolinian and I'm not narrow minded and I don't know what you mean about being a "red" state.  We are communists too?

Yes, this is the Bible Belt and many people have been brow beaten with religion....all in the presence of bigotry.  But that doesn't make all of us stupid.  Intelligence is an individual thing.   

I'm glad you don't live here either, Bradley_60.    God know we don't need another stupid person.  Oh, did I say God.

Everyone who lives is Michigan are super intelligent and great people, except Bradly_60.  He is stupid.  You can paint him "red."

There are too many wonderful Michigan people on LP for me to be ignorant enough to insult the entire state.

A very valid point about gambling and BINGO.  I think the reason many churches here were opposed to a lottery was for that very reason, it was competition against BINGO.  My parents used to help out with BINGO for the Catholic school my brother attended and they raked in alot of money from it.  Since lottery, video poker, and casinos came to Louisiana, BINGO revenues have been in decline and that will probably start happening in NC.  The church doesn't like the competition.

I remember a story from several years ago about a Louisiana priest who actually refused to have BINGO for his church becuase he saw alot of people cashing Social Security and even Public Assistance(aka Welfare) checks to play BINGO.  He caught alot of flack from the upper ranks of the area Catholic Church for it.  The Catholic church wanted gambling but didn't want anyone else to have it since it cut in on their revenue.

I also agree with the shunning, those people are hypocrites pure and simple.  For all anyone knows, some of them are probably closet lottery players themselves and may have even gone to Vegas or some other place with casinos and gambled.  I tend to think people who engage in this sort of shunning or persecution of "sinners" probably have or are doing all the things they are telling the rest of us not to do and a few other things we haven't heard of or knew were physically possible<grin>.

My message to these people is enjoy your winnings and live a good life.  

Sorry about my post earlier I guess I did come across as blunt.  But it does seem like everyone is on the same page as to how we feel about this subject.

Brad

D.D. is absolutely correct.  Your community's mindset is obviously located in the lowest part of the intestine.  Take an enema and get out of there...fast. The brain is about 3 feet due north and your neighbors don't have a compass.  Sad thing is, they'll have a GPS honed onto your wallet when it suits them.

Shame on them.  "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods".   Must be a verse missing from their bible.

Get on with your life and leave the toilet paper in the toilet.

Congrats on your win! 

And yet you don't seem to have a problem with being judgemental towards democrats and liberals do you Todd? I am really surprised at seeing such hypocrisy from a conservative.

Do all those do goodies harrass the lottery players in the stores when they are buying tickets?

How did they get lottery sales in that town any how.

The anti lottery people of N.C. knew what they were talking about when they said N.C. should not have a lottery.

Now look at what has happen.

This sounds like the reactions the PA Amish give to members of their community who do anything "modern". I've heard of one Amish family who was shunned by the community for buying an electric water pump to wash things on their farm, but not to use for drinking water.

 Closed minded societies are a scary thing. I have found in my travels that the bible belt is such a society. It is a blanket description, but the blanket definitely has some moth holes in it, so to speak. I speak from experiences I've had in Southern Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Southwest Virginia.

Yay!!    I was so excited when I read this post that I dropped my Hillary For President button!