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HOW YOU CAN HELP

FIRST, GET THE FACTS

The first thing anyone should do when looking into the issue of expanding gambling, is to get educated.

Too often we get our facts from the media, which under-reports the issue, choosing to focus mainly on gambling operators, politicians, regulators, the various casino proposals and the amounts of money they promise to bring in, and ignoring the concerns of local opposition movements and the numerous well-documented negative impacts of casinos.

The gambling industry has a vested interest in having the public believe that slot machines are a harmless form of entertainment - just as the tobacco industry also once denied it's product was addictive. They have, and will continue to spend millions of dollars to trying to turn Massachusetts into a casino state, and create a sense of inevitability about expanded gambling so that people won't fight.

Looking at it this way, it's easy to see how the public might get a skewed perspective of the issue.

So browse this website, use our RESOURCES page, and read the many great OP-EDS we've gathered. The best voter is an educated voter.

JOIN US!

Become part of the growing statewide effort to repeal the casino law.

Learn about volunteer, educational and direct action opportunities.

We need your help. Citizen volunteers are the core of the Repeal movement. With the help of volunteers, we collected well more than the required number of signatures for the petition to repeal the casino deal.

Do you provide a service, possess a skill or have access to resources that could help serve the effort? Please let us know!

Check our EVENTS page for opportunities to hlep in your area.

Repeal the Casino Deal has a compelling case and we will prevail with justice on the side of the people of the Commonwealth.

DONATE!

Fighting billionaires is hard.

Casino operators have spent millions lobbying to pass the casino law. But the tide is beginning to turn.

Communities across the Commonwealth have repeatedly voted down casino and slots parlor proposals. Citizens have witnessed the many missteps of the Mass. Gaming Commission and the blatant NIMBYism of the very lawmakers who promoted the casino law in the first place - who'd like to keep the Repeal question off the ballot. They've watched Casino companies allowed second chances - something they'd never give any of their players.

Casino revenues across the country are dropping in response to market over-saturation and reduced demand. Casinos are laying off employees, receiving taxpayer bailouts and even going bankrupt. And people everywhere are getting wise to how the industry works. It's not about jobs, it's about lobbying politicians for the right to prey on poor and middle class regions of the State for what's left of an ever-shrinking share of the pot.

SPREAD THE WORD

This is so important. We've found that the more people know about this issue, the more they are inclined to oppose it. So our job is to educate voters as best we can, in the limited time we have.

Do you belong to a political, social or religious organization that might be willing to host an information session? Are you a people person that can help spreading the message on the trail? Can you get the facts out on Social Media? Are you a behind the scenes person that can help with local coordinating and logistics for our events and activities? Do you have a special skill that might be helpful? Let us know. We need your help!

Other great ways to spread the word:

Check out our EVENTS page for volunteer opportunities, functions and forums in your area in your area.

Write a letter to the editor or op-ed and send it to several area papers. What better way to educate your neighbors - and it's easier than you think! For your best chance at being published, keep your editorial short. For tips on writing great editorials, see the box on the right. Check out our OPINION page for examples that made it on-line or in the paper.

Is a talk radio show having a discussion about Question #3? Call in! These shows reach a lot of people!

Write or email your State and local TV and radio stations - and to your favorite news and discussion shows, reporters and and television hosts too. Demand equal time to be heard for Yes on Question #3!

Hold a sign, put a bumper sticker on your car and a sign on your lawn or place of business. Be visibly opposed to the casino law - and for the Repeal.

Talk to your family, friends and co-workers about why you support the Repeal.

"Like", "Share" and "Tweet" our posts, pages and videos on social media as much as possible.

Post informative comments to on-line news articles. Be aware that casino operators have paid people to post on-line comments in the past, but we count on real people like you.

Hold a public forum in your city or town. At a public forum, both sides of the issue are provided a transparent, democratic opportunity to state the case for and against expanding predatory gambling in Massachusetts. Elected representatives and candidates may also attend or participate in these forums. Organize one through your organization, on your own or go through your political Town Committee. Contact us if you need advice or to request a speaker.

If the issue is on the agenda at your local selectman's or town/city council meetings, try to be there. Bring friends. Ask questions. Send e-mails. Talk to the local press.


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TIPS FOR WRITING A LETTER TO THE EDITOR

OPEN THE LETTER WITH A SIMPLE SALUTATION.
Don't worry if you don't know the editor's name. A simple "To the Editor of the Daily Sun," or just “To the Editor:” is sufficient. If you have the editor's name, however, you should use it to increase the possibilities of your letter being read.

GRAB THE READER'S ATTENTION.
Your opening sentence is very important. It should tell readers what you're writing about, and make them want to read more.

EXPLAIN WHAT THE LETTER IS ABOUT AT THE START.
because there's a lot of competition for a small amount of space. Don't make the editor or the general public wait to find out what you want to say. Tell them your key point at the beginning.

EXPLAIN WHY THE ISSUE IS IMPORTANT.
If you are motivated enough to write a letter to a newspaper or magazine, the importance of your topic may seem clear to you. Remember, though, that the general public probably doesn't share your background or the interest. Explain the issue and its importance simply. Use plain language that most people will understand.

GIVE EVIDENCE FOR ANY PRAISE OR CRITICISM.
If you are writing a letter discussing a past or pending action, be clear in showing why this will have good or bad results.

STATE YOUR OPINION ABOUT WHAT SHOULD BE DONE.
You can write a letter just to ''vent," or to support or criticize a certain action or policy, but you may also have suggestions about what could be done to improve the situation. If so, be sure to add these as well. Be specific. And the more good reasons you can give to back up your suggestions, the better.

KEEP IT BRIEF.
Generally, shorter letters have a better chance of being published. Try to keep to under 500, though some papers will allow more. Some may print your editorial, but cut some of it out. So go back over your letter and see if anything can be cut or condensed. If you have a lot to say and it can't be easily made short, you may want to check with the editor to see if you could write a longer opinion feature or guest column.

SIGN THE LETTER.
Be sure to write your full name (and title, if relevant) and to include your address, phone number, and e-mail address. Newspapers won't print anonymous letters, though in some cases they may withhold your name on request. They may also call you to confirm that you wrote the letter before they publish it.

CHECK YOUR LETTER TO MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR AND TO THE POINT.
A newspaper may not print every letter it receives, but clear, well-written letters are likely to be given more serious consideration. Have a friend or co-worker take a look before sending it off.

TIPS FOR GETTING YOUR LETTERS ACCEPTED.
How likely your letter is to be published depends to a certain extent on the publication you're sending it to. The New York Times probably receives hundreds, if not thousands of letters a day, only ten or so of which make it into print. A small-town newspaper, on the other hand, may print every letter it gets, since it may get only two or three a day.

In general, newspapers and magazines will publish letters that are well-written and articulate, and that either represent specific points of view on an issue, or that thoughtfully analyze complex issues and events. Most publications stay away from publishing rants, although they may publish short-and-to-the-point letters that make the same points as a rant might, but in a much calmer and more rational way. Publications also tend to stay away from attacks on particular people (although not from criticism of the actions of politicians and other public figures), and anything that might possibly be seen as libel.

Legally, libel is the publication of a false statement about someone that damages that person's reputation. Thus to falsely accuse someone of a crime would be libel; to inaccurately print that someone had won an award for citizenship would not be.

If your letter is not accepted the first time around, try again. You might submit a revised version with a different angle on the issue at a later date.

You do not have to be the only one to write the letter: letters are often published with multiple signers.

You also don't have to be the only one to writing a letter on the issue. Several people may write letters on the same topic with the same or slightly different points, and submit them a few days apart, so that the issue stays on the Letters page for a period of time. If you have a talented writer in your group, she might write an editorial article or an "Op-Ed" – that is, an opinion editorial that is usually printed on the citizen opinion page. Most of all, don't limit your communications. Brainstorm for ideas in your group – how can you further your goals by speaking to the readers of your community paper?


Our thanks to Community Toolbox for providing these tips!


"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

- Margaret Mead