In one of the most surprising press releases I have ever received, the 2011 Believe Crusade is coming to Harrah’s Tunica. Or rather, to “Harrah’s Mid-South Convention Center,” as the promotional materials euphemistically term it. Featuring every C-list African American celebrity not named Tyler Perry, the Crusade will include a car show and a golf tournament. Kick back with Jesus! This year’s slogan even has a Vegas-y ring to it: “If you believe it, they will come.” (Actually, that sounds a lot like the sum and substance of every Nevada Resort Association “strategy” meeting from 2008 onwards. “There will be a recovery this year! Yes, there will, there will, there will!!!”)
If you scroll aaaaaaaaaalllllll the way to the bottom of the press release (10 paragraphs down), there’s a squib about the “nine world-class casinos” available in Tunica, “The South’s Casino Capital.” Perhaps the Tunica Chamber of Commerce forced that boilerplate in there but I prefer to think that our black Christian brethren are A-OK with this gambling stuff. If only they could get white evangelicals to loosen their sphincters a bit. Besides, if Jesus hung out with tax collectors and prostitutes, He’d be right at home on any casino floor in America (and a few in Macao, too).
Who knew? A conflict-of-interest kerfuffle over a pissant casino in Sparks wound up going all the way to the Supreme Court. Yesterday, SCOTUS put a 9-0 smackdown on City Councilman Michael A. Carrigan (pictured), who failed to recuse himself from a vote on the Lazy 8 Hotel & Casino, even though his campaign manager was also a consultant to the Lazy 8. Writing for the majority, Justice Antonin Scalia cited recusal rules on the U.S. Senate, House of Representatives and federal judicial system in support of the court’s view that voting does not constitute a First Amendment-protected activity.
Carrigan is not expected to appeal.
once the Supreme Court has ruled, there aren’t too many places left to appeal to. Perhaps he could try the 2011 Belief Crusade?
It *was* meant in jest. Carrigan should have taken his wrist-slap like a man and gotten on with his life. But taking his case to the Belief Crusade is a good idea.
I thought it was hilarious, but the next appeal set up was clearly to God (given the WWJP that started out the post).