Religious Leaders Rally for Mass. Ballot Questions

Various religious leaders and professors from across the country urged a Memorial Church audience Wednesday night to vote yes to questions three and four on the Massachusetts Nov. 4 ballot.

The event, entitled “Towards a New Dawn,” gathered speakers from across different faiths to speak about Mass. ballot question three, the Affordable Casino Repeal Initiative, which if passed would repeal a 2011 law allowing resort casinos. Question 4, if passed, would allow workers to earn an hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours of sick time per year.

Reverend Jonathan L. Walton, Pusey Minister in the Memorial Church and Plummer Professor of Christian Morals, started the discussion on gambling and sick hours and said that what affects one member of a community impacts everyone.

Imam Sherif Shabaka, an Arabic lecturer at Duke University, emphasized the shared commitment of different religious members for faith and justice.

“I’m here to stand shoulder to shoulder with my brothers of faith, Christians and Jews, for that great cause,” Shabaka said, adding that “evil is not going to come through to our community and our people while we breathe.”

Divinity School professor Harvey G. Cox Jr. said that despite positive commercials from the casino companies, families and stores will not benefit from an industry “that seeks to spread its tentacles through our lovely state.” Cox added that communities do not see increased revenues from casinos, but instead, witness the ill effects of gambling on low-income individuals.

“We are being asked to climb aboard the Titanic after it has hit the iceberg,” Cox said, referencing the negative economic and social impacts of casinos. “I, for one, would not like to get onboard that voyage.”

Different representatives from religious organizations sang songs and hymns in English, Spanish, and Arabic.

Reverend Virgil Wood, a long time civil rights activist who worked with Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr., flew in from Houston for the event. After an impassioned exhortation for members to continue fighting for justice beyond the ballot, the crowd responding with a standing ovation and a resounding ‘Amen.’

Speaking about question four and increased sick hours for workers, Reverend Luther Zeigler, president of the Harvard Chaplains, said that he does not think it is fair that some of the lowest wage workers have to often risk their jobs if they want to take care of their families.

—Staff writer Theodore R. Delwiche can be reached at theodore.delwiche@thecrimson.com. Follow him on Twitter @trdelwic.