As a libertarian minded conservative, I was angered recently when the Pennsylvania State Police and the Liquor Control Board raided a local Elks club and seized money and video poker machines. Many people where I live are livid about the raid, and blame the State Police and Liquor Control for their overbearing tactics.

The Elks are popular in this town of about 4,200 that's still struggling to recover from the decline of the coal industry. The lodge sponsors a Little League baseball team, summertime movies in the borough park and a fishing tournament for kids. To many Frackville residents, the raid was politically motivated or was another example of how the downtrodden region gets no respect.

"It would be different if they were selling dope or prostitutes or if the football pool was $100,000 a block," said Bender, who is not a member of the Elks. "It's a shame. The state police and LCB don't realize what the Elks do for the veterans and the kids."

I agree that the police overstepped their bounds. The Elks clubs of the United States do more for the communities they serve in one weekend than most State Police barracks do in a year.

What really upset many people was that several months ago a woman joined the Elks and Elks Auxiliary. Turned out she was an undercover State Policewoman. She joined and was active in the Elks for the last several months. The day of the raid she was serving breakfast at their monthly breakfast fundraiser.

She joined a fraternal organization, and during the solemn and serious initiation ceremony, she promised to never wrong a fellow Elk. Though it may seem trivial to some, members of these fraternal organizations mean it when they promise to uphold the tenets of their orders. And the fact is that the police officer basically made a mockery of it, and that really stung.

I find it ironic that the government wants us to gamble. The Agitator compares law enforcement's tactics to those of the Mafia . If the Mafia tries to break up a rival gambling ring, it's a crime even though they are just protecting their own economic interests. But the State Police do it, and it's just to "protect us". If we need protection from gambling, then just ban it. The gambling at the Elks' was cutting into the profits of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, plain and simple.

Here in Pennsylvania, the lottery recently started pulling two sets of numbers, and our legislature recently approved slot machines at racetracks and casinos. See the connection? The money from these illicit sports pools are cutting into the pockets of the government. It isn't about protecting us; it's about protecting the interests of the state.

Those police should be ashamed.

Related links:
BPOE Elks USA
PA State Police Liquor Control and Enforcement

I expand upon this story in my latest podcast.

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