Editor,
I was not surprised at the tastelessness of the Lobo Louie ad described in the Sept. 25 article, and the lack of judgment shown by the Athletics Department. But I was surprised by the failure of the article to question why any athletic program should have any form of affiliation with a casino.
Certainly, if the function of an Athletics Department is to build character and train young people, a relationship with “an exclusive gaming sponsor” hardly supports those objectives. Unless, of course, marketing to alumni trumps all other worthy goals of the University, and no one need be concerned with the effects of gambling on sports in America.
As an aside, gaming is worse than gambling, because the odds are stacked in the casino’s favor. Surely, the University and the Athletics Department can find other affiliations and forms of entertainment suitable for students — affiliations that are healthier, that build character and that contribute to the well-being of the society.
Bob Poyourow
UNM faculty
