Exploitation of school children will continue with their use in pro-lottery propaganda television commercials, the Oklahoma Lottery Commission has decided.

The Gadfly: Just Because It Works

Doesn't Make It Right

By Mike McCarville

The Commission and its ad agency, the venerable Jordan & Associates, say the commercials featuring elementary school students are the most effective commercials yet aired by the agency.

Just because the commercials work doesn't make them right.

Some Republican legislators want to ban the ads via new laws; HB3161 would ban "any advertisement or promotion that illustrates the benefits or potential benefits to schools resulting from lottery proceeds," and HB2956 would prohibit children from appearing in commercials promoting the lottery.

That we have reached the point where new laws are considered necessary to prevent this kind of exploitation says something about our society today.

Those in favor argue that the lottery is for the kids, after all, so it's just logical to use them. Use is the operative word.

They argue as well that the parents of the kids gave their consent. Wonder how many of those parents are regular lottery players? Did these parents even give thought to what they were approving?

The lottery is for losers; that's the only way the lottery prospers...when players lose. Using kids to promote a government proposition in which most lose is state propaganda. There's no pride in that no matter how "effective" the commercials are.

[Here's a commercial that makes a different point about lotteries: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqVBKO_QM3o]

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