IMPORTANT ETHICAL STATEMENT-MUST READ

[Sponger15SB]

Good call lets all hang our heads in shame. I am thinking about coming out of the closet to my family and friends that I am in fact a poker player, do you think this is a good idea?

[bigfishead]

thats always up to you. But it shouldnt be up to someone else.

20 years ago I knew A VP for THE GAP. (long since past away)

He would often take foreign business associates out to dinner. He could conduct millions of dollars worth of business just by going to dinner and getting to know these people. Yet he could lose MILLIONS if the wrong image was presented.

90% of the players at the poker room had no idea what "Gene the GAP' did for a living.

How long do you think you would stay healthy had you been the waiter or busboy at the fine dinner establishment where he brought a couple of clients and you spouted off at the mouth?

Even if there was no threat to you personally, why would you want to screw up someones career?

True story, point made, sincere food for thought.

[tek]

OMG, how scandolous that Gene played poker while his solid upstanding business associates sold cheap shmatas for a gazillion percent profit... [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

[Sponger15SB]

Well its a good thing you gave an example from 20 years ago isntead of in this day and age when people are more openminded about poker.

C'mon man its not like we're in a kiddy porn ring, we're playing poker.

Even my girlfriends dad who is a pastor has "gambled it up" playing golf with his buddies for 10 cents a hole. Do you think his church would go under if people found out about it?

Give it a rest.

[bigfishead]

The point is it isnt up to you!!!

Let the player decide who knows and who doesnt.

Is that so freaking hard to accept? What BENEFIT do you get from NOT allowing that?

There are plenty of people in this world that do not accept poker the way we do. WTF is so bad about that? That is their choice. It is not my job in life to impose my lifestyle upon others. Which is what you apparently wish to do.

[toots]

Well, you know, I'd agree that civility would dictate that we don't go blabbing such things to strangers.

On the other hand, behavior conducted in public (like a casino) isn't exactly a secret, and it's hard to argue that it should be treated like one.

[bigfishead]

And exactly how long have you been in and around this business? For me it is only 35 years so maybe I dont have enuf experience to expound on such a topic.

[toots]

What? The business of acting as if public behavior is some sort of dark secret?

If you don't want anyone talking about what you do in public, the answer is simple: don't do it in public. Complaining about whether or not someone talked about it afterward is just blaming the wrong person.

[TheGrifter]

[ QUOTE ]
And exactly how long have you been in and around this business? For me it is only 35 years so maybe I dont have enuf experience to expound on such a topic.

[/ QUOTE ]

Like that makes your opinion any more valid than anyone elses. Bad argument.

[ricdaman]

(1) I am a Christian, who is a respected member of my church.
(2) My mom watched her uncle go through a divorce and lose everything because of his gambling addiction and his losses at poker.

Knowing these 2 things, I told everyone that I "ran a business" instead of played poker. About 6 months ago though, my brother (who is also a pro) and I told my mom and dad that we played poker. At first, my mom was heartbroken. But after we took the time to show her our poker logs and our years of winning money, and after she had a chance to watch it on TV, she accepted it. IN FACT... my mom and dad PLAY POKER now!!!!

Also, I told some people at my church that I play poker and that "my business" is really playing poker. Know what they said??? "SO DO I."!!!!! WOW!!! Here are these people at church I was afraid would condemn me for gambling, and they said, "I play poker too."

Poker is not what it used to be. It is widely accepted as a game of skill, and the number of people who condemn it and look down upon it today are few and far between.