Shame on Parx
How tacky can you get? Parx Casino advertises a "I Have a Dream Sweepstakes."
Shame on Parx
Ah geesh. I spotted this ad in a blog post on Philebrity.com and immediately went into say-it-ain't-so mode.
Then, I clicked on the Parx Casino site and saw that it was. Parx is having an "I Have a Dream Sweepstakes" that concludes on the Martin Luther King Federal holiday on Monday. The reference, of course, is to the slain civil rights leader's 1963 speech calling for an end to racism.
How tasteless.
Someone over there really wasn't thinking when they dreamed this baby up. It's not to late, though, to regroup.
King, by the way, would have been 84 today.
Shame on Parx.
Comments (26)
Seriously. I saw this ad this morning and could not believe my ears. I have a dream--that some historic moments will be off limits to marketing!— Rocky Raccoon- Thank Ed Rendell for Parx and all the misery it brings.— Wilhelm Von Humboldt
- Oh no the PC crowd is about to blow their top. Get over it.— Taxpaying Voter
...Dr King would be amused and enter the contest hisself if he were with still us...- I would think that the more MLK and his thoughts are on the forefront of people's minds, the better. Even if it is a shameless promotion. Let's just say they are celebrating his holiday.— amblereagles
- I don't think Dr. King would say it is "to" late?— GlennboWilson
- Now try not to be offended, it is just good marketing!— Pugh
- Casinos are tasteless. Too bad about that "to". As for dreams, I think MLK had higher aspirations for African Americans, more than winning big. Living big is more like it. What will happen to the money if you can't read?— ptahan
- "I have a dream that one day there will be a casino or pawn shop on every corner in every city". "I have a dream that one day a black man can sit beside a white man & play a game of blackjack". "I have a dream that one day people will take their welfare money & try to double it by going to the casino". Seriously though is this progress? 50 years have passed since Dr. King's speech. Today is his birthday. The sad part is most blacks under 40 wouldn't be offended by this ad. They'd say that yeah, they have a dream to win big bucks not realizing that it's ripping off MLK's speech is the worst way possible. It reminds me of those Barbara car ads on the front of the Daily News with "Obama Car Orama" with a fake Barack Obama holding a gas can. The more black people are tolerant of that stuff, the more it'll happen. By the way, if the creator of that ad campaign read this, then please realize you deserve to be fired & find a new profession. I'm a conservative republican white male & the second I saw this commercial on TV, I was offended. I wonder if blacks get upset when Abraham Lincoln dances funky while selling furniture & automobiles because those ads are coming up too. There's no shame these days & it makes me sick. I'm glad Jenice Armstrong wrote about this because my family thought I was making a big deal out of nothing when that commercial was shown.— Dobie Gillis
- Just have a promotion, you don't need to put a taste-less name to it. Usually the names they put to these are ridiculous, but c'mon there is a limit to where this should go. As for Parx trying to steal S.H. clientele, go to both casinos, look around, and then tell me where you would rather play.— lefty27
- That's weird to try and make his I Have A Dream speech into something like that for his day. A casino though ? Yea, that's a great idea -_- Lets see how that goes— elemenohp
- Can't wait for the rosa parks bus pass giveaway— ZelleyZemp
- This is a story? I don't get it at all. Wow, god forbid that Saint Martin Luther King be mentioned in any way, shape, or form.— Bob H
- This would rank about 00th on a list of 100 things a writer specializing in black culture should be concerned about. The Parx will be packed full of dreamers enjoying a day off from government service on MLK day. Jen should have a word with them to express her disapproval.— tr88
- 100th— tr88
- 100th— tr88
- 100th— tr88
- If Dr. King was alive today, I think he would be puking all day long over the "content of character" crisis in the community he gave his life for.— tr88
- Ms. Armstrong you are right, Parx continually makes enough money so that they don't have to stoop to this level of marketing. Whoever came up with this idea, bad choice. Wonder, however how many black individuals that are continually playing there will boycott Parx on this day, especially since many places are closed so they have the time to head on up and pay a visit. Somehow I don't think it will happen.— mother3
- wow! really? this isnt right— kees59
- Wow. It's bad enough when we're talking about other products, but state-sanctioned fleecing of the poor via gambling? That's beyond the pale.— dartvader
- Funny, as I load the page to read the article, a "Martin Luther King Jr. Sidewalk sale" ad for Sands casino is at the top of the page.
Wonder why Janice didnt think this to be offensive? Maybe because it is a paid ad to her employer?
Janice, lets me a little unbiased and call out everyone, even if they are helping to pay your salary with an ad.
— Pat c - This taking a joke a little to far, something have to give and the creator of this contest needs to be put in their place.— Jasmine R
- This is direspectful to MLK's dream he would not approve of his image being used to promote a bad habit like gambling.— Jaaha23
- i dont think that this is right because they are going to get a lot of fame of this logo and make a lot of money just because it say i have a dream Mlk logo should be on somethng postive and not on a casino it should be on a build board or something like that and not a casino— shabazz18
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About this blog
What’s up, everyone? Welcome. Let's discuss whatever's on our minds - pop culture, relationships, politics, even the latest fashion trend. If you read my Daily News column, you know I like to mix it up: One day, it's the state of hip hop and the next, the latest political race. Also, it's always fun to try to figure out the opposite sex and check the latest trends. It’s all about learning from each other, exchanging ideas and hopefully making some changes for the better. Nothing is off limits - just keep it clean and civil.
Jenice Armstrong
Daily News Columnist
Read more from Jenice Armstrong at Earth to Philly, the Daily News blog on anything and everything "Green."
Reach Jenice at armstrj@phillynews.com.
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