Native American Perspective

Read excerpts from FIGR Chairman Greg Sarris' "Telling Dreams & Keeping Secrets" at a UCSB web page, for example, "from an Indian nationalist perspective, ... (t)he ban on drinking, gambling, and adultery not only assured the continuance of individual tribes but also of given family lines within the same tribes. . . . while the Bole Maru was emergent in terms of its doctrine and social and religious structure, it simultaneously enhanced the resurgence and fortification of many pre-contact structures integral to Pomo life and ideology. In sum, it seems more likely from this prespective that the Pomo adopted what was useful in Victorian ideology and biblical religion. (67-68)...."

Read the Native American Times article by noted Native American journalist journalist Tim Giago (Nanwica Kciji). Tim Giago is the founder and former editor and publisher of the Lakota Times, Indian Country Today, and the Lakota, Dakota and Pueblo Journals.

From the article: "In South Dakota we have seen the arrests of several respectable, middle-aged, white women for embezzling money from the firms where they worked in order to support their gaming addiction. This is also happening on Indian reservations across America.

"This addiction to gambling has not caused the big splash in Indian country yet, but that splash is coming. If you doubt me just visit any Indian casino on any Indian reservation in this country and you will see many tribal members ensconced at the gaming tables and slot machines in their own casinos.

This gambling addiction is already contributing to many new social problems in Indian country. Adults are spending their per capita payments, and their welfare and paychecks
at the gaming tables. They are losing the money they should have used to buy school clothes for their children, to pay their rent or mortgage or to buy food to put on their tables. They are abandoning their children to babysitters or worse, leaving them at home alone, while they feed their gambling addiction at their reservation casinos."

Noted Native American columnist Doreen Yellowbird acknowledeges some tribes may have gone too far, stating that "The National Indian Gaming Association needs to take a long, hard look at gaming in Indian country - and look for the good of all tribes."

"I have now become disheartened because Indian gaming is being attacked again. This time tribes are initiating the attacks because of their own reckless greed. In desperate attempts to get rich quick, tribes are waiving their sovereignty to sign development agreements with Las Vegas gaming companies, engage in ''reservation shopping'' and attempt to lure states into supporting them by offering the states ungodly sums of taxes under the guise of ''revenue sharing.''

These actions by tribes have disgusted our most loyal political supporters while simultaneously providing the firepower for opponents to potentially bring Indian gaming to a screeching halt. However, the consequences of reservation shopping and revenue sharing are far greater than creating potential attacks from the outside world. Once tribes foolishly buy into the false promise of getting rich and head down this primrose path, they bring despair to their own people. " (From "Gutierrez: Revenue sharing and reservation shopping create greed and misfortune", Indian Country Today, November 23, 2005)

From BadEagle.com, noted Comanche author, educator and lecturer Dr. David Yeagley speaks on the issue of Indian casinos.

August 13, 2003
Indian Casinos: The Finale Solution?

Bill O'Reilly had a special guest last night (Aug. 12): Ernie Stevens, Jr., (Oneida-Wisconsin), chairman of the Nation Indian Gaming Association. Why? O'reilly wanted to talk about money. Casinos are bringing in billions of tax free dollars to Indians. It wasn't because O'Reilly has any concern for Indians.

Be that as it may, I am concerned, especially about the dubious effect casinos are having in Indian country. Like just about everyone else, O'Reilly resents such staggaring figures. It has to be "unfair" that this kind of money comes to Indians. Casinos are bad PR for Indians.

I'm concerned about the growing envy and resentment, but I'm more concerned about where the money actually goes, and the increasing suspicions and even animosity that this question is brewing toward Indians.

Stevens said the casino story "is a success story." He's very upbeat, of course. But I have to question it. This is the same Stevens that, in order to assuage American public resentment, said that of the "thousands of jobs" created by the casino industry over 75% are held by non-Indians. Well, that was encouraging!

Why, the Spirit of Sovereingty Scholarship Foundation, a foundatation set up to provide scholarships for students, has doled out a whopping $100,000 to 20 students for the 2002-2003 school year. Why, that's $5,000 each. That should at least pay for college textbooks for an incoming freshman.

It just seems like a microscopic amount, juxtaposed to the $13 billion raked in this year by the casinos. The figures speak for themselves, no matter what Stevens says. Stevens spoke at a recent Pine Ridge High School commencement, peddling the same psychological wares. Gambling money is the answer to Indian problems. Interestingly, however, it wasn't the answer in his own personal life. Stevens grew up in LA, but experienced the typical Indian issues of poverty, divided family, relocation, lack of education, etc.

I don't see money as the solution to Indian problems today, either. "Black" athletes have demonstrated time and time again that fabulous amounts of money do not solve personal character problems.

I don't believe casino money will bring "sovereignty" in the end. I believe casinos will destroy what little Indians have left. Sovereignty first pertains to the soul, not the bank account. Casinos are turning everyone against Indians, and they will push the issue over the brink, and the federal government will finally dissolve the reservations.

People are simply unaware of the social problems caused by casinos. This juicy info is kept in the background, if not entirely hidden. But it will come out, in due time, when it's too late to turn the tide.