Lobbyist screwing Native Americans...

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http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-06-22-indian-lobbyists_x.htm?csp=24&RM_Exclude=Juno

So this is how corrupt some lobbyists can be?

Various tribes were bilked out of millions...

[ June 23, 2005, 17:40: Message edited by: Taluntain ]

 

Considering that it taken to 1979 for the Natives to get their rights, things were never going to be all rosey.

 

Oh, being a native American does have some perks. For example they are given preferential treatment all over the country, in terms of opening certain business - casinos in particular. What was done here was certainly wrong, but it's not cause to fret too much. The casino deals are basically the only way we have to start to pay back the genocide brought on the native people. Compared to this - a few million bucks doesn't even come close.

 

I had high hopes for this thread. I was hoping they were lobbying to stop the jobs from going to India. My wife will be proud of me that I'm finally starting to use the term Native American as opposed to Indian.

 

Aldeth you are so right. Here in Oklahoma, in exchange for 5% of moneys off of all NEW games (after the Casino deducts it marketing costs!), the state passed laws that open up full Vegas style (class 3) gaming to the Tribes. The state gets nothing from the existing games (slots, keno, bingo and Blackjack). In the last three months we have had 2 suicides and 3 murders that occurred within hours after the person who lost their lives left one particular casino (the largest one in Tulsa). I cannot imagine how much crime has been committed that is related to other casinos and that hasn't been reported. For this the state has been getting about $60k a month from all the Casinos in Oklahoma!

Oh, and no one gets to audit their books, so they can claim they made or lost any amount they want.

Additionally, the state just voted last year to raise cigarette taxes by $1.00 a pack, but it doesn't apply to Indian Smoke Shops (that is what they call themselves, so no slams about not using the PC term!). The biggest local convenience store, QuickTrip (who has been on many national "Best Employer/Best Companies to work for) lists, stated that it has lost so much money in cigarette sales that they have canceled construction plans for all new stores in Oklahoma. Sales at Smoke Shops? At record highs. Imagine that!

Oh and guess how they got all these items on the ballots? The employed the services of a local lobbyist named Margaret Earling. Her husband is named John Earling, and he is the host of the local AM talk show that has the highest ratings in the city, and his real last name isn't Earling. Wonder why his wife is using a fake last name too? And I wonder why the few who managed to get on the air to talk argue against the Class 3Gaming and Cigarette tax issues couldn't get a word in edgewise around John Earling?

One last thing, guess which party controlled the Oklahoma Senate, House, and held the Governor's seat... you guessed it, Democrats!!!! The Democrats and their monopoly of the local media passed the biggest regressive sales tax in the history of the state, and Casino gaming, which is proven to be more harmful to the poor than the rich. I thought Democrats had the masses at heart? In this state they only have themselves at heart, and the Native Americans are the ones pulling the puppet strings.

Sorry, but don't ask me to pity the Native Americans. IMO, they have been repaid time and time again, and it is time for their sovereignty to be dissolved.

 

Geez, I'm on the same side as Darkwolf?

What is the world coming to?

 

Aldeth, even a broken clock is right twice a day!

Now, which one of us is broken???

 

There has been violence among the Indian tribes from day one when it comes to the casinos. And it seems to me that there was a scandal back in the 90's involving the Dems ripping the tribes of for money. This Abramoff character seems to be more than a bit shadey.

 

"White man **** us before, white man **** us again. Big ****ing surprise"

 

Yes, indeed. He's a close buddy of Tom Delay. It's rumored that this guy has the goods on Delay and if he starts talking Delay may be headed to Folsum prison.

It's good to see that the Republican leadership has certainly restored honor and dignity to the American government.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7654774/

 

Darkwolf -- Don't know where in Oklahoma you live, but I live in Cherokee County -- the seat of the Cherokee Tribe. This place is decidedly Republican all the way -- and have some of the staunchest Bush supporters (i.e. big oil supporters) in the country.

However, given that, the Cherokee here just about run this town. If you're "on the roll" (meaning you have some percentage of Cherokee blood) you get everything around here for free. Houses, food, medical care -- you name it. They even have a "Cherokee Hospital" and a "City Hospital". Whites are not allowed to go to the native american hospital. When I first moved here, I was all prepared to feel remorse for their plight and was convinced I could help. That is until I saw the situation and what they have done for themselves. (And yes, there are smoke shops on every corner here.) It was way different than I ever expected. Yes, they've been given a raw deal in the past -- but it seems they've gone a long way to healing THEMSELVES.

 

I'm glad to hear that the Cherokee Nation has done well in Oklahoma. Oklahoma was given to them and the other 'Civilized Nations' when they were forcibly removed from the South-East.

When oil became an important commodity then of course the 'white man' wanted it.

I have lived with and near Native Americans who have managed to hold their own but also ones who have not done well.

Personally, if I had enough Native American genes to legally be able to say I was a Native American I would be out to get everything I could.

 

I am a white man, 31 years of age.

I have never interviewed ANYONE for a job, let alone turned them down on the basis of race.

In the competition for the job I currently hold, no Natives applied, so I didn't screw one of them out of a job.

I have never owned a slave.

I have never forcibly relocated anyone anywhere (unless you count making my 6 year old daughter go to bed)

I have never publicly insulted, harassed or otherwise made life difficult for ANYONE, let alone a member of a visible minority.

I have never killed or raped anyone, let alone a member of a visible minority.

That said, I have no problem saying quite clearly that I DO NOT feel any guilt over what was done to visible minorities. I am sickened by what was done, I'm not saying it wasn't, but I don't feel guilty unless I have done something wrong.

Why am I typing this here? Well, this thread seemed to be about how the Natives have it bad. Perhaps they do, and the standard liberal response is to make all whites (and particularily white men) feel somehow responsible for something that occured decades ago, or, even if it was recent, something that we had nothing at all to do with. It drives me batty, I tell you!

 

Nakia,

The problem is that they haven't improved themselves. They have taken what others would hand out to them, and then when more isn't offered they cry about their "plight". The tribes in Oklahoma have free medical, they drive on the Oklahoma roads without paying the state any registration fees for their cars (their license plates are called "Indian tags"), Indians can buy business property and with little or no difficulty transfer it to the "nation" so that they can avoid having to pay property taxes on it, but their children still go to the public schools and they still are afforded protection under city, county and state law and law enforcement, but only when it suits them. They get more scholarships to Oklahoma Universities than any other group.

They are afforded all these opportunities, and more, and yet they are still predominately poor, and they cry that they need more.

History proves that the more handouts you provide to people the less self-sufficient they become, and the more they expect to be given (a generalization, there are exceptions). It is our nature. Look at children, if you take a child that has never been given a "treat" after dinner, and start giving him one small piece of candy after dinner each night to bribe him to eat a good meal, see how long it takes for him to start asking for 2 pieces. If you give it to him, see how long it takes before he asks for 3, and then how long it takes before he DEMANDS 4 whether he eats a good diner or not. After while he will stop eating dinner and demand candy instead.

Once a person accepts a handout that they know they don't deserve, their self-esteem is damaged. Most people have to rationalize receiving that which they don't deserve, and once they do, all reason leaves, and they start rationalizing the deserving of more.

 

Darkwolf, my point was that Oklahoma was given to the indians (Native Americans) then taken away from them. What the white man gave with one hand he took away with the other as soon as he decided he liked what he originally thought was worthless.

And please, I am not blaming anyone here for what happened.

 

Its similar in N.Ireland - everyone is more or less equal these days, but sometimes we are reminded that we are occupied e.g. when it comes to election time and the UK can use the land as it pleases (a famous poets house was demolished to make way for Mcdonalds).

 

I've heard of having a Big Mac Attack, but that's just not right...