Really I don't know why are we whining about the casinos. Ten to twenty years ago we were wishing Tribal members would get jobs, lay of of alchohol, and stop sponging off of welfare. So now that the tribes appear to have turned the corner, we whine that they've become too self-independent and wealthy, meanwhile providing jobs to many tribal members?


WOW is that ever off the mark!

The casinos on the rez is run by white , professional managers/operators and are not populated by masses of tribal workers. On the contrary, the tribes still find it tough to get their members to work. The heirarchy of the tribes have the money and the masses are still poor, on welfare, have high alcoholism numbers, and unemployment. Look at the statistics on the rez and you see the same poor performance that indians have been plagued with for decades. The casino money being handed out by the Muckleshoots for example will absolutely not raise these folks out of their cycle of failure. The money will be handled like lottery winnings and cannot take the place of gainful employment and the pride that can go with it.

The heirarchy of the tribes would lose the most without the gambling monopoly. Members of the rich tribes like the Muckleshoots will still shoot elk out of season and scoop up our natural resources with reckless abandon no matter how many hand outs they get. Don't kid your self.