Another thing bothering me..Govt treatment of American Indians

[Bethshaya]

Call me silly, but for the life of me, I cant understand why the government needs to be involved in tribal affairs

Earlier this week, the Choctaw nation went to the government to get legal recognition and start the proceedings for becoming an "official" nation so that they can open a casino to bring in revenue for their tribe.

When was the last time the "Sands" or Trump Towers, or Bellagio went in front of the government to get "recognition" so they could make revenue for their own pockets? Why do the Indians need to jump through flaming hoops just to get what every other "american" can get?

And why does the Government need to rule on whether any Indian nation is officially a nation by going through geneological records and historical records etc? If the Choctaws recognize the Cherokee, and the Souix recognize the Iroquois and the Pequot recognize the Mashantuckets, all of them being long time allies and enemies way before the "white man" arrived, why do they need to be recognized by the white man as being in existance? THey knew each other before, let them be the official body that recognizes tribes. They know their history best.

I just dont get why we continue to isolate the American Indian from getting what any other citizen can get.

I say, if any tribe wants to open a business (casino, supermarket, race track, amusement park) let them. They are entreprenuers just like any other. After all their years of poverty having their own land robbed from them, I would gladly "donate" at any local casino for the "education fund" of a native american. I'm glad that many of the indian tribes around here are now rolling in dough! They deserve it. They give their own tribe members jobs and an income. They now can educate their youth to further the tribe. They live in really nice houses now, instead of delapadated trailers and in poverty. Kudos to them for making it work!

What do you all think? Should the US Government be involved in regulating the businesses that American Indians decide to embark on? I understand they will still have to be subject to the same regulatory laws that any other "white man" does like gambling. But the Government shouldnt have the right to decide who and who does not have the "recognition" to be able to even open a casino. If they have the money, they should be treated like any other business constituient.

[DeeLeeKay]

Where is the Choctaw nation located? In Nevada gambling is legal, but well regulated.

[hopehome]

One of MANY problems within our government.

[LDinthewoods]

Call me silly, but for the life of me, I cant understand why the government needs to be involved in tribal affairs

Earlier this week, the Choctaw nation went to the government to get legal recognition and start the proceedings for becoming an "official" nation so that they can open a casino to bring in revenue for their tribe.

When was the last time the "Sands" or Trump Towers, or Bellagio went in front of the government to get "recognition" so they could make revenue for their own pockets? Why do the Indians need to jump through flaming hoops just to get what every other "american" can get?

And why does the Government need to rule on whether any Indian nation is officially a nation by going through geneological records and historical records etc? Because the Native Americans are not playing by the same rules as Donald Trump. They have been given certain amounts of land and/or benefits and tax shelters & tax exempt status for their businesses. The deals are so lucrative, that many non-natives have tried to commit fraud in order to receive the same benefits that are afforded the "Indian Casinos" & other businesses of native Americans. So the point of the verification of the geneological/historical records is to prevent the govt. as well as the local cities of being defrauded by less than scrupulous business people trying to pass themselves off as Indian.

If a native American started up an average business & did not apply for the huge benefits afforded to the natives, then they would only have to adhere to the same laws as any other business in our nation.

[Bethshaya]

Where is the Choctaw nation located? In Nevada gambling is legal, but well regulated.


The Choctaws are in the Oklahoma/Missouri/Illinois area.

What are the benefits that the Indians get that are far above what the average American gets? All I see are native Americans living in poverty with the exception of those reservations that have casinos on them. My fiancee is Native American and he doesnt get squat. He's got a minimum wage job, no health insurance, no dental or life insurance and struggles more than I did as a single mom. Perhaps there is something he is missing out on. He is Cherokee and Choctaw on both sides of his family. I was looking into the casino's as a way for him and his mother to get in on some of the things that his other native american ancestors are getting. I know the Pequots in the CT area get a huge check each month from the Nation as part of the gain sharing from the revenue from the casino. I dont know if there is a program similar to that for the Cherokees who already have a casino.

Also, there is a flaw in the Indian registry program in that you have to prove you are a decendant of one of the orginal Indians that were taken in census polls during the Trail of Tears, however, that roll only covers the "Five Civilized nations" (Cherokee, Choctaw, Cree, Chickasaw and Seminole) and not all American Indian tribes. Your ancestors had to be living in Oklahoma on the reservation that was set up for the Indians to "migrate to" during the Trail of Tears in order to be eligible for these benefits. Many Indians did not go, died in transit or were not on the Rolls.

There are also no birth records in most instances when you get back into the early 1900's and late 1800's when the census took place. You need to have a Birth and Death certificates for both parents in order to even be considered and they cannot be copies, they need to be originals. It is extremely HARD to prove your American Indian roots to the satisifaction of the govt to get yoru CDIB card.

Very few American Indians are able to be "legitimate" and able to be "card holding" recognized American Indians.

[LDinthewoods]

Here is one link with some info:

http://www.igs.berkeley.edu/library/htIndianGaming.htm

Also, you can do a google search on Indian Gaming & read plenty from both pro & con groups but whichever you read up on, you will see that it is a pretty big issue. It is not about small family businesses or poor Indian communities.

Also, if you continue to study up on it, you will find that the billions in revenue being made by the large Indian casinos are NOT going to support of tribes at all. And if you ever went to any of the Indian reservations here in CA where they have the big casinos & card rooms, you would be hard pressed to find any Indians working there.

[Bethshaya]

Here is one link with some info:

http://www.igs.berkeley.edu/library/htIndianGaming.htm

Also, you can do a google search on Indian Gaming & read plenty from both pro & con groups but whichever you read up on, you will see that it is a pretty big issue. It is not about small family businesses or poor Indian communities.

Also, if you continue to study up on it, you will find that the billions in revenue being made by the large Indian casinos are NOT going to support of tribes at all. And if you ever went to any of the Indian reservations here in CA where they have the big casinos & card rooms, you would be hard pressed to find any Indians working there.

I go to the Pequot reservation casino which is the largest casino in the US and there are numerous American Indians working there (at least on sight, they look Indian). I know of a few of them that work there and they do get checks each month, on top of their salary. The reservation was a dump (for lack of better word) when I went to school up in that area before the casino was built. It is now gorgeous! There are now nice houses where trailer parks were and loads of businesses that are now thriving in an area where there was nothing but woods.

[Lurkinguy]

The Choctaws are in the Oklahoma/Missouri/Illinois area.

What are the benefits that the Indians get that are far above what the average American gets? All I see are native Americans living in poverty with the exception of those reservations that have casinos on them. My fiancee is Native American and he doesnt get squat. He's got a minimum wage job, no health insurance, no dental or life insurance and struggles more than I did as a single mom. Perhaps there is something he is missing out on. He is Cherokee and Choctaw on both sides of his family. I was looking into the casino's as a way for him and his mother to get in on some of the things that his other native american ancestors are getting. I know the Pequots in the CT area get a huge check each month from the Nation as part of the gain sharing from the revenue from the casino. I dont know if there is a program similar to that for the Cherokees who already have a casino.The revenue goes into tribal programs I suspect. I have never received any money from the tribe....nor do I feel that I should. But the money does go for many good programs that benefit many. The Choctaws are a federaly recognized tribe as far as I know. Their members are eligible for Indian health services just as any other tribe in Oklahoma.

[zeal4thelord]

I'm also a tribally-enrolled Indian, and the previous poster, Lurkinguy is right; anyone who is enrolled in a tribe is eligible for Indian Health Service care, but in the case of my tribe, I know some of the services are limited to those living on the reservation or within the county.
My tribe also has a casino, but unlike some of the tribes in this state, we don't get a monthly payment; there are no per capita payments at all. I think it is up to the tribal council to decide how to use the casino profits. Sometimes the money goes for education or other such needs. Right now, health care is being rationed because the Indian Health Service is underfunded, or so we are told. (At the same time, however, we read that the government set aside $1 billion for illegal immigrant care in emergency rooms.)
As far as the way the government treats Indians, I can say I do not have any resentment of the government on this score; the victimhood approach does not suit me. I think our government has made a good faith effort, and more than that, to try to rectify past wrongs, and I think there should be less division and accusation on the part of various groups; we are all in this together now, and I consider myself American.

[LDinthewoods]

I go to the Pequot reservation casino which is the largest casino in the US and there are numerous American Indians working there (at least on sight, they look Indian). I know of a few of them that work there and they do get checks each month, on top of their salary. The reservation was a dump (for lack of better word) when I went to school up in that area before the casino was built. It is now gorgeous! There are now nice houses where trailer parks were and loads of businesses that are now thriving in an area where there was nothing but woods. Well, I'm sure it is different in the different states. Because of the benefits, you can be certain there will be people in business trying to exploit these tribes & benefits.