Erma Vizenor: Tribal opposition to casino is based on politics

Wednesday, February 29, 2012  

"The Minnesota Indian Gaming Association exists to protect the status quo in gaming. That’s not a surprise, given that the most influential members of the organization are the tribes with the most successful casinos.

But it’s also an important reality for readers of the recent column by my fellow tribal chairs Arthur “Archie” LaRose, chairman of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, and Floyd Jourdain, Jr., chairman of the Red Lake Nation.

While I have great respect for LaRose and Jourdain, I am disappointed that they agreed to defend the policies that have denied meaningful economic opportunities from gaming to all but the few tribes that by accident of geography have locations near the Twin Cities metro area.

The arguments they make are political, not substantive."

Get the Story:
Erma Vizenor: New casino could help Minnesota’s poorest tribe (The Grand Forks Herald 2/29)

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Tribal Leaders: Off-reservation gaming is bad for Minnesota (2/27)