"We respect the sovereignty of American Indian lands. But we also believe tribes should respect the wishes and policies of local residents.
One such conflict is playing out in Joshua Tree, where the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians is considering a small casino, about half the size of a grocery store, on land that it owns but is not part of the reservation. About 1,400 out of Joshua Tree's 7,400 residents have signed petitions opposing the plan. Many believe a casino would alter the rural character of the community." Get the Story: