Dear Editor,
The ongoing efforts of Game Won, a
”
reservation shopping
”
group of casino promoters, is a clear call to action for area
residents and the entire Central Coast. The message from the recent
community meeting is likewise clear: reservation shopping is
beatable. If we stand united in opposing it, we can win.
Dear Editor,
The ongoing efforts of Game Won, a “reservation shopping” group of casino promoters, is a clear call to action for area residents and the entire Central Coast. The message from the recent community meeting is likewise clear: reservation shopping is beatable. If we stand united in opposing it, we can win.
When a non-local tribe tries to establish a new reservation in an area where they have no historical roots, this is referred to as “reservation shopping.” Reservation shopping usually happens because a tribe and its investors are seeking a financial advantage, typically a better location for a casino.
Reservation shopping is repugnant for two reasons. First, it is an affront to the indigenous peoples who already reside in our area. Ann Marie Sayers, the leader of the Indian Canyon Band of Ohlone calls reservation shoppers “aboriginal intruders.” Valentin Lopez, tribal chairman of the Amah-Matsun Ohlone, maintains that the attempted encroachment is a violation of ancient tribal law. Second, reservation shopping is an egregious misuse of the law. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, wrote in a letter to Gale Norton, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Interior in June, 2003: “When Congress passed the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (“IGRA”) in 1988, they did not intend to authorize ‘reservation shopping’ by Indian tribes … however, some Indian tribes are apparently attempting to take advantage of IGRA’s provisions and move into lucrative casino markets far from their reservations and lands where they have a historical connection.”
In order to move the casino forward, the Miwoks need to buy land and then convince the federal government it should be deemed a reservation. To do this in San Benito County, the Miwoks have to prove that they have tribal roots in our area – a tenuous claim at best.
Phillip Thompson, the casino’s East Coast attorney, made the outrageous statement in September, “You look in the history books, and you find … the Ohlones and Miwoks were basically the same people, spoke the same language.” Mr. Thompson’s jingoistic “they-all-look-the-same-to-me” attitude demonstrates he understands neither history nor Native American sensibilities.
This reality is further underscored by the fact that nobody from the casino project has attempted to contact the local tribes. Had they done so, they would have learned that the Ohlone and Miwok languages are no more closely related than English and Russian.
Some feel we are powerless to oppose the casino. This is not true. If we stand together, it will be “Game Over” for Game Won.
Steve Merrell, Hollister, Chairman, Casinos Represent a Poor Solution (www.nosbcasino.org)
