Posted on 06/13/2004 4:27:40 AM PDT by oceanperch
Indians trying to save their reputation 10:42 PM PDT on Friday, June 11, 2004 By PAT McREYNOLDS / KING 5 News
TACOMA, Wash.
Native Americans are fighting back after federal agents raided 12 tribal smokeshops earlier this week. Shop owners didn't like their businesses being mentioned in the same sentence as Al-Qaeda.
Just as motorists cross into Tacoma on I-5, a new sign blinks in to view that says: "We are not terrorists. We are American Indians. We have been fighting terrorism since 1492." KING
"We are not terrorists. We are American Indians. We have been fighting terrorism since 1492." Patrons of the Emerald Queen Casino couldn't help but comment as they walked by. "I couldn't believe they put something like that up there," said one. "To me, it looks like an over-reaction," said another.
The owner of Lyle's Smokeshop authored the sign in response to a massive raid by customs agents earlier this week when they seized cash and thousands of cigarettes from 12 stores on the same day that the government announced a crackdown on cigarette smuggling and its ties to terrorism.
Those claims touched off a demonstration by smokeshop employees. David Turnipseed owns BJ's, another shop raided by federal agents.
"I think most people know that we're not terrorists. I think everybody knows that's a crock, that's just an excuse to get in the door," he said.
He even claims to have documents proving the cigarettes seized had already passed through customs. "It was bogus. It's a way in the backdoor to try and break the Native Americans," he continued.
Customs officials still have no comment on the raids, and even though many were put off by the message on the reader board, none of them felt their neighbors are funneling money to Al-Qaeda.
The sign is not owned by the casino and has nothing to do with it, and the message has done very little if anything to slow down Friday night business.
The raids took place on Tuesday and so far, customs agents have not charged any of the shops with a crime.
The issues you cite are instances where Congress authorized state jurisdiction over Tribes/and - or the state itself has entered into treaties and agreements with the tribes (which is of dubious legality, mind you) Here in Washington, the state has too much jurisdiction (personal opinion).
However, I don't see any instance where Congress has said that the county (in this case Pierce County) has any regulatory jurisdiction over tribal land. Do you?
Secondly, I think as FReepers we would be better off working towards removing unjust harmful laws, such as these "smoking bans", rather than saying "We screwed ourselves, so let's screw others as well just to be fair"... Can you see my point?
IF,everything you say is true, as an Indian, I say good for us. The reason we were put on reservations was for our protection from whites and to find ways to make a living and be sovereign. Now that Casinos are discovered and some tribes are becoming rich and prosperous, I see a lot of white envy and in some cases see a little hate boil up to the surface. Take Donald duck Trump for instance. He is so tiffed that he has to pay taxes on his casino and the Indians don't, he keeps going to Washington to get his political friends to try to stop it. Every time I see that A hole on TV crying , I laugh my butt off. People like him would have been the first to put Indians on a reservation for their own good. In case some of you don't know, the richer reservations share with the poor ones that don't have casinos. My tribe does not have a casino and last year we got $250 thousand from the casino fund. This goes to housing for the Elderly and food programs etc.
They have never purchased new land and had it designated as a "reservation". They do, however, buy new land and have it placed in "Trust" which is a minor difference, to be sure, but a difference nonetheless ;0)
> Perhaps many would like it better if we
indians went back to drinking, whining, and laying around in abject poverty?
No. Most people have no problem with Indians and sovereign reservations/nations. It's when problems are caused (high crime near casinos, vast sums of money flowing into Dem coffers, etc.) that ticks people off.
You nailed it.
I don't recall saying "most". I said "many". All one has to do is find an American Indian thread about ANY topic on FR, and you'll see it.
Sort of like the thread about the American Indian astronaut who did a little religious thing before going up in the shuttle. People here even attacked THAT. Why? Because he was an Indian, and obviously not a Christian. Had nothing to do with democrat donations.
Go back and read the threads.
I think Indian issues here are really "beneath the radar".
The leftists are using the tribes to institute policies through the courts that provide them openings for expanded corporate corruption. They use them to shut down fishing as a bone to global aquaculture. They use them to institute gambling as a favor to major gambling corporations affiliated with organized crime. They use them to put farmers and ranchers out of business to fatten the returns on the Latin American investments of their globalist sponsors. When they're done, they'll return the favor by screwing the tribes with social welfare just as they have always done.
Uhh Libertina - Fish Hawk is correct in explaining the historical reason behind reservations. Racism and hate have noting to do with it. Indians WERER placed on reservations for their own protection. Against who? Guess.
No, there was no racism or hate in his post. Merely truth.
`1000% correct. I'm similar outraged. These world class scam artists are sovereign nations only when it suits them. For casinos and selling gasoline and smokes. The largest American casino is owned by a phony, cobbled together, very little Indian blood in 'em, tribe, the "Mashantucket Pequot"
And 95% of the time it's connected (mafia style) Democrat lawyers who ram and scam Indian casinos through state legislatures. Thus the RATS get subsidized by these tribes come election time
Love the tagline.
No. Most people have no problem with Indians and sovereign reservations/nations. It's when problems are caused (high crime near casinos, vast sums of money flowing into Dem coffers, etc.) that ticks people off.
This crime spree you talk of near casinos -its just those Indians doing crimes -right? And vast sums of money flowing into Dems coffers - if thats against the law they would be charged -right? Your post (and others) are very close to racism to me.
LOL I'm afraid that's VERY politically incorrect ;) It is interesting though to read posts by conservatives who would howl about illegals or other minorities if this situation were reported, but who now align with their ethnic group or support the two-tiered system. I'm afraid we will never be one America, but little pockets of people. And whites probably feel the same. We want our culture preserved as well. But this example is such a blatantly business oriented problem I am surprised at the remarks by "conservatives."
Interesting and invigorating thread, isn't it? But I am exhausted, I started this discussion about 5:30 AM! LOL
Where did you get the idea that I hate whites? I am part white. On the contrary I am one in my tribe that keeps telling the people, "We get no place fighting the whites, we must work with them and get them to help us achieve our goals". Years ago we tried to get our fishing and hunting rites back. No luck until my uncle went crusading at the Calif. colleges and with politicians. At Stanford he got the Dean and all the womens clubs to write to their congressmen and guess what , in a few years we got our fishing and hunting rites back. Not me man, I love the white people. I would have nothing in life without them.
Me too. I mean, I never thought I would see "conservatives" demanding that people be taxed more, regulated by government more, etc. I am really shocked.
What I would expect to see from "conservatives" is something along the lines of "Why can't we, like the indians, have LESS taxes? Less regulation? Less harmful laws? so that WE may all prosper?"
But, what was I thinking?
What I would expect to see from "conservatives" is something along the lines of "Why can't we, like the indians, have LESS taxes? Less regulation? Less harmful laws? so that WE may all prosper?"
You nailed it.
What I would expect to see from "conservatives" is something along the lines of "Why can't we, like the indians, have LESS taxes? Less regulation? Less harmful laws? so that WE may all prosper?"
Unfortunately because this particular article involves tobacco you will not see that.....when it comes to many conservatives her they will be demanding that people be taxed more, regulated by government more, etc. when it involves anything to do with tobacco.
As one FReeper calls them "convenient conservatives."
Americans cut a tremendous amount of slack to the poor who are perceived as colored and third world. The native Americans are thus owed a lot since we (Whitey) are allegedly responsible for all their ills. The answer: Mega billion dollar casinos where no non-Indian can own one. Indian are declared superior to the whites who built America while they suffered (they did suffer) in the reservations. Indians didn't engineer, design and build modern day America. Whites and blacks did. Hispanics are very late on the scene. Continental USA was 1% Hispanic in 1950.
Indians have fought in America's wars but conversely they get all the Federal benefits (food stamps, housing, welfare of various kinds) even though they may live on a reservation. Reservation as sovereign nation is a con game preying on gullible liberals and leading to mega profits for tribes with casinos
Many casinos aren't even built on traditional Indian tribal lands (reservations) anymore. Rural tribes simply buy land closer to population and declares it part of the reservation. And builds a very lucrative casino. With the help of RAT party lawyers to finesse such reverse discrimination crap through the state legislature
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