|
Published: August 30, 2007
California Indian wars
Signature gathering for a referendum to cancel state compacts to expand tribal gambling meets opposition from four of the richest Indian casino owners in the state.
 “I have seen ... near fisticuffs as people argue over these things,” Mike Arno, a consultant with a labor union representing hotel workers and a racetrack company, told the Aug. 28 Los Angeles Times. Arno referred to a political fight that might be played out in shopping centers across California in the next few months.
The union, Unite Here, and the Bay Meadows Land Company have joined forces in a petition drive to qualify four ballot initiatives that would allow state voters to decide whether to cancel compacts signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and four casino-owning Indian tribes last year. The compacts would allow the tribes to add 17,000 slot machines to their existing 8,000 in return for paying 15% to 25% of their additional profits to the state. The benefitting tribes are the Agua Caliente band of the Cahuilla (which owns casinos in Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage), the Pechanga band of the Luiseño near Temecula, the Morongo band of Mission Indians (with a casino near Banning), and the Sycuan band of the Kumeyaay near El Cajon. The state legislature approved the compacts last month; they await approval by the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Bay Meadows Land Company says the compacts have hurt business at its racetracks, Hollywood Park in Inglewood and a track near San Francisco. Unite Here says the compacts did not include desired collective bargaining terms, like those in earlier compacts. Two Indian tribes – the United Auburn Indian Community, which owns a thriving casino near Sacramento, and the Pala band of Mission Indians, with a casino near the Pechanga operation – have together kicked in $1 million to help the referendum effort. (According to the July 28 San Diego Union-Tribune, ten years ago the Pechanga tribe financed a referendum opposing a state compact with Pala.)
To save their compacts, the four tribes have begun a campaign to block referendum signature gatherers. Workers for the tribes urge people not to sign the referendum petition, or if they have signed it, to sign a form asking that their names be removed from the petition. State law allows voters to revoke their signatures from referendum petitions by filing a written request with elections officials before the signatures are turned in.
The four tribes’ apprehension may arise from what may be a change in public opinion toward Indian gambling casinos. “People have soured on the political influence of the tribes, their internal infighting, and they want to limit the proliferation of gambling,” Cheryl Schmit with the gambling watchdog group, Stand Up California, told the Union-Tribune. Bill Bengen of Dehesa Valley says his group, Residents Against Gambling Expansion, will support the ballot referendum against the Sycuan band. Bengen said Californians supported Indian gambling as a way to help tribes overcome poverty – and some have “done that grandly.” Other tribes, however, are still poor.
Many El Cajon citizens oppose the Sycuan compact because it would allow the tribe to build a second casino at a former golf club owned by the tribe.
Posted Thursday, August 30, 2007 5:06 AM By bruce
The love of money is the root of all evil.
|
Posted Thursday, August 30, 2007 2:07 PM By PHunter
Pechanga of Temecula is led by people that have cut the hearts out of more than 25% of their tribe. They have disenrolled over 300 members in order to increase the per capita checks of those remaining.
There are numerous sites to learn about the misdeeds of Pechanga including:
www.pechanga.info and http://blog.myspace.paulinahunterofpechanga.com
PLEASE take the time to learn about what some of Californias tribes are doing to their own people. Pechanga has massacred more of their tribe than the white man ever has.
|
Posted Thursday, August 30, 2007 6:49 PM By Mike
How 'bout we cancel all state sponsered gambling including lottery, horses, and casino gambling? The state has no business promoting anything detremental to people and neighboorhoods for the sake of money. Money that will eventually pay for sex education in schools, abortions for teens, and needle swaps for junkies.
|
Posted Friday, August 31, 2007 8:31 AM By Paul
The Sycuan Tribe has been a supporter of hundreds of local charities in San Diego and an excellent corporate citizen. The new agreements are an improvement because the require environmental reports they don't have to do now and an agreement to improve roads and other things before they expand. Also they pay more taxes to the state with the new agreement.
|
Posted Friday, August 31, 2007 10:03 AM By Steve
Leave the Indians alone. We broke every treaty we ever made with them.
|
Posted Friday, August 31, 2007 12:08 PM By John L. Sillasen
I like to see Indians driving nice vehicles and riding nice looking Harleys, instead of the old junkers they used to have. It feels good to see them here and there feeling good. Maybe they'll learn some good stuff, get their kids educated better, and watch their grandkids kiss poverty goodbye forever. The first neighborhood parish I settled into after joining the Church was financed by a row of slot machines in the basement ... this I was told by an old red headed Irish businessman who reminded me of the late Jimmy Cagney. Hey the gambling didn't last all that long, and a lot of people benefitted infinitely. Yes, casinos attract vice. Look at it this way, it takes it out of your neighborhood.
|
Posted Friday, August 31, 2007 4:19 PM By anotherview
Tribal casinos function as economic engines in their communities, benefiting many others. The Pechanga Resort and Casino employs 5000 workers from the community. These workers have jobs with good benefits. Local businesses see more sales. Banks have more accounts open. Vendors who service the casino employ more workers. The City of Temecula realizes more sales tax revenue. As a result, the local economy stays robust. The Pechanga tribe has already given Temecula a $6 million check for improvements to Pechanga Parkway, and arranged for about $4 million to replace the old bridge over Temecula Creek. The Pechanga tribe also gives to local charities and worthy causes. As for the labor unions, they may already organize casino workers under the existing Tribal Labor Relations Ordinance. In fact, the labor unions helped draft language for the TLRO. Importantly, the TLRO contains worker rights and worker protections, and also includes the basic provisions of the NLRA. Three California governors have signed tribal-state gaming compacts with tribes, and the State Legislature has ratified these compacts. The voters of California have twice voted to approve tribal casinos on Indian land. Tribal casinos have found a place in the Golden State.
|
Posted Friday, August 31, 2007 5:15 PM By Christopher Zehnder
I suppose it's irrelevant that casino gambling thrives by inspiring greed in men's souls. Of course, we Catholics think the only deadly sin is lust. Greed, after all, drives the economy. Bravo.
|
Posted Friday, August 31, 2007 10:41 PM By John L. Sillasen
I think the greed is already in men's souls, and that gambling is more of a way to network this greed, more of an aid and abet agent of greed. Why would a soul want a lot of extra money in short order? The vices associated with gambling reveal this. Gambling can be used to usher souls into darkness; I see it as a means to evil. Can gambling also be a good? It seems so. Therefore, the good and the evil may be things not intrinsic to gambling itself. Maybe people should learn how to do things without coveting, or lusting, or exalting things above God, or deceiving, or murdering, or stealing. Jesus walked into Hell and set captives free. Thus, I believe that with sufficient grace, and Jesus says that His grace is sufficient, souls can walk through any temptation without sinning. As far as the state or federal govt promoting gambling ... that's dangerous just as many of their recent moves are dangerous. The govt of today exalts freedom above all else ... free choice is only one element of human nature, given by God, and the modern state wants to convince us that we are beholden to the state for part of our own nature. This is the danger in gambling, the state, the government. Jesus says the whores will enter Heaven before the hypocrites ... and by hypocrites He is referring to the rulers who paint a false and deceptive picture of human goals and ends.
|
Posted Saturday, September 01, 2007 10:57 AM By Jim Horn
We do not petition for money from congress for past misdeeds done to all Native American by colonizers and the government. Native Americans knew slavery long before it was imported. They knew genocide accidental and intentional and they new broken treaties and promises one after another. We saw our land taken and abused. Now from our small piece of this great nation build upon our bones we reach out to get something back. To take advantage, for good, of mans appetite for risk and dream of gain. We seek to hurt nor exploit none. To take nothing ungiven.
We do and will make mistakes with our new found wealth and power but allow us this. Allow us to take part in this nations wealth. If we squander our opportunity for once it will be upon our head alone.
|
Posted Saturday, September 01, 2007 11:54 AM By Christopher Zehnder
Mr. Sillasen,
Lust is already in men's souls, so are whore houses only more of a way to network lust? Granted, gambling -- such as penny poker -- is not sinful; but that's not what's promoted in casinos. Casinos survive by inspiring avarice and prodigality, and so they are occasions and promoters of sin.
|
Posted Saturday, September 01, 2007 12:01 PM By Christopher Zehnder
Mr. Horn,
I do not deny the injustices perpertrated against American Indians. But those injustices do not justify the operation of socially destructive forms of "entertainment" as gambling. And besides these casinos are brashly ugly. A few months ago I was passing through the beautiful Pala Valley, only to find a bit of Las Vegas marring the landscape. I remember, too, an article in the LA Times a couple of years ago detailing how casinos are destroying tribal life through the exorbitant affluence they bring.
|
Posted Saturday, September 01, 2007 2:03 PM By John
The Roman Catholic Church teaching on gambling seems to be in line with Scripture. The "Catechism of the Catholic Church" instructs: "Games of chance (card games, etc.) or wagering are not in themselves contrary to justice. They become morally unacceptable when they deprive someone of what is necessary to provide for his needs and those of others. The passion of gambling risks becoming an enslavement."And those risks dictate why churches should not turn to gambling, including bingo or casino nights, for fundraising, although some do. For the same reason, government should not be running and promoting gambling.But that does not mean that government should bar the private sector from gambling ventures. And while Christian churches have a clear duty to warn against the significant perils that could result for some from games of chance, that does not translate into condemning all forms of gambling.Since Holy Scripture does not declare gambling to be a sin, it's a risky bet to play holier-than-thou with God.
|
Posted Saturday, September 01, 2007 5:06 PM By Christopher Zehnder
John,
I suppose it depends on what one thinks the role of government is. If one thinks government has the duty to protect and promote public morality, and if casino gambling is corrosive of public morality, then government might need to ban it in the private sector.
|
Posted Saturday, September 01, 2007 11:03 PM By John L. Sillasen
I think, in a way, Holy Scripture may very well show casino gambling ... note the adjective, "casino", here ... to be a sin. The money changers whom Jesus tossed on their backsides were providing that service for the purpose of facilitating a lucrative trade for the temple which was built for the public worship of God. The trade in money and goods subverted this critical purpose, thereby sinning against God and man. In some way casino gambling, although not on the doorsteps of the Vatican, echoes that practice of subverting faith. At some point gambling is not a faith problem, and then at some point it is. If one gets carried away by intensive gambling, and I know two former neighbors who ruined their marriage over it, one trades true faith for false faith, one misplaces faith in God with faith in "mammon". The commercial marketplace hype connected with casino gambling is the same as that of the commercial market in general ... what is the purpose of the hype? Nothing less than to direct the mind towards something not needed at all. When one's mind is occupied by matters apart from the Will of God, then what happens to that person, but they tend to move away from the faith they are called and responsible to exercise. Is it the business of government to regulate casino gambling? When does a person's involvement in gambling become a moral problem ... ie, when does the gambler lose part of his or her life due to gambling activity? Is this the responsibility of the government? But common sense lets it be known that people addicted to gambling or somehow caught up in the hype of casino gambling may have kids who suffer, or spouses who suffer from their gambling activities. What is the role of government to pre-empt this problem? After all, govt once banned alcohol, presently bans street drugs, and is beginning to ban tobacco. The govt bans pedophiles, yet addictive parents can neglect their kids making them vulnerable to pedophiles ... what is the govt's role in protecting kids? That's enough for this post, but obviously there is more to the argument that would be helpful in clarifying, such as the economic boost to a part of society.
|
Posted Sunday, September 02, 2007 1:39 PM By Mike
I don't know of anything government supported gambling does to promote the public good. Merely raising tax revenue is not promoting the public good.
|
Posted Sunday, September 02, 2007 2:03 PM By Christopher Zehnder
Mr. Sillasen,
My short answer. The government's role in protecting children is very limited, since the government has no direct authority over the family. The government does have authority over the interrelations of citizens in society, as long as the common good is involved. As Thomas Aquinas said, the common good of human society is, finally, virtue. A clearly demonstrable threat to virtue in society, such as pornography, can be banned by government. Casino gambling, I think, is a similar threat; whatever good it brings about (if any -- I doubt there is any, besides the enrichment of a few), is far outweighed by the moral evils it causes. Wine and beer, at the very least, though they can be abused, serve an important, joy-inducing aspect to human culture. They also have good health effects. The pleasures of gambling, if anything, are merely degrading.
|
Posted Sunday, September 02, 2007 3:48 PM By John L. Sillasen
Chris, I received a sermon today which included an excellent explanation from a gifted priest of the "occasion of sin". Casino gambling is inarguably an "occasion of sin", even an occasion of many sins. There are many recreations which are healthy for society, which gamblers would be better off involved in. Seeing your quote from St Thomas Aquinas, I can now easily see that casino gambling lacks the means to move souls towards virtue. Thanks for the insight.
|
© California Catholic Daily 2007. All Rights Reserved.
|