Tribes Bristle at Political Criticism
On a warm evening with a sliver of moon hanging over the desert, hundreds of Indians from across the nation gathered Saturday near Palm Springs for a powwow -- and to occasionally talk about the upcoming recall election.
The annual Thunder and Lightning Pow-Wow was a decidedly apolitical event.
Still, it took place on the reservation of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, and the subject of casino gambling and its effects on the recall cast a shadow on the event.
One reason: Looming over the event was the shell of a concrete tower that will be the Morongos' new $250-million, 23-story casino and spa when construction is finished next year. It will replace their current casino, which has allowed the Morongos to make millions of dollars in political contributions in the last several years.
Waiting her turn to join in the traditional dancing was Elizabeth Kolb, 21, a member of the Rincon Band of Luiseno Indians, which has a casino in northern San Diego County. She was mad at Arnold Schwarzenegger, who called in a recent ad for the taxing of gambling revenues from casinos.
"I don't think we should pay more to have the gambling," she said. "Our land was taken from us. Now we're getting something back and they're trying to take it from us."
Many Indians in attendance spoke frankly about gambling, the recall candidates and the large campaign contributions that some tribes are making. Last week, for example, the Morongo Band gave $2 million to an effort on behalf of Tom McClintock's campaign for governor. While Indians spoke with pride of their newfound influence on state politics, many also said they felt the sting of what they believe are unfair criticisms of the tribes. Particularly irksome, many Indians said, is the accusation that they are not paying their fair share of taxes. Some contended that it has long been the American way to use money, and lots of it if you have it, to stand up for what you believe in.
Jerry Cleveland Jr., 35, a Hochunk Indian from Wisconsin, said he was astonished when he arrived in California earlier this week and flipped on a TV, only to be greeted by the Schwarzenegger ad.
"He's not paying us anything, so why should we pay him?" asked Cleveland, pausing to have his photo taken with tourists. He half-smiled, then added: "How would Schwarzenegger like it if we took his house and land away and killed his family? Well that's what happened to us."
