Friday, October 06, 2006
More Than Just Words
The U.S. government might have problems mastering integrity, but when it comes to retaliation they know what they're doing. For readers unfamiliar with the politics of Indian gaming, there are two words crucial to your vocabulary: sovereignty, and trust.
Sovereignty being the right under both international law and the U.S. Constitution of American Indian nations to run their own affairs; trust referring to our federal government's obligations agreed to by treaty and responsibilities incurred by statute to protect the assets and resources of America's indigenous peoples.
The fact that the U.S. failure to live up to its trust responsibilities and treaty obligations is what forced Indian tribes into gaming to meet their needs, is sometimes lost in the rhetorical conflict, especially when tribes use proceeds from gaming to protect their sovereignty or to guard their communities. With $200 billion of stolen oil and gas royalties sitting in the Department of Interior, energy company, and Republican Party vaults, the idea of Indians having the wherewithal to fight for the restoration of these trust funds must be terrifying--enough so to prompt the feds to harass and otherwise intimidate tribes that believe trust and sovereignty are more than just words.
Sovereignty being the right under both international law and the U.S. Constitution of American Indian nations to run their own affairs; trust referring to our federal government's obligations agreed to by treaty and responsibilities incurred by statute to protect the assets and resources of America's indigenous peoples.
The fact that the U.S. failure to live up to its trust responsibilities and treaty obligations is what forced Indian tribes into gaming to meet their needs, is sometimes lost in the rhetorical conflict, especially when tribes use proceeds from gaming to protect their sovereignty or to guard their communities. With $200 billion of stolen oil and gas royalties sitting in the Department of Interior, energy company, and Republican Party vaults, the idea of Indians having the wherewithal to fight for the restoration of these trust funds must be terrifying--enough so to prompt the feds to harass and otherwise intimidate tribes that believe trust and sovereignty are more than just words.
