I Didn't Vote for That
Last night Paul Mooney's stand-up special appeared on Showtime (originally aired in 2012), so it was decided that this would be the way to close the night; with a few laughs.
However, a portion of his routine had to do with commercials I remembered airing in California when I was a teenager. The commercials were frequent attack ads that bashed Indian gaming and the building of casinos in the state of California. However, California was not alone in witnessing these ads.
"Trump and the boys did not want those Indians to have casinos. They had propaganda, they had commercials. It was okay for white folks to have them. They didn't want those Indians to have them. I don't know if they came here, but in California and in New York, they were on TV every 10 minutes. I can't make this shit up, I'm not that good.
"The Indians. They made over $50 million this year. They're not paying taxes. I didn't vote for that."
How come they didn't let the Indians make their commercial.
"The white man stole our land. They're not paying rent. I didn't vote for that.""
Below is one of the less aggressive anti-Indian gaming ads with the quote, "I love that Indians are making money off of the white man's greed." Emphasizing how Indians are reportedly capitalizing off of white America. Ironic, isn't it?
It sounds as though American Indian ships were launched from the East Coast of North America and conquered Europe, forcing everyone to speak Wampanoag while stealing land, lives, and resources.
First, whites are not the only ones gambling; second, what about all the other pieces of land that don't fall under tribal sovereignty?
Below, comedian Gabriel Iglesias shares his views on Native and non-Native casinos.
Next: Actor Harry Shearer reads an excerpt from his novel, "Not Enough Indians."
What reality says (from Indian Gaming Weekly):
Washington, DC (July 17, 2012) – As the National Indian Gaming Associations’ Legislative Summit comes closer (July 24-25, 2012), Indian Gaming Weekly wanted to share some recent numbers, facts and history with its readers. With Indian gaming, Tribal nations have provided many opportunities to their own community and their neighbors.
Non-Indian Casinos:
There are 492 non-Indian casinos in 2012
Estimated Casino revenue 2012 is $35.6 billion
They paid $8 billion in state and local government taxes
Non-Indian Casinos provided 339,000 jobs
______
Indian Casinos:
There are 460 Indian gaming facilities in 2012
Estimated Casino revenue 2011 is $26.5 billion
They paid $9.4 billion in Federal taxes in 2009
And paid $2.4 billion in state taxes to federal, revenue sharing, and regulatory payments in 2009
Indian gaming provides 628,000 jobs nationwide
246 tribes operate 460 gaming facilities in 29 states in 2012
There are a total of 566 federally recognized tribes
Brief History about Indian Gaming
1979 – Birth of Indian Gaming The Seminole Tribe opened a high-stakes bingo hall on their reservation at Hollywood, Florida on December 14, 1979 and the state tried immediately to shut it down. This was followed by a series of court battles leading to a final decision by the United States Supreme Court on October 5, 1981. The court ruled in favor of the Seminoles affirming their right to operate their bingo hall. (Seminole Tribe of Florida v. Butterworth)
1987 – U.S. Supreme Court Recognizes Indian Gaming The United States Supreme Court ruled that federally-recognized tribes could operate casinos outside state jurisdiction because the tribes were considered sovereign entities by the United States and the gaming operation must not be directly prohibited in that state. (California v. Cabazon Band of Mission Indians)
1988 – Indian Gaming Regulatory Act Congress passed the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) to establish the rules for the operation and regulation of Indian gaming. The Act provides that a federally-recognized tribe may conduct gaming activities within the limitations of a compact negotiated between the tribe and the state and approved by the U.S. Department of Interior.
Revenues at a Glance The U.S. gaming industry generated total revenues of $90.43 billion in 2009. Broken down by segment, revenues and market share, the statistics are as follows: commercial casinos, $27.9 billion or 30.9 percent; Indian gaming, $26.39 billion, 29.2 percent; lotteries, $20.87 billion, 23.1 percent; racinos $6.4 billion, 7.1 percent; pari-mutuel wagering $2.83 billion, 3.1 percent; charitable gaming $2.07 billion, 2.3 percent; card rooms $1.21 billion, 1.3 percent; other gaming (including cruise ships, convenience gambling and non-racino video lottery terminals), $2.75 billion, three percent.
Finally, with the above video, "Gambling for the Future," Indian gaming is discussed in terms of turning a cycle of economic depression around on reservations and keeping money within their respective state.
Whether or not your comfortable with the pros and cons of gaming in general, I am certainly not okay with privileged Anglo-American CEO's barking orders at indigenous groups. When it comes to perpetuating privilege, poverty, institutionalized racism, and plutocracy, I can confidently tell you that I didn't vote for any of that.
For more info:
http://www.cniga.com/facts/qanda.php
http://outreach.asu.edu/book/resource-guide/summary-indian-gaming-regulatory-act-25-usc-2701-et-seq
http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2012/06/23/myth-indian-casino-riches
However, a portion of his routine had to do with commercials I remembered airing in California when I was a teenager. The commercials were frequent attack ads that bashed Indian gaming and the building of casinos in the state of California. However, California was not alone in witnessing these ads.
"Trump and the boys did not want those Indians to have casinos. They had propaganda, they had commercials. It was okay for white folks to have them. They didn't want those Indians to have them. I don't know if they came here, but in California and in New York, they were on TV every 10 minutes. I can't make this shit up, I'm not that good.
"The Indians. They made over $50 million this year. They're not paying taxes. I didn't vote for that."
How come they didn't let the Indians make their commercial.
"The white man stole our land. They're not paying rent. I didn't vote for that.""
Below is one of the less aggressive anti-Indian gaming ads with the quote, "I love that Indians are making money off of the white man's greed." Emphasizing how Indians are reportedly capitalizing off of white America. Ironic, isn't it?
It sounds as though American Indian ships were launched from the East Coast of North America and conquered Europe, forcing everyone to speak Wampanoag while stealing land, lives, and resources.
First, whites are not the only ones gambling; second, what about all the other pieces of land that don't fall under tribal sovereignty?
Below, comedian Gabriel Iglesias shares his views on Native and non-Native casinos.
Next: Actor Harry Shearer reads an excerpt from his novel, "Not Enough Indians."
What reality says (from Indian Gaming Weekly):
Washington, DC (July 17, 2012) – As the National Indian Gaming Associations’ Legislative Summit comes closer (July 24-25, 2012), Indian Gaming Weekly wanted to share some recent numbers, facts and history with its readers. With Indian gaming, Tribal nations have provided many opportunities to their own community and their neighbors.
Non-Indian Casinos:
There are 492 non-Indian casinos in 2012
Estimated Casino revenue 2012 is $35.6 billion
They paid $8 billion in state and local government taxes
Non-Indian Casinos provided 339,000 jobs
______
Indian Casinos:
There are 460 Indian gaming facilities in 2012
Estimated Casino revenue 2011 is $26.5 billion
They paid $9.4 billion in Federal taxes in 2009
And paid $2.4 billion in state taxes to federal, revenue sharing, and regulatory payments in 2009
Indian gaming provides 628,000 jobs nationwide
246 tribes operate 460 gaming facilities in 29 states in 2012
There are a total of 566 federally recognized tribes
Brief History about Indian Gaming
1979 – Birth of Indian Gaming The Seminole Tribe opened a high-stakes bingo hall on their reservation at Hollywood, Florida on December 14, 1979 and the state tried immediately to shut it down. This was followed by a series of court battles leading to a final decision by the United States Supreme Court on October 5, 1981. The court ruled in favor of the Seminoles affirming their right to operate their bingo hall. (Seminole Tribe of Florida v. Butterworth)
1987 – U.S. Supreme Court Recognizes Indian Gaming The United States Supreme Court ruled that federally-recognized tribes could operate casinos outside state jurisdiction because the tribes were considered sovereign entities by the United States and the gaming operation must not be directly prohibited in that state. (California v. Cabazon Band of Mission Indians)
1988 – Indian Gaming Regulatory Act Congress passed the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) to establish the rules for the operation and regulation of Indian gaming. The Act provides that a federally-recognized tribe may conduct gaming activities within the limitations of a compact negotiated between the tribe and the state and approved by the U.S. Department of Interior.
Revenues at a Glance The U.S. gaming industry generated total revenues of $90.43 billion in 2009. Broken down by segment, revenues and market share, the statistics are as follows: commercial casinos, $27.9 billion or 30.9 percent; Indian gaming, $26.39 billion, 29.2 percent; lotteries, $20.87 billion, 23.1 percent; racinos $6.4 billion, 7.1 percent; pari-mutuel wagering $2.83 billion, 3.1 percent; charitable gaming $2.07 billion, 2.3 percent; card rooms $1.21 billion, 1.3 percent; other gaming (including cruise ships, convenience gambling and non-racino video lottery terminals), $2.75 billion, three percent.
Finally, with the above video, "Gambling for the Future," Indian gaming is discussed in terms of turning a cycle of economic depression around on reservations and keeping money within their respective state.
Whether or not your comfortable with the pros and cons of gaming in general, I am certainly not okay with privileged Anglo-American CEO's barking orders at indigenous groups. When it comes to perpetuating privilege, poverty, institutionalized racism, and plutocracy, I can confidently tell you that I didn't vote for any of that.
For more info:
http://www.cniga.com/facts/qanda.php
http://outreach.asu.edu/book/resource-guide/summary-indian-gaming-regulatory-act-25-usc-2701-et-seq
http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2012/06/23/myth-indian-casino-riches
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