Monday, July 9, 2007

Primary Source ~ Modern Indian Persecution in Prop 68

Analysis of Proposition 68 on the November 2, 2004 General Elections is just one example of how the federal, state, and local governments decide what the Native American people can and cannot do on their own land.

The analysis by the official legislative analyst specifically states that "as SOVEREIGN nations, tribes are largely exempt from state and local taxes and laws, including California environmental laws." If these are truly sovereign nations then the US government only has a write to regulate environmental compliance on any people within our borders protecting our environment. However, instead of recognizing the Native American people as a truly sovereign nation, "federal law and the State Constitution govern gambling operations on Indian land." Any tribe that enters into a tribal-state gambling compact may operate slot machines and engage in card games where the operator has a stake in the outcome. Any new or amended compact must be approved by the Legislature, the Governor, and the federal government. These tribes are required to make payments totalling anywhere from $100 million annually to an expected hundreds of millions as well as prepare an environmental impact report. Any tribally own and operated racetrack or card room would be required to 30% of the net win from their slot machines to the GRTF as well as an additional 2% of their net win to the city and 1% to the county. This is a total of 33% of their net win, business taxes as it were, to the government yet every other business in the state of California pays 8% business tax. How is this not discrimination?

We claim that we are the defenders of liberty, justice, and freedom yet we segregate between on group of Americans and another. So much for "Give me your poor, your tired, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore." We invite people from around the world to taste the breath of freedom yet we deny freedom to a nation on our very shores. That's DEMOCRACY!!!

Below is the site for the analysis as well as the full text of the Proposition 68. Check it out and determine, as James Baldwin says, "if we really want to be free."

The analysis: http://vote2004.sos.ca.gov/voterguide/propositions/prop68-analysis.htm
The Proposition: http://vote2004.sos.ca.gov/voterguide/propositions/prop68text.pdf

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I really like all the work you are doing. Keep it up and you'll have a wonderful resource for yourself. Have you been to see the Native American exhibit at Huntington Gardens? I think it's up until early September. I think you'd enjoy it. I love the "Amazing Grace" video.