American Indians Protest Tribal Ouster

[shawn703]

More than 100 American Indians ousted from their casino-owning tribes joined hands Saturday to protest what they called money grabs by tribal leaders through disenrollment.

It was the first such large-scale organized gathering for people who contend they have been excised from tribal rolls by leaders seeking a larger share of gambling profits.

As tribal gambling grows into a $17 billion industry, disputes over disenrollment have flared nationwide. More than 1,000 people are fighting their ouster in California alone.

"There needs to be a healing in Indian country and we're going to start it," said John Gomez Jr., who was removed from the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, which has a casino near this city about 85 miles southeast of Los Angeles.

Gomez was joined at a public park by former members of 16 tribes from California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma and New York. They planned another meeting in Nevada and said they are asking Congress to hold hearings on disenrollments. Many noted the growing political power and formidable finances of the tribes that ousted them.


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http://www.wtopnews.com/index.php?nid=104&sid=522156

[Desertrose]

1. Oh man, I'm sorry to see this.

Why does increased revenue seem to cause an increase in problems......bummer!!!

[Finn MacCool]

2. Greed, pure and simple. Nobody is immune.

[OKthatsIT]

3. checks and balances still prevails, though

they got rid of them...theyre in better shape than the rest of us!

[pippin]

4. Not only are some ousted but

many who are eligible are kept out through vaguely and often arbitrary rules.