Another "Indian" Thread

Alpine

I used to answer calls on a couple of local reservations. This has been over ten years ago. I would observe a higher than normal amount of alcoholism, poor standard of living conditions, a high percentage of welfare, and just a lot of junk around their homes.
Now when you drive through the reservations you see new homes, new cars, and the rest of the things brought on through wealth.
The differance is the gambling casinos. Now each and every person, living on the reservation and related to a tribe member, recieves $13,000.00 per month, as their cut from the casinos. Children, when 5 years old recieve an endowment of $120,000.00 for college expenses.
Questions:
What is the differance in our society between the old way, and the new way with casinos?
Balance the differance between the gambling problems generated by the close by casinos and the benefits of their new found wealth.
What do you think?

"If you ain't got pictures, I wasn't there."

223believer

Perhaps we can relate it to what goes on in most people's
bedrooms a few times a week: one party screws the other,
and then the roles are reversed. I say it's about time
the Indians got to return the favor.

interstatepawnllc

I think you mean $13,000.00 yearly.

idsman75

interstate--It depends upon the reservation. Back home there was a tribe-operated casino that was bringing in $250,000/year per member of the tribe. It all depends where you go. The reservations in my recruiting area (Winnebago Tribe and Omaha Tribe) don't make much. The members of the tribes still live in squalor. The tribes used to be spread across the countryside working the land and making a good honest living until one of the heads of the tribes stood up and said that they were spread out too far and needed to come together in a few small towns where there were no employment opportunities so that they could retain the identies of their tribes. Needless to say, the tribes went downhill from there.

turbo

I worked 4 years running contsruction projects at a local reservation.

And, I have come to know some of the tribal members quite well, the older members for the most part are easygoing and understand the hurdles this sudden wealth has presented to the future of the membership. Each member draws a share upwards of $10,000.00 a month from the proceeds the casino and other business within the reservation produces.

The younger members who for the most have not known poverty and hardtimes are now reaching adulthood.

And although, their college education is there for the taking, very few young Indians in this tribe are persuing higher education.

If one drove around this reservation, first think you'd notice is everyone drives, huge new Ford and Chevy trucks, and every other type of toy you can think of, sometimes the value of vehicles and toys parked around the homes exceed the value of the house, I remeber a few of the non-indian workers that where employed by the indian owned company we worked for, were always been sought out within a week after the tribe distributed the monthly dividend checques to the tribal members, by those same tribal members who had already spent or lost all their monthly allowance, and were seeking loans from these workers.


The older members, those who had struggled in lean times and had known what poverty really is, seem to be the ones that are more likely to prepare for the rainy days, the younger generation live for the moment, I would always, ask young members if they were instrusted in learning a skill, if they were not interested in higher education; in the four years I was their, 2 got interested and neither lasted more than 2 weeks, lack of interest.

What amazed me, is the numbers of older retired, grammas, and grampas, that throw their hard earned money at these casinos.

They would get bussed in begining at 9:00 a.m. all day till 6:00 p.m.
and the buses would be loaded.

It's a sad day when people have to throw their money away like this, to have a good time.

Gambling produces a fast living easy come easy go lifestyle, When the lure of gambling wears off, and gambling peters out, one gets the feeling, lots of the Indians would be back on the welfare roles, again.,

"The great object is that every man.... everyone who is able may have a gun." Patrick Henry

Alpine

interstatepawnllc: No. I correctly stated $13,000.00 per person per month. This is up from a couple of years ago from $10,000.00 per month.
And additionally their casinos are fully paid for. I know of one cainso locally that has a private enclosed entrance for high rollers. I asked how long it would take to pay for this extremely lavishly equiped several rooms to pay for itself.
Answer: 2 months.
Around here the tribes are very lavish with donations to charities, and they try to make sure the public knows they support worthwhile causes. One also makes sure that on their commercials they have a tag line at the end of spot, that they support Gamblers Anonymous.


"If you ain't got pictures, I wasn't there."

Alpine

One thing I forgot to mention was the fact that tribal members are forbidden to gamble at any of their local casinos. For these people to gamble, they must travel to Nevada.

"If you ain't got pictures, I wasn't there."

interstatepawnllc

Wow,....I stand corrected, humbled and flabbergasted. Thanks.

concealedG36

I think that if people choose to go blow their money gambling then let the Indians prosper!! At least the money is staying in the area, it sounds like the profits are being spent at the local Ford/Chevy dealerships!

Detroit got a few casinos over the last couple of years and the money is pouring into them. I went over to the MGM Grand a few months ago at lunchtime on a Tuesday, the place was PACKED! I don't know how so many people can afford to gamble, especially since most people work during that time?? Oh well, I guess the city is getting a whole lot of revenue and hopefully they'll spend it fixing up the city and the schools.



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