July 30, 2025
When I was growing up in Mohave County my honky elders often opined: "If only the Indians could learn the White Man's ways, then all would be good for our nation." It took some time but 38 years ago those well-meaning Lutherans got their wish.
In 1988, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling, in California v. Cabazon Band of Mission Indians. That ruling led to the passage of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988, which claimed that sovereign tribes could offer the same kind of gaming approved in the state where they were located. This planted the seeds of what is today a $30 billion Indian casino industry with 480 gambling joints in 28 states. The simple legislative act is credited with rebuilding crumbling res economies, but what it actually did, was captured in this brilliant cartoon by Dan Piraro way back in 2006:
And so, today, with tribes kicking out tribe members for not being Indian enough—so they can make more money—I guess you could safely say that American In-dins have learned the White Man's ways, and How!
"We made them an offer they couldn't refuse."
—Chief Don Corny-Leone
White man found a way to finally kill the indigenous culture: cold, hard, cash.
ReplyDeleteRecall the FBI finding itself surrounded at Ft. McDowell in such a dispute?
I recall as a child of US 60 ("the other road") there would be large traffic jams on Sunday eves as folks, slowed, and stopped, for Cabazon.
The town offered even limited gambling then and had a reputation for freely handing out speeding and stop sign citations.
Cabazon lies about 17 miles west of Palm Springs, now mostly a blip of the side of I-1O, with an ailing outlet center, date and nut stand and a casino.
The dinosaurs are gone as well.