From the Allegan News:
To the editor: In response to Kathy Cassady’s letter—“Think tribal ancestors wanted casino?” No, our ancestors simply wanted to retain our land, culture and sovereignty.
Upon learning that the U.S. Court of Appeals decided in yet another court case that the Gun Lake tribe has the right to build a casino, Chairman D.K. Sprague thanked the Creator because our families have suffered economically and socially for centuries; ever since we lost all the land everyone else currently enjoys, including Kathy Cassady.
Federal agencies and federal judges appointed by the U.S. Congress have concluded that our tribal members suffer from unemployment rates six times that of the surrounding communities. Imagine that, if you can, Ms. Cassady. Consider that Allegan County’s unemployment rate is now above 7 percent.
To directly answer your cynical question, Ms. Cassady, no, our ancestors would never have imaged a casino as reparations for the millions of acres of land that was stolen from us. That is why the word “casino” is not found in the 1795 Treaty of Greenville, the Treaty of Chicago (1821), or the Treaty of St. Joseph (1827); all of which were signed by our Chief, Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish.
Those treaties did preserve our inherent sovereignty. Under federal and international law, sovereign governments have the right to make laws, collect taxes, protect the rights and welfare of their citizenry and maintain a system of government on their own lands.
Here’s your answer to owning and benefiting from a casino, Ms. Cassady.
The sovereign status of federally recognized Indian tribes is recognized in the U.S. Constitution: Article I, Section 8, Clause Three (the Indian Commerce Clause). Its legal validity has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Just as the voters of the State of Michigan implemented a public lottery in 1972 to help fund governmental services, our tribal members voted for a casino to fund our governmental services.
Ms. Cassady also attempted to criticize our tribe by suggesting that we do not seek protection of Mother Earth—yet another false statement about our culture. This is the same claim made by MichGO in federal court. It was rejected by four federal judges.
Moreover, our tribal members participated in the Mother Earth Water Walk to promote the protection of our Great Lakes. The tribe also has an environmental department that is currently working to improve the water quality of the Kalamazoo watershed through a $1 million dollar grant from the EPA, amongst other activities. Needless to say, the tribe has been a leader in environmental stewardship for hundreds of years.
Ms. Cassady has a fundamental ignorance of Indian sovereignty and federal rights. And that’s putting it nicely.
If she doesn’t like gambling that’s fine, but don’t criticize the integrity of all tribal nations that seek better lives for themselves and future generations through economic development. Our ancestors would be proud of us, and we would know this better than anyone.
John Shagonaby
Vice Chairman
Gun Lake Tribe
Turtle Talk 