Reservation economies have their ups and downs, but lately, with the emergence of casinos, there seems to be a way to stay up. Gambling in Minnesota has been legal since 1976, but U.S. Congress still passed the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act in 1988 to codify the court's decision and federal justification for the operation. Since their inception, casinos have had a major effect on the economy of reservations. Major hotels, day care centers, youth arcades, swimming pools, restaurants, facilities for entertainment have been built to make the casinos more attractive, but these new renovations have also benefited the people. With some money earned from gambling, reservations have seen an improvement in sewage and water systems, community buildings, tribal offices, libraries, clinics, schools, housing programs, and even the chance for graduating high schoolers to go to college. It is also estimated that 33,900 jobs have been created within Minnesota by both direct and indirect effects from casino gambling.
Casinos bring with them a positive future for Minnesota's Indians, but it also gives them a sense of pride. Having the ability to choose what they want to do with the money and with the running of the casinos gives them something that is theirs and that cannot be touched by any government.
However, with this happiness, comes the dark side. Gambling does bring in money that is truly needed on reservations, but it adds strain on their governing systems. Some say that the gambling operation will not last the next ten years and when it falls apart, the reservations will go back to being federally funded or financially insecure. I want to end with the a quote that left me thinking what this operation really could do to the Indian way of life. Indian leader Jim Northrup, Jr., "Is Indian gambling going to do what assimilation, relocation, acculturation, termination couldn't? Is gambling going to change us from generous people into greedy, money-centered dark imitations of white people?".
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I am so proud what the reservations have proved to the government that they can own and run a multi-million dollar industry, but the quote also kind of makes me think, but I think it would definitely depend on the person; Some people could possibly become greedy but many people may have a different mind set and not become that way. I guess we will see what exactly happens as the time goes by.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Richard, that greed depends on each individual. Hopefully Native Americans will keep with their traditional ways, and not become greedy like many other Americans. I also hope that casinos do not die out within the next decade, because they are helping Native Americans with unemployment problems, along with economic problems.
ReplyDeleteTracey Weitzel
I think the casinos are invaluable as they are providing the most income to build roads, health care systems, etc. Every issue has two sides, a good and a bad but I think the casinos are a positive; not only providing funds, but they create jobs. I think programs should still be implemented to help with job training and education, because there's much more to gain out there than just the casino industry.
ReplyDelete-TJ Berger