Discrimination Over Slot Machines

There is cause for concern in Maine these days, and it seems that it comes from discrimination in the one place that many thought it would not find itself. Maine’s Indian tribes have been trying for years to get slot machines approved so that they can increase the amount of money that they bring in for their tribe, and thus can support themselves as they have not been able to do. However, it seems that the citizens and legislature of Maine don’t agree with that.

Not only have they fought against every attempt for the tribes of Maine to bring in slot machines and casinos – saying that it was an influence they did not want in their state, but they approved if for others instead. The citizens of Maine allowed another un-tribe related casino to come instead. In 2003, the tribes brought forth a proposal that would have allowed for a slot machine casino in southern Maine, citizens overwhelmingly fought against it.

However, on that same ballot was a proposal for slot machines at Bangor Raceway and that was approved, leaving the tribe feeling discriminated against. The white, out of state developers were approved, while their own native people were told no way. Perhaps they were packaged differently, who knows, but when it comes down to it they were left without a very good source of income.

Then they find out that the legislature has been calling them racial slurs, saying that they are “welfare warriors,” calling them “lazy” and “alcoholics” and saying that they would “drink away the profits” anyway, so why give them a casino? They are perfectly ok with there being slot machines elsewhere in the state, just so long as they are not run by the tribes. This is disconcerting to say the least, especially since our legislators are supposed to represent all of us – not just the white ones.


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