Putting heritage ahead of casinos

Given the billions of dollars at stake, itÂ’s not a surprise that about 200 Indian tribes have petitioned the federal government for official recognition of their tribes. With such recognition comes the ability to open casinos, which explains why such tribes often seek high-powered lobbying help.

In response, U.S. Rep. John Campbell, R-Irvine, has proposed a bill that would put a 25-year moratorium on casino building after any tribe receives federal recognition. In Mr. Campbell’s view, “This bill would ensure that if people are going to ask to be recognized as a tribe, the reason they’re doing it is to preserve their cultural heritage and not to establish a casino that other people can’t.”

The driving force for the legislation is an effort by the Juaneno Mission Indians of Orange County to gain federal status. The tribe is awaiting word from the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington, which is expected to give an answer by the end of November. Three separate factions claim to be the rightful representatives of the Juanenos. The Juanenos apparently are seeking federal land near the Great Park in Irvine for the construction of a major casino, according to Mr. Campbell. He has documents showing that at least one faction of the tribe already is making arrangements with consultants to build a gaming operation.

An Orange County casino would be far different from some of the other casinos that ring the metropolitan area, in that it would be in the heart of an expansive, urbanized region. Advocates for Indian gaming have long sought a foothold in an urban or suburban area. Federal law allows such casinos to be built, but they are subject to negotiation with state officials and to local approval. The city of Garden Grove recently rejected a casino plan for a city-owned site on Harbor Boulevard, but we expect these types of debates to take place more frequently.

People in a free society should have every right to spend their money as they choose, even on something many people find to be foolish or even immoral. But whatever one believes about gambling, it is wrong for the government to grant gambling monopolies to people based on their ethnic heritage. We donÂ’t appreciate the entire federal tribal-recognition process, either, given that no oneÂ’s cultural heritage should be dependent on the imprimatur of federal bureaucrats.

Indian gaming was first established to provide economic help to long-impoverished and often-mistreated people living far off the beaten path. Now, we see bitter debates as various factions argue over who is the rightful representative of the tribe. We see enormous dollars being used to influence the political process to gain and protect special privileges. And we see reservation-shopping, as tribes try to secure urban parcels that may have nothing to do with their historic tribal lands but have everything to do with potential casino revenue.

In this context, Mr. CampbellÂ’s proposed bill seems perfectly reasonable.

But whatever one believes about gambling, it is wrong for the government to grant gambling monopolies to people based on their ethnic heritage.