Andrew Jackson Institute fights Seminoles

Feds:  Florida Tribes Play Fast and Loose with Gaming

IRS agents probe Seminoles and Miccosukees over payments, taxes

By Kenric WardCritics of Indian gaming say that tribal claims of "sovereign" status have led to abuses.

Mark Thibault, president of the Miami-based Andrew Jackson Institute, which opposes Indian casinos, said, "Florida Indian gaming has been playing by its own rules for decades. This hurts everyone but the tribes."

Controversial as the Miccosukees' tax-free claim may sound, Thibault said, "That is something every other native tribe in America does."

As for the investigation into Seminole vendor payments, Thibault likens the tribe's practices to "money laundering--both with the use of double bookkeeping and illegal distributions."

"All of this hurts every honest taxpayer in Florida," the Miami attorney said.

But Thibault says more damage is inflicted on the tribes' competitors.

"What has not been reported is the damage being done to the pari-mutuel industry of Florida. These operations are forced to fight an uphill battle with one hand tied behind their back.More on the Andrew Jackson Institute:The Andrew Jackson Institute is a not-for profit organization set up to expose corruption in the Indian gaming industry. We oppose special rights and privileges for any group of Americans based on skin-color or national origin. We support repeal of the Federal 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) and oppose the proposed Florida State Gaming Compact with the Seminole Indian Tribe.And:The Seminoles claim that they are a "Sovereign Nation" and thus entitled to special rights. Why then are Seminole Indians entitled to vote in U.S. and Florida Elections, entitled to welfare payments and entitled to workmen's compensation? Floridians are not allowed to vote in their tribal elections! Seminoles are either citizens of their "Sovereign Nation" or citizens of the United States. Why do they have it both ways? It is un-American to grant any special class of people extraordinary rights because of the color of their skin or the history of their people.Comment:  The point here isn't to go into all gaming battles the Seminoles have fought. It's to discuss the Andrew Jackson Institute.

These people have named themselves after the most notorious Indian fighter in US history. The president who forced the Seminoles on a death-march to Oklahoma and assaulted anyone who refused to go. If there's a better way to say, "We want the Seminoles dead or gone," I'm not sure what it is.

Here we see a typical "anti-gaming" group in action. Thibault has no problem with Florida's parimutuel industry; indeed, he wants it to expand. He doesn't oppose gaming, he opposes Indian involvement in gaming. Like almost every other anti-gaming group, these people are really anti-Indian.

The courts and I have debated and dismissed the special rights arguments hundreds of times before. Yet these stupid ignoramuses keep making it. Clearly they won't be happy until Congress eliminates tribal sovereignty and terminates the tribes. That's their goal, not curtailing gaming.

Kill the Seminole, save the man?

Like Andrew Jackson, the Andrew Jackson Institute wants to kill Indians figuratively if not literally. It wants to destroy the Indians' governments and cultures so they become exactly like every other American. In the old days people called this attitude "Kill the Indian, save the man." Today we call it racist and genocidal.

So don't let the Institute's talk about gaming issues fool you. These people don't care about fine-tuning gaming laws or regulations. They're bigots who are out to exterminate tribes any way they can.

For more on the subject, see Columnist Shows How Racists View Indians and The Facts About Indian Gaming.

Below:  The Andrew Jackson Institute's masthead and mascot.