tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post6157836250842862104..comments2024-02-10T18:19:36.406-08:00Comments on Newspaper Rock: Church to boycott casinos?Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01478763837213733775noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post-90762693080939554522008-08-14T21:47:00.000-07:002008-08-14T21:47:00.000-07:00Writerfella here -- Rob, BINGO! He shoots, he...Writerfella here --<BR/> Rob, BINGO! He shoots, he scores! Huzzah!<BR/>All Best<BR/>Russ Bates<BR/>'writerfella'writerfellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00111681906238053379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post-74802268451261048292008-08-12T07:59:00.000-07:002008-08-12T07:59:00.000-07:00In most states, tribal casinos couldn't compete wi...In most states, tribal casinos couldn't compete with nontribal casinos because of the tribes' remote locations. That's why tribes put the argument to the states (and in some cases, to the voters): Let us have casinos and we'll limit them to tribal lands.<BR/><BR/>Since voters approved this arrangement (either directly or indirectly, through their representatives), it's an example of democracy in action. If Americans want to give a so-called "monopoly" to Indians, it's their right to do so.<BR/><BR/>The states and tribes have signed compacts, a form of government-to-government treaty. Now the churches are trying an end run around these legally binding agreements. The tribes have every right to protest the breaking of agreements that they signed and the voters approved.<BR/><BR/>If the churches don't like it, they can launch an initiative to overturn the previously passed initiatives. If they win the vote, more power to them. But declaring that they have the right to ignore the law and do whatever they want is neither fair nor democratic.Robhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01478763837213733775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post-14013938949276103422008-08-09T19:45:00.000-07:002008-08-09T19:45:00.000-07:00Writerfella here -- The idea of competition is...Writerfella here --<BR/> The idea of competition is worthy but the ideal of competition is not a reality. Take the Cold War: two competing economic systems built like forces of massively destructive weapons that for forty years threatened the life of every human on earth.<BR/> Then again, look how long and hard Donald Trump and other monied interests tried to prevent the emergence of Native gaming. They surely did not think much of the idea that competition could and should be a reality.<BR/> In point of fact, the Catholic Church is saying allow us to hold high-stakes gambling or we're taking our congregations and going home, no doubt to Popeville...<BR/>All Best<BR/>Russ Bates<BR/>'writerfella'writerfellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00111681906238053379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post-46341668200994405182008-08-09T05:05:00.000-07:002008-08-09T05:05:00.000-07:00"Tribes are interested in containing nontribal bin..."Tribes are interested in containing nontribal bingo, not eliminating it"<BR/><BR/>I don't think the tribes have any leg of legitimacy to stand on, in this issue. It looks like nothing more than one business entity using the government to ban competition. <BR/><BR/>Competition from other entities should be allowed, and competition does not infringe on tribal sovereignty or tribes' internal affairs or how they conduct their business in any way. <BR/><BR/>Competition is a reality. Deal with it by competing, not by pressuring the government to abuse its power by "deciding" which competing business is better than the other.dmarkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07269773990064736457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post-36379902221945427222008-08-09T00:01:00.000-07:002008-08-09T00:01:00.000-07:00Writerfella here -- There may be separation of...Writerfella here --<BR/> There may be separation of church and state, but that legal interregnum does not mean that churches are immune from Federal or state law. For years, 'bingo' mostly was excused from strict legal control if the merchants had a positive aspect to their conduct of gaming, such as charity That is how Native tribes entered such an arena originally. But when Native sovereignty abruptly became part and parcel to Native gaming, they were able to leave charity behind. And that is where the other 'bingo' operatives were left in the dust. They still were bound by individual state statutes governing their form of gambling, but Native tribes were not. Poor babies! At least, writerfella knows that the Catholic Church has a better chance of preventing abortions than it has of trying to become equal with Native gaming. The Catholic Church is not a 'tribe.' It is one thing to envy a successful rivalry and quite another to gain 'sovereignty,' even under the law...<BR/>All Best<BR/>Russ Bates<BR/>'writerfella'writerfellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00111681906238053379noreply@blogger.com