Minnesota's Version of "Where did the Indian Go?"

Opinion: By Dave Snetsinger

Fleecing of casino tribes just a new chapter in an old story
By Paul VanDevelder For the Los Angeles Times

On long winter nights beside the Knife and Little Big Horn rivers in Montana, tribal elders sit around story fires and tell their grandchildren legends to help them make sense of the world. It's a time-worn custom, as old as silence.

A black man, a white man and an Indian arrived at the Pearly Gates, begins one of their favorite tales. After welcoming them to heaven, St. Peter invites each man to choose the afterlife of his dreams.

The black man asks for great music and lots of friends. St. Peter grants his wish and sends him on his way.

Up steps the Indian, who asks for beautiful mountain streams, deep forests and plenty of food.
"Say no more, chief," St. Peter says, sending him off.

Last, he turns to the white man and asks, "What do you want heaven to look like?"
And the white man says, "Where did that Indian go?"

Ever since Columbus waded ashore, say the elders beside the Knife and the Little Big Horn, white men in funny hats have been asking, "Where did that Indian go?"


Poll finds three-fifths of Minnesotans favor metro casino

February 6, 2005

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A new poll shows about three-fifths of Minnesota adults believe Indian tribes should share casino profits with the state to keep their monopoly on casino gambling.

By about the same margin, the copyright Star Tribune Minnesota Poll shows respondents favor a new casino in the Twin Cities area if part of the profits go to the state's general fund.

The telephone poll of 835 randomly selected adults, published Sunday, was conducted Jan. 23-26. For results based on the entire sample, one can be 95 percent confident that sampling error will be no more than plus or minus 3.4 percentage points.

The poll showed that 49 percent of those polled strongly support Gov. Tim Pawlenty's negotiating with the tribes for more of the profits from their 18 casinos and 47 percent strongly back a metro-area casino, if part of the profits were to go to the state.

Another 13 percent favor negotiating with tribes but not as strongly, while another 15 percent support a metro area casino if part of the profits go to the state.

Twenty-four percent of those polled strongly oppose asking the tribes to share their casino profits and 7 percent oppose the idea, but not strongly. On the question of a metro casino, 21 percent were strongly opposed and 7 percent were opposed, but not strongly.

Pawlenty estimates his casino proposal, unveiled in a budget plan, would bring the state a one-time payment of $200 million in fiscal 2006 and $114 million a year beginning in 2008. The budget deficit for 2006-07 is $700 million.