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Indian chief cites 'paper genocide'
Message was posted: 06:07 Jun 22nd, 2006

User: Freeride Rank: Casino Gold: 3621CG Contributor rating: 7880 Status: Offline

Gambling news from http://www.timesdispatch.com/ WASHINGTON -- Six Virginia Indian tribes, asking Congress to grant them sovereign status, yesterday recounted a history of "paper genocide" at the hands of the state. "The state systematically worked to destroy us" in the 20th century, testified Chief Stephen R. Adkins of the Chickahominy Tribe at a Senate hearing. "I call it paper genocide." Sen. John McCain, chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, seemed sympathetic to at least part of the tribes' plea. The Virginia tribes want to skirt a lengthy administrative route to sovereignty. They are hindered, they say, because zealous state officials destroyed vital records or reclassified Indian people as "colored" many years ago. There's overwhelming evidence of substantial destruction, or corruption, of official records, McCain, R-Ariz., agreed at one point during a hearing on the bill. He prefers that tribes go through the administrative route, yet he recognizes there may be extenuating circumstances justifying congressional action in some cases, McCain said at another point. He said he expected to hold another committee meeting to vote on the bill, sponsored by Republican Sen. George Allen of Virginia. McCain did not say whether he would support it. A U.S. Department of Interior official questioned the Virginia tribes' bid, and his testimony collided with that of a prominent anthropologist from Virginia. R. Lee Fleming, director of the Office of Federal Acknowledgment, said he was concerned by evidentiary gaps in what the Virginia bill states about the tribes' histories. But Helen C. Rountree, a professor emerita from Old Dominion University, shot back that her extensive research showed the Virginia tribes meet the federal criteria for recognition. "The people are authentic," Rountree said. Since the first bill to gain sovereign status for Virginia tribes was introduced in 2000 by Rep. James P. Moran, D-8th, some foes have raised the specter of casino gambling in Virginia as a concern. Backers of the bill say the tribes do not intend to operate casinos. Moreover, the bill would not allow it unless the state goes along, the backers said, and Allen said he did not foresee the tribes having gaming operations. Sen. John W. Warner, R-Va., a co-sponsor of Allen's bill, also attended the hearing in support of the tribes' bid for sovereignty. Tribes covered by the bill are the Chickahominy, Eastern Chickahominy, the Monacan Indian Nation, the Nansemond, the Upper Mattaponi and the Rappahannock.

Indian chief cites 'paper genocide'
Message was posted: 08:11 Jun 22nd, 2006

User: Snake Eyes Rank: Casino Gold: 4404CG Contributor rating: 9600 Status: Offline

Backers of the bill say the tribes do not intend to operate casinos. Moreover, the bill would not allow it unless the state goes along, the backers said, and Allen said he did not foresee the tribes having gaming operations. That is biggest issue, nothing to keep them from cashing in once it is final and no matter who promises what there will be casinos eventually.