We might not celebrate Columbus Day in South Dakota anymore, but I didn’t think there were any prejudices held against Italian Americans. But then I read Democrat Rep. Shawn Bordeaux’s comments coming from a State-tribal committee hearing:
Bordeaux also drew a parallel with casinos on Indian lands. When they first came, people feared the worst.
“When gaming first came out, they said there’s going to be mafia, and all the Indians are going to have all this crime. It’s going to be all over the reservations,” he said. “I ain’t seen one Guido yet … those folks who are supposed to be the mafia folks haven’t showed up.”
“Guido?” Yeah, that’s not a compliment. It’s an ethnic slur.
I question whether it was done in ignorance, which would seem to be underlined by his statement. “I ain’t seen one Guido yet?” – yeah…. I’m not hearing anything but ignorance when that uttered forth from his mouth.
Rep . Bordeaux probably got a little over zealous in trying to make a point . I doubt that his intent was to slur those of us of Italian decent . I am disappointed in his ignorance but not mad at him .
Its clear that gambling does create crime–maybe not on the rez, but certainly elsewhere.
How many lower and middle class folks have fallen for the false promises of quick riches, and turned to criminal acts to feed that weakness. Brenda Council of Omaha. Scott Tran of Lincoln, NE. And on and on.
Like Whiteclay & the PineRidge, the Rose casino, Royal River, and so on are thriving off of the misery and emptiness of mostly white folks who wish to fill the void with the false hope of quick gold promoted and marketed by Indian gaming.
It would be nice of Indian gaming leaders at acknowledge the devastation that they cause, to set aside some funds to promote more responsible gambling, and to fund professional treatment for problem gamblers.
Vengeance is ugly.
Well if we’re going to acknowledge causes of devastation while Whiteclay Nebraska is open for business, we should frame questions carefully.
Yeah and now they want to open a pot den with all the addiction issues on the rez and elsewhere. All about escaping reality.