Tribes vs. tribes

Someone asked me what I thought of the Bay Mills casino:

"What do you think of the situation in Michigan with one tribe (with other tribes allied to it) trying to close the casino of another tribe?"

I have two thoughts about that type of situation:

1) Tribes sometimes bend the rules to open a casino. For instance, they do it when a land-into-trust application is incomplete. Even when it's likely to be turned down.

I'd say this is bad. It makes every tribe look greedy and unscrupulous. It hurts everyone in the long run.

2) On the other hand, when a tribe has a perfect right to open a casino, nearby tribes sometimes protest it. They often invent some bogus reason that amounts to "We don't like the competition."

To that I say: Too bad. You're going to be only moderately well-off rather than very well-off. Deal with it. Quit blocking your fellow Indians' rights because it makes everyone look greedy and unscrupulous, again.

In short, whether you're opening your own casino or responding to someone else's, make sure your actions are aboveboard and ethical.  Anything else hurts Indian gaming in particular and Indian country in general.