And now:[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: November 15, 1999 Indians Warily Watching Bush Filed at 3:32 a.m. EST By The Associated Press www.nytimes.com/ PHOENIX (AP) -- American Indian tribes are warily watching Republican presidential front-runner George W. Bush, questioning whether he will respect tribal sovereignty if elected. ``Indian leaders are really looking at him with a cautious eye,'' said Ron Allen, first vice president of the National Congress of American Indians. ``It's obvious to us that he is very insensitive to Indians in their unique political position.'' Allen and other tribal representatives say they are concerned because of a comment the Texas governor made in Syracuse, N.Y., last month and his rocky relationship with one tribe in his home state. The (Syracuse) Post-Standard quoted Bush as saying, ``My view is that state law reigns supreme when it comes to the Indians, whether it be gambling or any other issue.'' The governor refused to elaborate on his comment at the time, but Scott McClellan, a spokesman for the campaign, said last week that Bush does respect ``the long-standing tribal sovereignty and self-governance.'' Robert A. Williams, a professor of law and American Indian studies at the University of Arizona, said 200 years of history and law clearly dictate that only the federal government can supersede tribal rule -- something that Indian leaders are adamant about. Historically, Indians have seen states as the entities that seek to usurp their right to self-determination, he said. ``It is a racial power issue.'' Jacob Coin, executive director of the National Indian Gaming Association, said Bush's remarks are typical of many public officials who take office with limited understanding of tribal government. ``We would love to get a call from him. We'd be happy to sit down with him and get him up to speed,'' Coin said. Mellor Willie, spokesman for Navajo Nation President Kelsey Begaye, said the consequences of not paying attention to Indian issues could be serious. ``All the people vying for the office of president need to realize that Indian people are a strong force in the United States and we are active politically,'' he said. Willie also noted that a Bush rival, Arizona Sen. John McCain, has long cultivated a friendship with Indians, particularly in his home state. He made a campaign stop in the Navajo capital, Window Rock, earlier this year. Recent polls in Arizona, an early primary state, show McCain running a close race with Bush. Roughly 150,000 Indians in the state are of voting age. Bush has had a particularly rough relationship with the Tigua Indians in Texas -- something their attorney says should be a cautionary tale for other tribes. The governor has battled with the El Paso-based tribe over its casino, accusing the Tiguas of violating state law with their slot machines and card games. The state attorney general has sued the tribe in federal court. But tribal attorneys argue that the Texas lottery opened the door for the Tiguas' casino. In August, full-page newspaper ads in El Paso and Austin accused Bush of picking on Indians. ``What George Bush has done is maintain the tradition in Texas: You run (Indians) out or you kill them,'' said Tom Diamond, the Tiguas' attorney. ``He must be taken very seriously.'' Bush as governor has consistently disregarded tribal sovereignty with the Tiguas, said Diamond, a former Democratic county chairman. The Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas has maintained a more cordial relationship with the governor, but Kickapoo Council Rep. Isidro Garza Jr. said the tribe hasn't benefited from it. ``The governor has not hurt us, but he hasn't helped us. I don't think he understands the plight of the Native Americans,'' said Garza, a Democrat running for Congress in 2000. ``He should start by setting an example in Texas.'' Reprinted under the Fair Use http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html doctrine of international copyright law. <><<<<<>>>>><><<<<> Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ <><<<<<>>>>><><<<<>
