A little history would be appropriate: Excellent article about the complexities of the Seminoles' casino, the media, and liability. However, you barely mentioned the context of sovereign immunity in the first place. Sovereign immunity means that American Indians can govern themselves but only under the purview of the federal government, particularly when it comes to political and economic rights. Thus, the Seminoles' sovereign immunity is based on the whims of the federal government.
Second, sovereign immunity stems from the more than 500 years of our government's reneging on almost every American Indian treaty.
Third, American Indian tribes are quite distinct from one another around the country, and your general lumping of Seminoles as another tribe with a casino is at best sophomoric and at its worst ignorant. What one tribe with a casino does concerning the media or liability will be quite different from what another tribe does.
Every time I bike or run through the New River in Fort Lauderdale and see that horrendous monument to Colee Hammock that states he was "murdered" by Seminole Indians instead of the monument to Seminole Indians saying, "Here, Seminole Indians protected their lands from foreign invaders..." I'm reminded again how far west we pushed the Seminole Indians from their once-native lands, and I'm glad that the Seminoles are economically successful and hopefully continue to be culturally vibrant.
Roger Gonzalez
Via the Internet
Bob's Not Hiring
Grease keeps the wheels turning: I guess Bob Norman took a double dose of Levitra and woke up with a hard-on for an extended period of time! What's wrong, after all, if Dan Adkins and the new Mardi Gras racino contribute to local politicians who favor what he's doing ("One-Arm Job," April 12)? Nothing! Does Norman have jobs for the more than 1,000 employees that Adkins has hired this year? Is he or New Times going to contribute over $1 million a week to Florida's education system? If Norman thinks Adkins bribed either Evan Jenne or Joe Gibbons, perhaps he should stop beating around the bush and make the change — and have his ass sued by them! New Times too.
Harvey Slavin
Hollywood
Disney makes these guys look like midgets: If Bob Norman really wants to see political/industry coziness, he should heed Dan Atkins' quote: "Why don't you go after Disney..." and see what Disney has given politicians (statewide) for 36 years, including $500,000 to stop casinos in the 1994 campaign, so no one would travel south of Orlando. Children don't die on rides or get molested at casino venues as they do at Disney, since no one under 21 is allowed in. Of course, "Big Sugar" doesn't own any politicians either while it pollutes our South Florida water.
As for "Seminole Hold 'Em," the Seminole Tribe was "given" sovereignty status by Gen. George Washington (all native tribes) if they would not attack American troops who were trying to defeat the British. Gen. Washington kept that promise. As for lawsuits on tribal land, the Seminoles received $25 million from the United States for "all" of Florida (beachfront property included). Two big lawsuits could wipe that out in a minute. And don't our own cities and state have the smallest amount of money that you can sue them for (i.e., never slip on a public city sidewalk)?
Both writers must understand that pari-mutuel and Seminole casinos are helping South Florida via taxes, jobs, construction, and fun, while the Bahamas (sovereign nation) or Las Vegas (don't slip on their sidewalks!) do nothing for us.
Stan Wertheimer
Hollywood
The Real Deal
Let Nasty be your guide: I feel the need to comment on "Low Rider" (February 22) by Marya Summers. What the fuck was that trash, young lady? Boy, did you miss the mark. First off, bikers in South Florida are a first-class bunch of folks. Just ask any organization that bikers support, like the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital with a $500,000-plus donation every year. Yes, we tend to be a little on the older side, but when a Harley costs in excess of $20,000 and many customs even up to $100,000, it takes a while to acquire that kind of disposable income.
I am sorry to hear that you did not have a good time visiting the biker world. Come for a ride with me. First, I will have to dress you like my girl Natasha so no one will make fun of you. I buy all her hot clothes from the stripper store. We will start off at Nothin Fancy, where I will enter you in the Camel Toe contest, just after you buy me a beer. Then down to Flossie's, so you can buy me another beer and watch the ebb and flow of hundreds of motorcycles.
We will run over to the Keltics' clubhouse, where you can ask them about their patches. Next we will be off to the Outlaws' clubhouse to learn what a 1 percenter is. Here is where it will get exciting for you, since you think a 1 percenter is "the 1 percent who give bikers a bad name." That's pretty funny, though I don't think any of the Outlaws will think so. To clarify, a 1 percenter actually means the rare 1 percent of motorcycle riders who are true bikers in the original sense of the term. Next, off to Club Nastopia, where you can do a little striptease on that brass pole in my living room while I shout out numerous times, "Hey, princess, get me a beer." I will then send you on your way back to your boring life with a nice little biker's pat on the ass.
Nasty
Via the Internet
Editor's note: Nasty is a columnist for the biker magazine Wheels on the Road.
