Dozens of State Troopers Raid Indian Reservation Smoke Shop

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2003-07-15 07:05am

Granted the Narragansett Tribal Govenment is bound to follow state law per the treaty signed in 1978 with the state in excange for it's lands, but this raid is way over the top.

watch the video:
http://turnto10.feedroom.com/index.jsp? ... uto_band=x

read the story:
http://www.turnto10.com/news/2329996/detail.html

The Duchess of Zeon · Post by **The Duchess of Zeon** » 2003-07-15 07:10am

*shrugs* Lawbreakers pay the price, and it was a violation of their treaty.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-07-15 07:15am

So lets see, they broke the law and demanded a concession to stop doing so and then got raided by the police. The wood "good" comes to mind. If people resisted as the article stated and got knocked on the ground and arrested once more I find it hard to care.

Crown · Post by **Crown** » 2003-07-15 07:20am

So I guess the, well not sure what the word is, claim I guess that Native American's can build Casino's on native land, is a bit of an embelishment? I just ask as that was the part of the article that stood out for me, I mean they broke the law, attempted extortion, and then resisted arrest. I can slightly understand the first two, but really what would resisting arrest get them besides a spot on the 6 o'clock news?

A bit dissapointed with their (mostly the tribes and I guess governer's just a little bit) behaivour.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2003-07-15 07:25am

Crown wrote:So I guess the, well not sure what the word is, claim I guess that Native American's can build Casino's on native land, is a bit of an embelishment? I just ask as that was the part of the article that stood out for me, I mean they broke the law, attempted extortion, and then resisted arrest. I can slightly understand the first two, but really what would resisting arrest get them besides a spot on the 6 o'clock news?

A bit dissapointed with their (mostly the tribes and I guess governer's just a little bit) behaivour.

The thing is that the Chief told the Governor bluntly, let us open a casino or we will sell tax free cigarettes. The local paper also quoted a tribal leader sayin that if the state comes to the reservation it will be the biggest battle since wounded knee.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-07-15 07:27am

Crown wrote:So I guess the, well not sure what the word is, claim I guess that Native American's can build Casino's on native land, is a bit of an embelishment?

It depends on the state, some states such as Rhode Island in this case hold the tribes land to state laws. In other states they are not held to them and thus can build casinos and such as they wish. Federal law however always applies which is why all the Indian tribes aren't making millions selling pot.

Crown · Post by **Crown** » 2003-07-15 07:28am

From what I inferred from the article, it isn't illegal for the Chief to open a smoke store, as long as no non - Native American's buy tax free smokes. Didn't bother reading it all, so the question is did any whites buy from the store?

Crown · Post by **Crown** » 2003-07-15 07:29am

Sea Skimmer wrote:
Crown wrote:So I guess the, well not sure what the word is, claim I guess that Native American's can build Casino's on native land, is a bit of an embelishment?
It depends on the state, some states such as Rhode Island in this case hold the tribes land to state laws. In other states they are not held to them and thus can build casinos and such as they wish. Federal law however always applies which is why all the Indian tribes aren't making millions selling pot.

*nods head*

Thanks, that makes sense.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2003-07-15 08:18am

Crown wrote:From what I inferred from the article, it isn't illegal for the Chief to open a smoke store, as long as no non - Native American's buy tax free smokes. Didn't bother reading it all, so the question is did any whites buy from the store?

yes, thousands of non Indians bought cigarettes.Many people came from as far away as New Jersey and Maine. The tribe sold out of a truckload of cigarettes in hours. 10 dollars a carton (10 packs of 20) At that price the government was out $30 in taxes per carton.

jegs2 · Post by **jegs2** » 2003-07-16 12:48am

Col. Crackpot wrote:yes, thousands of non Indians bought cigarettes.Many people came from as far away as New Jersey and Maine. The tribe sold out of a truckload of cigarettes in hours. 10 dollars a carton (10 packs of 20) At that price the government was out $30 in taxes per carton.

Heh! I say, good for those Indians -- more power to 'em...

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2003-07-16 01:09am

Why? They break the law, they should be punished.

jegs2 · Post by **jegs2** » 2003-07-16 02:03am

Howedar wrote:Why? They break the law, they should be punished.

All I know is that were I an Indian (American, that is), I'd be throwing every race/ethnic card available IOT screw over the government (especially out of taxes). And dang, if that doesn't seem to be what those particular Indians are doing...

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2003-07-16 02:45am

Howedar wrote:Why? They break the law, they should be punished.

I think because the Indian Wars had the admiration of Hitler.

We really do deserve it.

Glocksman · Post by **Glocksman** » 2003-07-16 03:04am

The tribe got screwed out of their right to build a casino thanks to the late unlamented John Chafee.

Congress passed the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act in 1988, which allowed federally recognized tribes to open casinos on tribal land. Since the Narragansetts won federal recognition five years earlier, the tribe argued that the gaming act applied to them, and federal courts agreed.

The state fought to amend the law to exempt Rhode Island. That happened in 1996, when Sen. John Chafee introduced a controversial amendment to a spending bill that required the Narragansett Indians to get voter approval to open a casino. The amendment reads: "For purposes of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act ... settlement lands shall not be treated as Indian lands."

After getting screwed by the RI state government, the tribe decided to do a little screwing of their own. Good for them.

LordShaithis · Post by **LordShaithis** » 2003-07-16 03:15am

Col. Crackpot wrote:The local paper also quoted a tribal leader sayin that if the state comes to the reservation it will be the biggest battle since wounded knee.

It's your ass, Chief. Have at it if you will.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2003-07-16 07:20am

GrandAdmiralPrawn wrote:
Col. Crackpot wrote:The local paper also quoted a tribal leader sayin that if the state comes to the reservation it will be the biggest battle since wounded knee.
It's your ass, Chief. Have at it if you will.

the sad thing is that that is a real bad analogy. The battle at Wounded Knee was a massacre for the Lakota Souix. The US Army 7th Cav completely wiped out all Souix they came accross and only took 25 casualties.

Just a tidbit of infomation. at 10 dollars a carton the state was losing almost $30 per carton in tax revenue. The Narragansetts were selling a couple thousand cartons each day. That is the equal to the average salary of a teacher, firefighter, cop or any other state worker EACH DAY!

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2003-07-16 04:56pm

Illuminatus Primus wrote:
Howedar wrote:Why? They break the law, they should be punished.
I think because the Indian Wars had the admiration of Hitler.

We really do deserve it.

Fuck that! Just because my great great grandparents may or may not have committed atrocities against Indians doesn't mean their decendants should be able to break my laws.

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2003-07-16 08:46pm

If I were in charge and wanted to put a stop to this, I'd just have state authorities charge hefty customs on anyone existing the reservation with the smokes. That would put a stop to their exporting.