irration bias-rational fear?

The racism that pervaded my neighborhood (and a lot of my places of work) in Chicago was unbelievable. At the same time -- at least it's out in the open, I suppose...



I couldn't really tell you. I haven't lived there (or even spent much time there) since 1999. And I grew up (and my buddy got his head kicked in) in the eastern half of the state, which definitely is not the "California" that most people think about. White, poor, and dominated by the various subcultures that that engenders: rednecks, self-reliant hippies, bizarre mixes of the two, fat-necked developers, loggers... Not unlike Colorado, actually. I recently went back to my home town for three (long) days, and it did look like there was more American flag paraphenelia and various trappings of nationalistic and religious pride than I remembered. But they've got a Walmart now, so these things are sold in bulk (and, of course, manufactured overseas and put on the shelves by, you know, those lazy, job-stealing immigrants).

There's also a shiny new casino that belongs to a tribe whose numbers are suddenly growing after decades of decline. Wonder why...

Interesting, patiodog. Forgive me if I sound ignorant but, are Native Americans growing in population these days because of the casinos being built?

In the case of the Mi-wuk (spellings vary) in Tuolumne County, the number of folks who register with the tribe apparently has. The casino revenues may be a coincidence, though: they also recently relaxed their standards, I believe. (They've gone from a bingo hall to a gleaming four-floor casino -- one of the largest buildings in the county -- in less than a decade. It's progress, of a kind.)

How intriging. A population that had dwindled to near extinction suddenly makes a comeback. That's really something.

eoe, Here's a good review of the book by Saul Bellow:

http://www.english.upenn.edu/~afilreis/50s/bellow-on-ellison.html

Patio, and the OP's don't have to pay income tax as long as they are on reservations, right?

Thanks Letty. Of course, I'm familiar with the story but no, I've never actually read it.

I really don't know much about it, Letty, but that sounds reasonable. I generally don't begrudge tribes their gambling establishments (they carry a certain ironic savor), and voted for the casino measure that was recently defeated here. As far as this particular tribe, i don't think there's a reservation around there. If there is one, it's tiny. The Mi-wuk did not have any sort of established regional political organization that would have enabled them to resist being displaced by Europeans, and so became virtually invisible -- at least in the history books.

(How's that for a long way to say "I don't know"?)

<smile> Well, I have only known one amerind in my entire life, and that was a young woman who camped with us. I was teaching at the time, and I interviewed her. She was lovely with long, straight back hair and absolutely no inhibitions.

The Seminoles of Florida were here 10,000 years before Europeans. I have yet to meet one.

Yesterday, we were shopping at Food Lion, and briefly ran into a young man who was dark of skin and white of teeth. There was a certain awareness that crossed between us. I felt good after that, and I have no idea why.

The folks I lived among in Brooklyn were as predjudiced as any southerner. I was visiting a young man the day M L King got murdered. The young man jumped up on hearing the news, said, "Yes!" and dashed off to tell some of his friends.

Eoe said:

This is pretty much what many blacks have told me. The icy politeness of the North is much more chilling that the assinine comments of some Billy Bob.

As for us, I think our experience in Alabama would be considered more likely in the South than in other parts of the US, even though nasty incidents such as those described by PD and Edgar (and some I've witnessed) have happened in what would be considered " liberal" areas of the country.

PD, Foxwoods Casino was started with the help of very clever lawyers, providing tens of millions of dollars to themselves and others who have very little proof of being Pequot Indian.

The book, Without Reservation, describes the history of Foxwoods and the manipulation of the State government as well as at the federal level. This would really make a good thread on its own.
Here is a review of Without Reservation:

Strange, Diane, I just added a book titled Without Reservation to the Portal last night, all about a middle aged woman's sojourn to europe...

well, I am interested in both subjects.

I've had some unsettling experiences in the south and in the north. More in the south though. We Jewish folks are not all that welcome everywhere--still.

Diane -- thanks for the recommendation. Sounds like a ripping summer book. (No kidding, either: I don't really go in for novels.)

Odd as this is, I worked with someone (in eastern Connecticut) whose wife is half Seminole (and half Chippewa). He's a full blooded Commanche.

Irony file: he owns a GMC Sprint SP, a 1948 Indian motorcycle, & a Jeep Commanche 4x4 pickup.

It was Chris Rock that asked, "when was the last time you saw a Native American family just chillin' at the Red Lobster?"