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April 1, 2011 in City
Shawn Vestal: Fox talking head short on facts about tribes
Coeur d’Alene Tribe Chairman Chief Allan wrote a letter to Fox News complaining about comments made by John Stossel.
(Full-size photo)
Chief Allan has heard it all his life.
Why do you Indians get so much help? Free this, free that, a check every month. Why do you have it so good?
“My whole life, everywhere, going to elementary school, going to middle school, going to high school, going to college … I always heard, ‘Why do you guys get all that (funding)? Why do you get those monthly checks?’ ” said Allan, the chairman of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe.
And so, when Allan heard Fox News bloviator John Stossel’s piece, “Freeloading Doesn’t Help the Freeloaders” – about the negative effects on tribes of the government’s “help” for them – it chapped his hide. Stossel didn’t mention the fictional monthly checks, but he managed to drag out every other element of the arguments Allan’s heard all his life.
“It’s totally wrong,” said Allan – for whom Chief is a name, not a title. “It’s not freeloading. We have contracts with the U.S. government; we traded millions of acres of land.”
Allan fired off a letter to Fox, asking for an apology and trying to set Stossel straight – though Stossel, whose attacks on “freeloaders” often focus on the rapacious, conniving poor and not, say, G.E., likely isn’t all that interested in getting things straight.
But Allan said he sent the letter because he’s had a goal since taking over as tribal chairman six years ago: “a promise to my kids and myself to do a better job about educating the community.”
Stossel refers to billions in programs for tribes and Indians as though they were unrelated to the contracts Allan refers to – the treaties, which the government used to take tribal land. One suspects that Stossel might take them more seriously if the situation were reversed, and the tribes were trying to get out of some obligation that benefited prosperous, cranky, “no-nonsense” white men who can’t stop complaining about their taxes.
“No group has been more ‘helped’ by the American government than American Indians,” Stossel said. “Yet no group in America does worse. … Indians would be better off without government handouts.”
Of course that’s what this is about. What’s best for Indians. Stossel offers some “evidence” that he’s right about this: He mentions one nonrecognized tribe in North Carolina, the Lumbees, whose members have had some business successes, and some of whom want nothing to do with federal recognition or federal dollars.
Well, there you have it. Proof.
A lot of times, in other contexts, people who are concerned about business, markets and freedom revere contracts.
The continual breaking and dishonoring of treaties is one of the uncomfortable parts of the country’s history – like top-down genocidal campaigns and massacres of women and children – that complicate our Fourth of July narratives. But these were deals the government made, and the government “help” Stossel so disdains is what would be known in any other context – boardrooms or banks, say – as “obligations.”
Stossel asked why there is a Bureau of Indian Affairs, given that there’s not a Bureau of Puerto Rican affairs? Or Irish Affairs?
See? There is such a thing as a dumb question. Allan’s letter to Fox Chairman Roger Ailes answers it eloquently:
“Perhaps if Mr. Stossel had bothered to educate himself before asking such a disparaging and misleading question, he would have learned that, unlike Puerto Ricans, Black Americans or Irish Americans, Native Americans share a unique relationship with the federal government called the Federal Trust Responsibility. This fiduciary duty arose from contractually binding promises made to Tribes in exchange for the hundreds of millions of acres of land ceded to the United States government during the nation’s movement westward. Stossel intentionally misleads viewers to believe that the ‘help’ the tribes receive is some gratuitous benefit provided to one minority over another. However, it is, in fact, a requirement under the terms of treaties and executive orders.
“Had he bothered to research Native American history, Mr. Stossel may have also learned that U.S. military campaigns ordered to forcibly remove Indians from those lands, did so with lies, deception and ultimately by slaughtering our men, women and children. Maybe next time Mr. Stossel decides to recklessly rant about government waste he won’t choose the department effectively mandated by Congress to remedy the aftermath of state-sponsored genocide.”
Allan has not heard back from Fox, and he’s not holding his breath. I tried to contact the network flaks, and Stossel himself, without success.
But, since Stossel offered the Lumbee, those flourishing free-market North Carolinians, as his “evidence,” let me offer my own “evidence” – what the heck; let’s call it “proof” – that his entire premise is incorrect: the Coeur d’Alene Tribe.
At its casino and other operations, the tribe is one of the biggest employers in North Idaho. It’s responsible, directly and indirectly, for some 4,000 jobs, according to a 2010 study. Its operations contribute $12.4 million in taxes.
They’re federally recognized and doing well.
Must have been all that help.
Shawn Vestal can be reached at (509) 459-5431 or shawnv@ spokesman.com.
The draw of the unknowable 
schleufer on April 01 at 5:25 a.m.
I have heard the same things. The last time someone commented about us getting ” free money” I told them I’ll give you the number to the tribal hd quarters and you call them and ask them to put you through to the dept of free money and see what they say.
ChefGus/ John Olsen on April 01 at 6:15 a.m.
Shawn, thank you so much for this article about Chairman Allan’s advocacy and willingness to speak out. The Indian community in Idaho and Eastern Washington add so much to the diversity with dignity and forbearance against the onslaughts by those uneducated and uncaring about the horrible history. I heard ( for the first time) a piece of history about George Wright and the slaughter on the outskirts of Spokane at the PJALS conference two weeks ago. I knew the basic story but had not heard the horrific details.
Stossel would do well to do some reading on “Manifest Destiny” and the havoc and genocide it wreaked on so many . John
Scoutster on April 01 at 8:20 a.m.
Before Stossel started wearing his tighty-whiteys too tight he was a reputable investigative reporter. Now he’s just a hack, like a Geraldo.
But for the ignorant and uninformed, something broadcast as “news” is truth. Fox is entertainment, not serious news.
horse_feathers on April 01 at 9:27 a.m.
The casinos & gambling is what you tout as evidence of of what is good and profitable for our comminities, People sitting around like zombies plugging machines with welfare and social security money, the political deals done behind doors, addicted gamblers and unsavory drugs and people casinos attract.
I don’t think I would of used this as an example of your proof if I were you.
MrNatural on April 01 at 10:20 a.m.
Good article Mr. Vestal and I’m glad to see these vicious self-righteous pundits getting called on their lying vitriol…I recall many years ago seeing pin-head Stossel doing an story on TV wrestling…he accused one of the wrestlers that it was fake and the wrestler smacked him upside the head and asked if that felt fake to him…I think I laughed for two days…Stossel has sold out to the dark side and with that has lost all credibility he had in journalism in order to appease the cult of ideologues for which he serves…
zelda on April 01 at 11:47 a.m.
I agree with horse_feathers — that probably wasn’t the best evidence of success for Native Americans.
But all in all, it’s an article that needed to be written. Stossel has had it in for Indians for years. I used to watch his reports on ABC’s 20/20 until one night he popped off with a ludicrous story about how there are more Native Americans in the U.S. now than when the Pilgrims landed. For someone who sets himself up as a pillar of critical thinking and rationalism, I found this a frighteningly mis-reasoned glossing-over of genocide. He talked about Native Americans as if they were the North American lynx — an endangered species of mammal that’s not as threatened as all those misguided environmentalists would have you think, blah, blah. Indians don’t get to be counted in persons in Stossel’s mind.
If he’d done any research at all the story would have turned out to be a difficult one and Stossel doesn’t want to trouble himself with complexity.
It’s too bad because 20 years ago he used to be a pretty good reporter; now he’s just an angry, creepy windbag with an ax to grind.
schleufer on April 01 at 12:26 p.m.
Re: horse feathers
So exactly where in the coeur d alene casino have you seen people spending welfare money and drug addicts? As for SS money that is up to the person to spend it anywhere they please as they have earned it. I have not heard of or seen the casinos advertising they take welfare checks or food stamps for gaming or lodging.
As for addicted gamblers, there are programs to help such people and I doubt they only go to tribal casinos. There are also non tribal places to bet along with pull tabs and lottery. What you say makes as much sense is if the casino serves alcohol to blame the Indian casinos for all alcoholism.
As for the zombies, I don’t think it’s voodoo that makes them travel so far just to plug machines. Some of them come out ahead, some go for some atmosphere and to take a chance, some also go to have a good meal and see a show or go golfing or to make a weekend of it by spending the nite. You make these places sound like a drug infested slum.
cryssT on April 01 at 12:32 p.m.
the casino is one part of the business. there’s the hotel, 5 star golf course, excellent restaurants, shows and boxing. more development is going on and i understand that eventually there will be a RV park and pow-wow and rodeo grounds. the Coeur d’Alene tribe is doing this with cash and avoiding debt. my husband and i go to Worley from time to time to have a nice dinner and spend a couple hours on the slots. i’m hoping there will be a bigger non-smoking area and that one of the restaurants will be right off a non-smoking area.
maria on April 01 at 12:47 p.m.
I hope to see many Native Americans at the NAACP march on Sunday in Spokane. We all need to fight racism in our area. Everyone please go to the march and partake in this historic event.
liz7315 on April 01 at 1:08 p.m.
@schleufer: There is actually a bill being pushed through to ban people from using the ATMS at casino’s to withdraw money from their EBT benefits card to gamble and at Liquor stores to purchase liquor. It is being done on a regular basis. And yes (gasp) drug deals do go on in casinos and casino properties. Ive seen it.
shawnv on April 01 at 1:13 p.m.
I just want to note — my use of “proof” was meant to be ironic. That kind of simplistic analogy is no more proof or evidence than Stossel’s is.
But it is an example of economic health, whatever the basis.
schleufer on April 01 at 2:23 p.m.
Ok so if a bank puts a ATM at a casino somehow it reflects bad on the casino because the ATM takes welfare debit cards? You are really groping at straws here. Also why were you present to witness drug deals?
liz7315 on April 01 at 2:31 p.m.
Im not present but you can see it being done. In the parking lots in the bathroom, all the sniffing going on in the stalls.
vanman on April 01 at 2:51 p.m.
liz7315 – I believe you have all the qualifications needed to get a lucrative gig at Faux Noise –— you are delusional, misinformed, irritating, and bigoted!!! Winning!!!
crazyivan44 on April 01 at 3:04 p.m.
The images in those pictures show things that can be found in all cultures and is not specific to the one in question. No doubt some of the local tribes do far better than others. However the concept of retribution for events so far in the past is ridiculous and if they want to keep bringing that up then they are not looking to the future. A lot of those things were horrible, granted, but they have a CHOICE just like everyone else. You can argue it is not a fair choice, but it is a choice nonetheless. This nonsense of protests and parades just works to fan the flames. The past is the past, it sucks, move forward.
In many ways the CDA tribe is a great example for other tribes to follow, perhaps their efforts would be better spent helping show others how it is done. They have record numbers of their folks go to college and get all sorts of training and then return and help their people, that is a fantastic tribute to things done right.
liz7315 on April 01 at 3:37 p.m.
Oh Vanman if you only knew I am hispanic and yes I do watch FOX news, bigoted I think not a realist yes I am because after watching people of my own race and my own generation throw out every opportunity presented to them because as in the words of my cousin “welfare is there to take advantage of”. Minorities are given every chance to succeed in life they choose not to.
liz7315 on April 01 at 3:40 p.m.
@CrazyIvan awesome post!
schleufer on April 01 at 3:43 p.m.
re:liz
how is it the subject is about indians so the first thing people like you bring up is welfare? i think your stereo typing is offensive as what stossel has said. i want the spokesman to leave your comments up for every one to read and ask your selves. is this how i would want people talking to me? is this how i would want to be treated?
liz7315 on April 01 at 3:51 p.m.
Why wouldnt they leave them up? Nothing I have said has been inappropriate or offensive well maybe to you bleeding hearts that cry foul if nothing is said in the spirit of political correctness. Sorry if I call it how I see it, yes if I am a loser on government assistance please tell me so I can pull my head out of my a** and get a job like everyone else. Awwww I may want to cry because you have hurt my feelings.
liz7315 on April 01 at 3:54 p.m.
And Im not saying that their per capita checks are welfare all Im saying is they are like others in that they think just because they get a per capita check they dont have to use it in a useful manner and better thier own lives. Its time for people to take responsibilty for their own actions. Yes you were herded away to a reservation and countless other horrible things have happend to your people but when do they figure it will be time to pick themselves up by their bootstraps and take advantage of the fact that they have many opportunities to better themselves but choose to sit in their dilapitated bungalows and collect a check?
schleufer on April 01 at 4:24 p.m.
you are aware the per caps in the last year were inder 4 grand? it helps keep the lights on but i dont see how anyone could actually live on that. so you are also an expert on how 2000 tribal members spend thier money too? wow you must know alot of people on and off the rez. this goes right along with the rest of your stereo typing. you assume since some are poor and live that way they all must be that way.
still you cannot get off the subject of welfare.
liz7315 on April 01 at 4:43 p.m.
Under four grand? What a month? And that doesnt include educational benefits and living allowences and food stamps and ect. Keep the lights on? Yeah how about try getting a job? Casinos are always hiring. ;)P
maria on April 01 at 5:12 p.m.
@liz7315: Alcohol is banned on the Navajo Rez. I know, I lived there for 12 years! It’s not a choice to be poor and live with a dirt floor. You’re clueless.
schleufer on April 01 at 5:18 p.m.
4 grand for the entire year so average about $300.00 a month. Yeah there are educational benefits and a person does have to keep a certain gpa. I have no idea what the stipend for schooling is. I do know the list if full for next fall. I havnt heard of anyone getting a stipend for school and food stamps but there you go with the welfare thing again. The CDA tribe has created many times the jobs than there are members so the community is also benefitting with jobs and benefits. While I am at it we pay taxes on those per caps. 25 percent of my percaps go to uncle Sam. That means I went to school and have a decient paying job and that is why I am i’n the higher tax bracket.
Reading your posts a person would think all Indians live in shacks and food stamps. You need to get past that and realize the CDA tribe is one of the biggest employers in this area. You can’t do that by living on welfare. Do us both a favor and think about what you are saying before you say it.
liz7315 on April 01 at 5:52 p.m.
@Maria drugs are banned in the US OOOOOPS wow we still have drug addicts.
@schleufer I do think before I say anything unfortunately I dont think like you do so Im automaticcly wrong? And good for you that you used your opportunities to better yourself. And if you re read my post I said most not all.
maria on April 01 at 5:59 p.m.
Time to start flagging liz for over-posting.
schleufer on April 01 at 6:22 p.m.
It’s clear you are shooting from the hip on some of these issues. Instead of trying to make a federal case out of things you know so little about can’t you look at the upside? I mean instead of making general slams about things can’t you be grateful that thousands of people tribal and not have jobs and medical benefits for them selves and thier families. This is exactly what chairman Allan was talking about.
liz7315 on April 01 at 6:26 p.m.
@Maria, why? Because Im clearly having an intelligent conversation with other intelligent people but the minuet you dont like what a person has to say you start popping off at the mouth to flag someone. Honey free speech.
maria on April 01 at 8:12 p.m.
Yet you complained about my links and had them removed?
liz7315 on April 02 at 9:09 a.m.
I didnt complain or have them removed. Please refrain from throwing around accusations. I would not have wasted my time.
dstagner on April 05 at 7:50 p.m.
Native American tribes have sovereign rights. They were derived from before the US Constitution was ratified and that fact is recognized by the constitution. Land rights, mineral rights, sovereign immunity from state prosecution are all part of the agreements with the federal government. The US government has no right to simply breach these agreements because John Stossel or any other talking head thinks it might be the thing to do. Yes many tribes operate casinos and other businesses. The income provides education, healthcare and other benefits for tribal members. Many states enforce trade protection for hair stylists, real estate agents, plumbers and lawyers. The income generated is frittered away on highway workers pensions. No one should try to force that nasty “free market” on the sovereign nations. Stossel should just go protect Citigroup’s South Dakota Home state lending law export for his moneyed cronies and leave the Indians alone. We will be just fine.