We need to beat swords into plowshares.

We need to beat swords into plowshares.

A program for real change...

http://peaceandsocialjustice.blogspot.com/2013/03/a-progressive-program-for-real-change.html

Friday, February 25, 2011

Workers' rights, racism, poverty and the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party

Alan L. Maki 
 
Greater MN DFL Summit, hosted by C D 6, 7 & 8
My Letter to the Editor---
Wednesday at 1:24pm ·  · 

    • Alan L. Maki 
      Wednesday, February 23, 2011

      Letter to the Editor, Bemidji Pioneer Press

      Minnesota is fortunate to have the most liberal governor in the Nation with Mark Dayton who narrowly won election--- no thanks to John McCarthy and his Minnesota Indian Gaming Association; however, Dayton has to contend with Republican majorities in both the House and the Senate because the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party is controlled and manipulated by the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association which has caused a complete loss of credibility for the MNDFL with Minnesota voters. Also costing the MNDFL loss of credibility is its continued support for Barack Obama and his wars which are robbing the states of needed revenues.

      I found it interesting John McCarthy of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association would extol the virtues of former MNDFL State Senator Mary Olson on the basis of her support for environmental issues, seniors and worker rights when Mary Olson, working in opposition to Minnesota workers worked for Minnesota Indian Gaming Association's position of denying rights extended to all other workers to Minnesota's 41,000 casino workers; "represented" a district with the worst poverty among seniors in the state on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation; refused to oppose peat mining in the Big Bog as well as her support for the environmentally destructive Enbridge Pipeline which most Minnesotans opposed along with her support for health-threatening power lines.

      But, in the end it was Mary Olson's refusal to back Affirmative Action regarding the planning, construction and staffing of the Bemidji Regional Event Center that did her in which should be seen as a warning to the MNDFL that anti-labor racism doesn't win elections especially when everyone knows Mary Olson opposed Affirmative Action because she was working for the agenda of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association led by her campaign manager, John McCarthy, who supports a casino industry requiring a huge pool of cheap labor to depress wages.

      The Minnesota DFL could quickly regain its credibility and its majorities in the House and Senate by placing toll booths on all roads in and out of the casinos which are getting off tax-free and thereby solving Minnesota's budget woes.

      Does the Minnesota DFL want the campaign contributions from the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association or the votes of Minnesotans? The DFL will not get both.

      Alan L. Maki
      Director of Organizing,
      Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council
      Wednesday at 1:25pm · 
    • Molly MacGregor I support Indian gaming AND Mn DFL
      Wednesday at 6:30pm ·  ·  2 people
    • Bob Whipple 
      below is your quote. Where is the proof? 

      the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party is controlled and manipulated by the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association which has caused a complete loss of credibility for the MNDFL with Minnesota voters.
      Wednesday at 6:43pm · 
    • Alan L. Maki Proof? For what? That tens of millions of dollars in campaign contributions only goes to white politicians?
      Wednesday at 11:20pm · 
    • Alan L. Maki Molly; glad to hear you finally say you support sending workers into smoke-filled casinos getting poverty wages without any rights.
      Wednesday at 11:21pm · 
    • Mike Simpkins I support Native American Gaming, Native American Tribal Sovereignty, and the Mn DFL.
      16 hours ago ·  ·  1 person
    • Alan L. Maki 
      Yes, Mike; we all are very aware of your support injustices and your very racist, shameful and disgusting track record here in northern Minnesota, too. You join a very "distinguished lot including John McCarthy and your friends like Molly MacGregor, Brita Sailor and Mary Olson along with the corrupt tribal government officials like Floyd Jourdain and Archie LaRose both of whom allow the Native Mob to run roughshod through the Reservations as they ply their dirty deeds ranging from illegal gambling to loansharking, prostitution and drug-dealing using these casino operations unhindered by crooked and corrupt FBI agents and tribal police on the take. You support every dirty, filthy and disgusting human endeavor in proclaiming your support for the Indian Gaming Industry and a thoroughly racist and corrupt MN DFL creating nothing but misery and poverty for Indian people.

      Mike; You are a very typical racist bigot who takes refuge for your racism behind your "support" for Indian Gaming while you refuse to open your mouth in support of affirmative action because you, with your racist mentality, think that Indians belong on the reservation and not in jobs at Wall Mart, K-mart or Target or in the building and construction trades earning real living wages with good benefits.

      By-the-way, Mike; why don't you tell us what you do for a living and how many Indians are employed alongside of you? Come on, Mike; answer this question.

      I would note, Mike, that not once through your involvement in the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party have you done one single thing to promote the candidacies of Native American Indians attempting to get into the Minnesota State legislature which has not one single Native American Indian among its more than 200 members. 

      None of the Indian Gaming Casinos are union with two exceptions that have very limited and useless contracts; the huge Foxwoods operation in Connecticut is one where the UAW sold workers out.

      None of the other more than 350 casinos in the Indian Gaming Industry in this country are union.

      Casino workers are forced to work in loud, noisy, smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages (often less than state or federal minimum wages; often for long hours six and seven days a week for which most receive no overtime pay even when working upwards of 60 hours a week); casino workers (not even at the two partially "unionized" casinos have no rights under state or federal labor laws.

      Tribal leaders in Wisconsin like elsewhere where there are casinos are as thoroughly corrupt and anti-labor as the politicians who created the "Compacts" giving birth to this despicable Indian Gaming Industry that has spawned nothing but poverty for Indian people as a bunch of rich white mobsters who own the slot machines and table games run off with all the profits leaving the Indian Reservations nothing but bags full of debt--- debts which breed greater poverty for Indian Nations just like huge debts breed poverty for any other nation.

      The Democratic Party created the "Compacts" leaving workers without any rights in return for billions of dollars in campaign contributions every "election cycle."

      In Minnesota, in spite of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association financing the campaigns of most Democrats with the profits derived from "Indian" casinos, not one single Native American Indian sits among the more than 200 state legislators.
      9 hours ago · 
    • Bob Whipple I love Indian Gaming, Tribal Sovereignty, and the DFL.
      4 hours ago · 
    • Alan L. Maki Good for you Mr. Whipple--- do you "love" the racist poverty that Indian Gaming provides, too?
      3 hours ago · 
    • Elizabeth Scott Alan, you have NO IDEA what the hell you're talking about! Casinos pay the highest taxes in the counties where they are located. And the employees recieve medical benefits and good pay--specifically HK and ML casinos. You need to get your facts straight before you babble on about something you know NOTHING about!!!
      2 hours ago · 
    • Alan L. Maki Elizabeth; it is you who need to get your facts straight. Feel free to post the wages af the casino workers at the three Leech Lake casinos, including the casino where your "Summit" is being held.
      about an hour ago · 
    • Elizabeth Scott 
      I understand your position on worker's rights, but Tribal Nations are SOVEREIGN!!! The casinos were also deeply impacted by the recession. So, maybe LL casinos aren't paying the greatest salary, but maybe, JUST maybe they didn't have to lay anyone off...I'm not aware of LL's status, only ML and HK. Also, if the LL casinos weren't there where else would the workers receive ANY type of paycheck? I know you won't sway on your position...but the Tribes should be able to ask for support from DFL since a lot of tribes are STRONG supporters of the DFL...
      about an hour ago · 
    • Curtis Buckanaga If the was affirmative action enforces, we wouldn't be forced to work in those shitty little casinos that are filled to the brim with racist corruption.
      about an hour ago · 
    • Alan L. Maki 
      In fact, Elizabeth, you know nothing about any of the casino operations. I have the Mystic Lake Employee "handbook" in front of me right now which states in no uncertain terms that workers will be immediately terminated for ANY union organizing activities. 

      The Minnesota DFL is completely racist and anti-worker.

      As you are fully aware, in Minnesota Affirmative Action in Minnesota has never been enforced when it comes to Federal Executive Order #11246 or the companion State Statute under #363.

      Nor does Cass County, Beltrami County or Ithasca County or the City of Bemidji even have Affirmative Action programs and policies!

      You are so darn concerned with supporting the present racist set-up of Indian Gaming because it provides tens of millions of dollars to the campaign coffers of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party that you are unwilling to admit to the injustices that Indian Gaming breeds.

      Furthermore, you proclaim there to be something called "sovereignty" for Indian Nations. There is no such thing as a "sovereign" Indian Nation except by those concocting a very pathetic and perverted definition of sovereignty to serve their very narrow political--- and financial--- ends.

      How can these Indian Nations be "sovereign" when they have to ask the state and federal governments for permission before they can do anything--- including building and operating these casinos?

      That a very few casino workers at Mystic Lake Casino out of the more than 5,000 workers employed get just about, but not quite, living wages means absolutely nothing. 

      As you fully know, Mystic Lake now operates its own "health clinic" for casino workers because the management wants to keep the health problems related to second-hand smoke from public view.

      I represent workers being fired left and right from Mystic Lake Casino simply because they use facebook and blogging to state the truth about what is going on there.

      You claim to pretend to know what is going on but in reality you don't know anything except the DFL gets a lot of money to elect white politicians to a state legislature where Native Americans are excluded.

      In fact, it was the MNDFL which created the "Compacts" depriving casino workers of their rights and forcing them to work for poverty wages in smoke-filled casinos.

      That you use a pack of lies to sooth your conscience in trying to justify these injustices is your problem.

      Everything I have written is the truth.

      Why doesn't John McCarthy have the guts to come on here and try to dispute me instead of writing the script for all you racists bigots willing to overlook the poverty that the Indian Gaming Industry breeds.
      about an hour ago · 
    • Bob Whipple yay, Liz!!
      about an hour ago · 
    • Curtis Buckanaga 
      that sovereignty for the most part is a myth, why? because its a lie only meant to sedate the masses with greedy ignorance. You people that put your faith and comfort in this racism provides you is disgusting, people are getting sick n tired of this BS. Leaders today of Indian Country rarely respond to the needs of the people. Most times, they catapult themselves to the forefront of situations to gain audience with those that they seek to allow utilization of themselves to undermined and exploit our situations for their own personal gain. Most of these so-called, 'leaders' are more concerned of conforming with the broken, insensitive, inadequate government system rather then confronting it to improve or repair quality of life for our people. Most of those that have aspirations of leadership tend to nurture their leadership skills under the strict influence of colonization, and assimilation to the capitalist market culture devouring humanity here and abroad. Leaders of our people today, lack the bold and defiant energy that is accredited to preserving our communities and way of life. Today we haven't anyone that deserves to be considered a leader in regards of the survival and prosperity we are pursuing as indigenous people. We have too many false leaders that are appointed positions of power under the guise of compassion for the less fortunate that in reality uses the less fortunate as their means to rise to opportunity. These so-called, 'leaders' are just examples of how this broken system works for those who are willing to sacrifice and compromise dignity, integrity and compassion in the name of personal advancement.
      59 minutes ago · 
    • Alan L. Maki 
      Everyone should take a little tour out to John McCarthy's multi-million dollar spread to see how he has enriched himself directly off the poverty imposed by the Democratic Party working in league with the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association...See More
      55 minutes ago · 
    • Curtis Buckanaga 
      the term, "tribal Leader" is overrated, it has been distorted and debased under the control of these traitors that constantly betray the needs of our people. Today our leaders are but mere tokens to the systematic, disenfranchising establishments that are intended to victimize our people. Those that are brave enough to confront this treachery amongst our leaders are undermined, condemned, demonized, and belittled because we directly threaten to expose these so-called, 'leaders' and their cohorts that are enjoying themselves at the expense of our misery. White men of position that utilizes these Indian leaders to the means of their financial stability or advancement in their political careers that find ways to make our predicaments economically viable are fully aware of the vulnerability they encourage and delude our so-called leaders with. Many organizations are established to undermined the reality of our situation and deprive us of solutions that will remedy our predicaments that they have utilized to justify funding or sponsorship of their intended programs. These people require us to be discriminated and impoverished, dysfunctional and directionless so they can bring home a pay check and own a false sense of accomplishment that they don't deserve.
      55 minutes ago · 
    • Curtis Buckanaga Mr. Whipple is just a god dam sit around the fort indian waiting for his hand out
      51 minutes ago · 
    • Alan L. Maki 
      Maybe someone should ask John McCarthy how his new business, Tony Doom Enterprises is working out. Quite the little racket--- with one hand the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association hands out campaign contributions to a bunch of white politicians in return for them over-looking the injustices that are an integral part of Indian Gaming; and with the other hand there is John McCarthy holding out his hand taking in these campaign contributions to make campaign materials--- quite the racket, if you ask me. Does this violation of ethics not concern any of you?
      47 minutes ago · 
    • Alan L. Maki Still; no one has explained why the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party has chosen to hold this "Summit" at a non-union facility?

      Any of you union members care to explain?
      a few seconds ago · 
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