From another perspective:

Native American Indians Stereotype Themselves With Casinos
From the mission statement: “Too long have we been marginalized, patronized and misrepresented”
“We also hope to actively challenge prejudice”

There are two ways to look at the American Indians and their penchant for opening casinos. One might say that they are betting their lives and taking matters into their own hands. There are tens of thousands of jobs that have been created and casinos have been empowering for the tribes that have opened them.

The other side of the coin is to look at the less positive aspects of gambling and casinos. American Indians, when trying to figure out how to make money, have settled on something that has a negative perception with most people. It is unfortunate that because so many casinos on Indian lands have sprung up across the country, a large percentage of the population will automatically associate Indians with gambling.

Admittedly there is a lack of understanding and appreciation for Native American Indians. What they gave up (or had taken away from them) and what they now contribute to society often gets overlooked. It is a never ending uphill battle to get the word out and to keep awareness at an acceptable level.

But all the casinos on Indian land does not help the situation. They have backed themselves into a corner and now find themselves permanently linked to gambling and not much more. Ask any group of people on any street in America what Indians do for a living and you will undoubtedly get an answer that has something to do with casinos. The Indian – casino stereotype is strong and continues to get stronger as more of them open up.

If Indians truly do want to change people’s perceptions, gain more respect, and have a larger say in what happens in this country, they need to break away from this one dimensional way of making a living. They need to work hard to send their kids to college rather than dealer school. They need to join in and participate in the modern way of life as much as possible rather than trying to stay separate. Finally, they need to find ways to break the connection in people’s mind that always connect them with casinos and only casinos.