ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO, THE EDITORS OF FEATHER NEWS AND BROKENWING EDITORIALS WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW SAFE AND SECURE WE FEEL WHEN WE GO TO THE MOHEGAN SUN. WE WONDERED, WHAT IS THE EXPERIENCE LIKE THROUGH OUR PATRONS' EYES? WE THOUGHT, HOW ABOUT WE RIDE ALONG WITH THE TRIBAL POLICE OR TRIBAL SECURITY?
ON A WEDNESDAY MORNING BEFORE THE MOHEGAN TRIBAL COUNCIL OPEN SESSION, WE ASKED A HIGH RANKING OFFICIAL OF PUBLIC SAFETY IF WE COULD DO A RIDE ALONG. WE TOLD HIM WE WOULD LIKE TO GO ON A SATURDAY NIGHT. HE ASKED US WHY WE WANTED TO DO IT. WE SAID, AS TRIBAL MEMBERS, WE WANTED TO SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING ON OUR RESERVATION. THE OFFICIAL SAID HE WOULD ASK. BOTH OF US ADVISED HIM THAT WE WOULD NOT GET INVOLVED IN ANYTHING THAT WOULD HAPPEN, AND THAT WE ONLY WANTED TO OBSERVE.
ABOUT A WEEK LATER, I WAS APPROACHED BY THE OFFICIAL. HE SAID WE COULDN'T GO. I ASKED WHY WE COULD NOT GO. HE ASKED AGAIN WHY WE WANTED TO DO IT. I GAVE HIM THE SAME ANSWER AS BEFORE. HE SAID WE COULD NOT GO BECAUSE THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT SAID IT WAS A LIABILITY ISSUE AND THAT INSURANCE WOULD NOT INSURE US.
THE ANSWERS DO NOT STAND UP TO SCRUTINY.
1) THE TRIBE IS SELF INSURED SO IF THEY WANTED TO LET US, THEY COULD HAVE. I LIVE ON THE RESERVATION, SO IN OTHER WORDS I AM INSURED WHERE I LIVE, AT THE GOVERNMENT BUILDING , IN THE CASINO, BUT NOT IN A TRIBAL POLICE CAR OR TRIBAL SECURITY CAR?
2) WE WERE WILLING TO SIGN LIABILITY WAIVERS.
3) WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT WHEN A PATRON AT THE CASINO CAN'T FIND THEIR CARS THAT SECURITY WILL RIDE THEM AROUND FOR HOURS SOMETIMES, TRYING TO HELP THE PATRONS FIND THEIR CARS. PATRONS CAN RIDE IN SECURITY CARS FOR HOURS BUT TRIBAL MEMBERS WANTING TO SEE WHAT IS GOING ON CAN'T.
WHAT IS IT THAT THE MOHEGAN TRIBAL GOVERNMENT DOESN'T WANT TRIBAL MEMBERS TO SEE? WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON LATE AT NIGHT AT THE CASINO?
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