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Hey, it's OUR Casino!

(We get it from all sides!! Wannabees are really something!)

CNE overhaul needed

Cherokee Phoenix - Online
03/01/2011

I am an employee of Cherokee Nation and at one time was proud to work with and for my tribe.

I am writing on an issue that is a tragedy that has been happening to us as a people, tribe and our self-being. Some managers at our new Hard Rock Casino, which we so proudly advertise, are mistreating Native Americans everyday.

Management constantly say to our faces that if it were up to them they wouldn’t hire “a damn lazy Indian” and then laugh at the comment to each other. It’s one thing to run a huge business like a casino, but another to have it ran by 65 percent non-Native Americans who bought Missouri tribal cards and who look down on our people.

If it weren’t for our people, there wouldn’t be a huge salary to give them. The majority of the employees barely make it on what is being paid to them. The managers remedy that by creating a program canlled a pickup shift, which usually keeps needy employees away from their families. Now tell me, does that sound like Cherokee way? Not how I was raised. I was taught that family is most important in life. If we own the Hard Rock, why doesn’t it say Cherokee Nation? At least the Seminoles had enough back bone and keep their name on this franchise.

There is so much corruption in this place. When I reported what I thought was stealing from our facility, they wrote me up for order of conduct and I was told to stop and forget what I witnessed.

We do not have any say as a Nation because of Principal Chief Chad Smith and Cherokee Nation Entertainment Chief Executive Officer David Stewart keeping the casinos out of our hands. We need a full government-controlled audit over expenses and necessary job titles. (this is an election year, so lots of accusations abound....:) I understand this is slowly changing)

Thomas Compton
Catoosa, Okla.

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