Shadows over the tables

This year's Sovereignty Symposium incorporated one classic, or at least warmed over, bit of political heat, courtesy of Citizen Potawatomi Nation chairman John "Rocky" Barrett.

Gaming has brought economic good fortune to Native Americans, says Barrett, but a vast right-wing conspiracy threatens the tribes, including the oil industry, Rep. Tom DeLay (R-TX) and Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), who presumably won't stand for that sort of thing:

Barrett also objected to the compact between the State of Oklahoma and various tribes enacted as the result of the passage of State Question 712 last year, which he characterized as the "stupidest, most absurd" agreement ever developed. Scott Meacham, state treasurer, was happy to point out that the Citizen Potawatomi were among the first in line to file for membership in the compact.