More on the casino in Jamul

Re: “The casino’s been built — Jamul is still fighting it,” cover story.

As I was reading the article about the Jamul Indian Village, I had to contain my disgust at the statement that Erica Pinto has an “overwhelming attention to the needs of others.”

I would imagine her uncle, an Elder of the tribe, whom she “unseated as tribal chair,” might disagree. And certainly Walter Rosales, a Jamul Kumeyaay, raised by his grandmother on the property, would disagree.

The tribe disenrolled Walter, a Purple Heart decorated Marine wounded while serving two tours of duty in Vietnam, when he disagreed with the vision of a casino on the tribal land. In addition, when he refused to vacate his home there, the tribe had it bulldozed.

Is it any wonder, as Erica states, “the tribal council, seven of us, we are all young”? A study by VOA [Voice of America News] concludes, “Native American Tribal disenrollment is at epidemic levels” and is caused by greed. So when Erica states, “We have always taken the high road,” I don’t think that she is even close to the truth.

• Vicki Jones-Pittman
• Jamul/North Par