The Gun Lake Tribe

Bradley, Michigan – Today the Gun Lake Tribe is calling on 23 is Enough to apologize for circulating propaganda from Frank Palarto, Jr. of the State of New York. The Tribe is also urging all elected officials to withdraw from the group. Recently, 23 is Enough sent emails citing the known extremist Frank Parlato, Jr., as a credible source. This is the latest example of 23 is Enough using biased and
unreliable sources to continue its orchestrated campaign of misinformation.
In the email (attached) 23 is Enough advises “citizens, lawmakers, media, and community leaders” that “23 is Enough has stated and backed up with hard research, facts, and studies, the devastating reality that a casino would bring.” The email falsely suggests the Parlato, Jr. opinion letter is an “article,” and
again falsely states the letter is an “editorial.”
“We are now convinced that 23 is Enough will stop at nothing to advance its own agenda. These millionaires and billionaires have now stooped to a new low in aligning themselves with a hate-monger like Frank Parlato, Jr., in using his rhetoric to pursue its anti-competition goals. Anyone associated with this group should be ashamed,” said Tribal Council Treasurer John Shagonaby.
“We are asking for an apology both to the Tribe and those that received the email. This deplorable incident proves once and for all that they are not to be taken seriously,” said Treasurer Shagonaby.
(The list of 23 is Enough members is attached).
The 23 is Enough email contained a letter opposing tribal gaming written by Frank Parlato, Jr., who espouses extreme sentiments against Native Americans. On his website, “The Frank Report” http://www.frankreport.com, Parlato, Jr. disparages Native Americans, and even patrons of Indian casinos as “shabbily dressed, unglamorously inelegant, grotesquely unlearned, often unshaved, sometimes unwashed.” The website also contains racist images such as a stereotypical portrayal of a Native American man as a savage “scalping” a Caucasian man, apparently in front of an Indian casino (see web link below and attached image).
“Mr. Parlato is an individual who has proven himself to be anti-Indian in his words and his actions,”
Barry E. Snyder, Sr., President of the Seneca Nation of Indians, said. “He will only stand on the sidelines and criticize, while we have moved forward, investing more than $400 million to develop Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel into a world-class attraction which employs more than 3,000 individuals and has generated millions of dollars in new revenue for the surrounding community.”
This is not the first time that members of 23 is Enough and its beneficiary, Michigan Gambling Opposition (MichGO), have pulled the race card in drumming up opposition to Gun Lake’s proposed tribal casino and entertainment project. The Tribe held a community meeting in the Wayland gymnasium on November 15, 2000 where opponents disrupted the meeting with racial slurs and yelled at tribal leaders to “go back where you came from” and, “get a job Injuns – quit living off the government”! (Penasee Globe report attached).
Outside a 23 is Enough meeting in Grand Rapids in 2004, one member of the group asked tribal member and Director of Development Jason Palmer, “are you with the Injuns?” (Grand Rapids Press report attached).
“The Tribe has endured centuries of intolerant views. Our ancestors persevered just as we have done today. Grand Rapids-based opposition has sought to deny our sovereign rights every step of the way, yet our project continues to move forward. At the end of the day our sovereign rights will prevail,” said Tribal Chairman D.K. Sprague.

Image of a Native American scalping a Caucasian found on website of Frank Parlato, Jr. – 23 is Enough’s latest credible source

http://www.frankreport.com/Images/Indian_Scalping.jpg