Seneca Mothers Rally Against Economic Injustice
250 Years of Fighting to Keep What’s Ours
(CATTARAUGUS TERRITORY, Irving, New York, April 15, 2022) — Today the Mothers of the Seneca Nation and community members gathered at Niagara Square to speak out against 250 years of New York State aggression, oppression, dispossession, and economic injustice.
The rally was organized as a result of the recent $564 million in disputed gaming funds that were turned over to New York State after Gov. Kathy Hochul froze the Nation’s bank accounts, paralyzing the Nation’s economy.
Leslie Logan, co-founder of the current Mothers of the Seneca Nation group, speaks at the rally
The Mothers of the Nation pointed out that the governors actions were akin to an economic attack by the state.
Sue Abrams, a Mother of the Nation from the Cattaraugus territory, made note that the disputed gaming funds in question and sought by the State, were in a restricted escrow account. “Kathy Hochul’s act of freezing our bank accounts was the same as sanctioning the Nation and was an act of war,” said Abrams.
The Mothers of the Nation maintain that had such action by the governor been taken against any other racial, ethnic, or minority community, charges of racism would have ensued and the incident would have generated national media attention.
Abrams also pointed out that the law that regulates Indian Gaming is the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. “There is no other law that seeks to restrict other minority communities. There is no Asian American specific laws; no African American specific laws. Only Indian specific laws—that’s racist,” said Abrams. “This is the unfair world Native people are forced to operate in.”
Odie Brant Porter, an Allegany resident and a founding member of the Mothers of the Nation, discussed the tax subsidies and incentives other big companies receive in exchange for jobs. “The Seneca Nation never received a dime of investment when building our casinos and we’ve generated 4,500 jobs in the region; yet we get no acknowledgement for our contributions,” said Porter. “All we get is beat up on.”
The Mothers of the Nation point out that other companies such as Tesla, received the “Buffalo Billion” while delivering 1460 jobs, and many of them were not the high-tech, high paying jobs the company promised.
Additional speakers included Senecas Jody Clark, Shelly Keyes and Destiny Sampson, all emphasizing the Mothers fight against New York State’s economic injustice.
“For 400 years the Seneca people have been under attack by New York. The state has taken our land, our resources—our children to detrimental residential schools, and our money,” said Porter. “We are going to keep fighting for what we have left. The Compact is unfair and we’re drawing the line against further injustice.”
The Mothers of the Nation are focused now on ensuring a more fair and equitable new Compact. The current Compact expires in December 2023. Several Mothers of the Nation have been appointed to serve on a New Compact Advisory Group to help ensure better terms and prevent the state from overreach and abuses.
Duane Whitmer, chair of the Erie County Libertarian Party also spoke in support of the Mothers of the Nation and called for greater scrutiny of Governor Hochul and her funneling of millions to billionaires. “Taking $600 million of the taxpayer’s money, $418 million of which came from the Senecas, to fund a Bill’s stadium, a team owned by the billionaire Pegulas, is corporate welfare,” said Whitmer.
Jody Clark, a resident of Allegany, said that just because the Nation released the disputed gaming monies to the state does not mean it’s over. “We’re going to keep fighting for what’s ours. Don’t underestimate the Mothers,” said Clark.
The Mothers of the Nation remain dedicated to safeguarding the assets of the Nation, actively defending the Nation’s sovereignty, and will continue to act as a constitutional check and balance in the Seneca Nation governance.
Media Contact: Leslie Logan (716) 597-7996