Posted on 06/16/2005 10:25:07 AM PDT by RuthannaK
NEW YORK — The Southampton, N.Y.-based Shinnecock Indians (search) on Tuesday fired the first arrow in their battle to reclaim ancestral lands — filing a federal lawsuit seeking the return of 3,600 acres of prime real estate "stolen" by the state a century and a half ago.
The 1,300-member tribe also is asking for monetary damages — conservatively estimated at $1.7 billion — and 150 years of back rent and interest in what it called "the largest Indian land claim ever filed."
The suit is seen by many locals as an attempt to force favorable action on the Shinnecocks' bid for federal recognition and its plan to open a casino in the booming resort area.
Members of the tribe beat animal-skin drums, shook rattles, chanted an "honor song" and whooped yesterday as their leader, Randy King (search), entered federal court to file the suit.
"This day has been decades in the making. We only seek what is ours," said King, chairman of the tribe's board of trustees.
The tribe wants title to all non-residential property within a 3,600-acre area of Southampton Town — land it claims it was cheated out of in 1859.
The land targeted in the suit includes the world-renowned Shinnecock Hills Golf Club (search), Southampton College's sprawling campus and the elite bayfront National Golf Links of America (search).
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Only if we can give them NYC and they'll take it. :)
Indians vs Limo Liberals. This I've got to see.
Pass the popcorn.
This was tried several years ago in Mashpee on Cape Cod and included all land. This dispute clouded all real estate titles and froze sales and development for years.
This sounds like Mexico trying to take back Cali AZ New Mex and Texas. They can't even take care of what they have..
Why only non-residential??
They should go for the whole enchilada!
I got plenty of popcorn.
When I bought my house in 1992, I noticed some language in the title portion that made me uncomfortable. I forget the words now, but it basically said that there was no claim against my house but that if prior claims were enforced (read Indians), I could lose my house. Titles are being written with reclamation as a not impossible event.
A guaranteed sold out house!
Count me in.
On a side note, I'm not sure I even want to know how a tribe called the Shiney C#ck Indians got their name.
And if there is a good treaty basis for the claim, the Indians will win, too.
Tibikak ishkwata!
The night is passing!
Of course, the Indians don't REALLY want all that land. What they want is some of it on which to build the casino, and concessions to allow the casino to be built. The price of making the Indians go away and uncloud a lot of titles of very well-heeled owners will be to simply give them what they want, which is really only a portion of what they have asked for.
What they really want is for the state to get out of the way, let them open and operate their casino, and a plot of land to do it.
The state and the town, of course, characteristically resist everything. Therefore, the club has to be brought out: treaties and Federal courts and lots and lots of private citizens in a tony area facing clouds on title. This usually breathes sense into the states and causes them to come to the bargaining table.
And at the end of the day, the tribe will get its casino of fair terms, with profit sharing with the community. Everyone wins, and we already know the outcome. Why we have to go through the fight every time is a puzzlement.
Usually it is because states are arrogant, and locals in rich areas think that they are going to be able to parley their wealth into political clout to beat the Indians and treaties in Federal courts. It never works.
Sit down, smoke the peace pipe and make a deal now.
It's less expensive and stressful for everyone that way.
they can take a cue from Lt. Governor of California, Bustamonte, who supports violent overthrow for the return of ancestral lands (MeCHA)
Let's just declare war on them and kill them if they don't retract the lawsuit.
Please let them have Albany.
Mexico can have AZ, not much there....
Them there are fighting words.........
Maybe Steven Spielberg and TNT should have called their new mini-series "Into the East".
Make ya' a deal, Mexico can have Southeastern Va....
Pay them off. Money is the name of the game.
Scummer ( Chucky Cheese!) OWNS about 1,700 acres around there with a Durham limited real estate partnership deal!!
This should be REAL interesting!!
I wonder how many other Elitists own Real estate there!!
Sounds like the old " No Wind-Powered Electric-Producing FANS and Towers in er..my..er..MY...HICK!...back yard there!! " - so stammered Teddy " the life-gaurd " Kennedy.
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