NORTH BEND, Ore. (AP) — The Coquille Indian Tribe is calling for a state lottery campaign to be changed, calling it insensitive to indigenous people.
The Coos Bay World reports that Coquille chairwoman Brenda Meade sent a letter to Oregon Lottery Director Jack Roberts Wednesday calling for the end of a “Lewis and Clark” advertising campaign, which depicts Lewis and Clark discovering “native” lottery terminals.
There are no native people depicted in the ads, which Meade says makes the fictional Oregon appear as a land “ripe for economic exploitation” without competition from indigenous people. She says the ads are supposed to be funny, but highlight that Oregon’s politicians don’t want to share wealth with tribes.
Meade’s grievances come days after Gov. Kate Brown opposed a Coquille casino over concerns about the proliferation of gambling in the state.
