Upstate Citizens for Equality
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Upstate Citizens for Equality (UCE) is a group based out of Verona, NY that opposes the Indian Land Claim and what they see as flawed Federal Indian Policy, seeking equality under the law and the rule of law. UCE currently has 3 chapters with a combined membership of around 10,000. The group has organized rallies at the Oneida tribe's gas stations and casino in the past. The group has successfully challenged in court [1] the validitiy of the tribal-state compact between the Oneida Indian Nation of New York and the State of New York. This decision has been affirmed on appeal and the United States Supreme Court has declined to review the decision. [2].
Daniel Warren the Chairman of the Niagara Frontier Chapter of UCE has commenced a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and the tribal-state compact between the Seneca nation and New York that authorizes the Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino([3]). UCE has recently demanded that New York State, Madison and Oneida Counties conduct inspections of the Oneida Nation's SavOn gas stations located off the Nation's reservation or face legal action[4].
It has been reported that every Native Nation located in the vicinity of New York State and other tribes represented by the United South and Eastern Tribes (USET) views Upstate Citizens for Equality (UCE) as an anti-Indian group.[5]. The publication that this article was published in is owned by the Oneida Indian Nation of New York[6]. The Oneida Indian Nation has had the most contact with this organization and is constantly under attack by UCE in the media, courts, and other venues as noted above. Even so, the article is reporting on a Resolution passed by a conglomeration of over 24 separate Native Nations from Maine to Florida over to Texas and up to New York that recognized UCE as an anti-Indian hate group. USET currently, and at the time of the adoption of this resolution was lead by a representative of the Oneida Indian Nation of New York elected by the 24 Native Nation representatives [7] The Onieda Nation is currently in litigation with UCE as noted above. The Oneida Nation has been known to make accusations of racism in order to stifle the voice of those who oppose its policies[8].
