Many thanks to J Ryan Stradal who interviewed me for The Rumpus at a super secret Oaxacan restaurant in Hollywood to discuss Forest of Fortune, and Indian gaming. Using his Minnesota mind tricks, J Ryan got me to talk about the series of dispatches I wrote for McSweeney’s back when I worked at the casino. It was during the recession and I was terrified of many things but mostly of getting fired so I never really told anyone about them. I even used a pseudonym, the origin of which escapes me. An excerpt:

Rumpus: Are you implying, in a way, that Indian casinos are a social justice enterprise?

Ruland: Absolutely. In a way they are, except when they aren’t. Casinos have given many sovereign nations economic autonomy, which is the only thing that matters to institutions of power and control. In 21st century America, governance is a game you have to pay to play. Wealth from gaming revenue got many tribes a seat at the table, and they were able to use their capital to influence decisions that concerned their interests. Casinos have allowed many tribes to make substantial investments in their infrastructure that simply weren’t imaginable twenty years ago: schools, hospitals, daycare facilities, recreation centers, gymnasiums, museums. The list goes on and on.