Utterly Without Class
Well, the execreble Sheriff Joe Arpaio, America's most-desirous-of-PR-exposure lawman, is at it again. Phoenix will be mobbed by the press in a couple of weeks when the MLB All-Star Game comes to town, and of course Sheriff Joe will be hurt and depressed if he doesn't get himself in front of all those cameras.
So this is apparently his plan for doing so:
Sheriff Joe Arpaio's publicity stunt of choice for All-Star weekend: a female chain gang that probably will make a stop at Chase Field to pick up garbage as the national sporting press tries to cover a baseball game....
This particular gang is comprised of women convicted of DUI. They will be decked out in the standard striped uniforms. However, they will also be wearing pink T-shirts with messages about DUI.
Because nothing says "thoughtful and humane treatment for alcohol problems" like parading prisoners in front of national TV audiences like a modern remake of Cool Hand Luke.
We give special, unique powers to use force to the police, and it is horrifying to see them used for personal aggrandizement.
By the way, I will share my secret fear. As you may know, Apriao enjoys leading raids on businesses that hire Mexican immigrants. His MO is to zip-tie everyone with brown skin or an accent until they can produce proof of citizenship. My deep fear is that he will run a raid of the concession operations at the ballpark during the game.
TJIC:
Jesus.
I hate drunk driving with an intensity that makes me a strange outlier...and even to me, this is intolerable and unacceptable.
June 30, 2011, 11:34 amDrTorch:
"Because nothing says “thoughtful and humane treatment for alcohol problems” like parading prisoners in front of national TV audiences like a modern remake of Cool Hand Luke."
I think you overstate the trauma involved here. There is nothing inhumane about this. In fact, it's a considerable insult to people who truly suffer from inhumane oppression, torture, etc.
June 30, 2011, 11:37 amChris K.:
DrTorch,
It's 108 here today, which is a bit of a cooling off from the rest of the week.
I would imagine on July 12 it will be about the same.
June 30, 2011, 11:59 ammahtso:
It's my understanding that everyone on the chain gang(s) volunteers and not all who volunteer get a spot.
June 30, 2011, 12:19 pmSB7:
My deep fear is that he will run a raid of the concession operations at the ballpark during the game.
Ha! I'll be watching from home, so I'm more worried he'll raid the dugouts. "Your papers, please, Mr Ortiz."
June 30, 2011, 12:34 pmBram:
I hope he raids the dugouts and cuffs Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz, Adrian Gonzalez, Hanly Ramirez, and just for good measure, Ichiro Suzuki.
That would really make the city look good.
June 30, 2011, 12:34 pmBram:
Damn - same idea at the same time.
June 30, 2011, 12:34 pmRick C:
Oh, come on. Raiding the ballpark would be bad publicity.
June 30, 2011, 1:01 pmmarco73:
You guys aren't giving Sheriff Joe any credit for thinking big. Maybe he should just raid the Owner's hotel and pick up Arturo Moreno, owner of the Angels.
June 30, 2011, 1:33 pmNow that's the kind of publicity that Arizona needs!
Dan:
I find it interesting how far apart my opinion is on Sheriff Joe from your own, yet we're so close in opinion regarding just about every other subject. Interesting.
A person's right to not be humiliated ceases when they decide to endanger others with drinking and driving. I just don't think he goes far enough in his publicizing criminals and their criminal acts. A parking ticket is one thing (and should not be subjected to humiliation.) But when you are risking lives with your stupidity... well... humiliate away. And Sheriff Joe is great at publicizing the ramifications of your illegal actions even if that brings attention to himself in the process. It's called branding. Good for him.
Hope you're feeling better after the scorpion bite. We're moving to Gilbert in a few weeks (fleeing the Socialist Republic of Oregon) and of course my wife was freaked out over that post. Now she knows ALL about scorpion bites and the fact that the Gilbert Hospital is experimenting with a new vaccine that minimizes the scorpion bite effects in children within 20 minutes. That was good to know. Amazing how wide reaching the influence of your blog posts are. Ha! :-)
June 30, 2011, 3:40 pmJohnB:
"... remake of Cool Hand Luke."
If Arpaio recreates the car wash scene at the stadium, it might be worth seeing.
June 30, 2011, 4:29 pmJohn Moore:
Puleez. At least put in the relevant fact that all chain gang members participate voluntarily. The chain gangs are one of Joe's better ideas. While he may be a dangerous narcissist, he has implemented a lot of good ideas - such as his armed and un-armed citizen posses, his chain gangs, and his tent city (although he should keep unconvicted pre-trial detainees out of there).
June 30, 2011, 10:56 pmmahtso:
“and his tent city (although he should keep unconvicted pre-trial detainees out of there).”
I have read that all people in the tents have been convicted, but I don’t know for sure if it’s true. Perhaps you can provide proof that unconvicted people are being held there.
And it is quite common for prisoners to work outside of prison: all those people in orange around the Az state capital are not making a fashion statement.
July 1, 2011, 8:33 amastonerii:
"We give special, unique powers to use force to the police, and it is horrifying to see them used for personal aggrandizement."
Actually, we give up our rights and turn over the responsibility to the police, who are granted certain privileges to accomplish for us what we would do on our own.
Just a guess here, but pretty much any DUI person who killed someone in a society without this arrangement would be dead. For those who do not kill someone, if the population found it offending that they do this, they would fare far worse than what they are getting in this instance. So, tell me, exactly where is that line? Because I personally would much rather have the power to lay punishment on those who hurt me or my family rather than allow the criminals to be treated in some arbitrary "humane" way in which "humane" for many just simply means, if they cry, thats punishment enough.
July 1, 2011, 4:43 pm