We have previously followed the feudal system created by Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio in Arizona. Arpaio’s insatiable desire for media attention has led him to turn over areas of his office to Hollywood producers. Last week, Arpaio’s unhinged administration gave the public another bizarre scene as Steven Seagal was seen attacking a home with a tank, armored cars, bomb robot, and dozens of SWAT team members. The crime? Suspected involvement in cockfighting.
The police acknowledge that there was no evidence to suggest that the man was dangerous or that he was armed. He was indeed arrested without a struggle and no guns were found in the house. Well, without a struggle on his part. The armored Seagal attack blew its windows out and caused the neighborhood to think that an invasion was afoot. The huge operations (and its attendant costs) was basically a stage set up to give Seagal good footage for his reality program, “Lawman.” Seagal is shown riding in the tank in the assault on the suspected cockfighter.
In response to the obvious excessive use of force and needless cause of property damage, Sgt. Jesse Spurgin simply said“We’re going to err on the side of caution. We’re going to make sure that we have the appropriate amount of force in case we do run into anything like that.” I understand now. Allowing Seagal to parade around in a tank with a film crew is simply being cautious.
The people of Arizona have allowed this circus to continue with Arpaio. It appears that no constitutional violation or public scandal will shake his control of the county. What is remarkable is that even his choice of actors is low grade.
Jonathan Turley
“The state is losing millions of dollars in tourism and convention business because of a boycott inspired by last year’s tough immigration law, which required police officers to question the status of anyone they suspect may be in the United States illegally.”
The first part of this opinion (it is an editorial) is subject to debate; the second part is flat out wrong.
eniobob,
“Arizona’s immigration laws cost state millions”
I heard about this the day before yesterday. The only thing I got out of it was if it were 60 private citizens, not business owners, who wrote the letter to Pearce, I truly believe the bills would have all passed. I also have confidence that Pearce will, at some point in the future, re-word each bills language and attempt to ram them through the legislature again.
Money talks and you know what else walks …
Back in the early 70’s there were numerous television commercials trying to sell Arizona land for homesites, not cheaply given the condition of the land. Driving cross country in 1973 I drove through Arizona curious to see where this land of dreams was. It was huge spaces of flat, ugly scrub dessert. Today, thanks to an overuse of water resources these tracts have become flourishing communities. It’s too bad the emigres have turned into such an ignorant lot, but then perhaps this was a result of the original gullibility of the “settlers” who bought this land.
FYI:
Arizona’s immigration laws cost state millions
Published: Saturday, March 26, 2011, 6:00 AM
Star-Ledger Editorial Board By Star-Ledger Editorial Board
Arizona legislators voted down new laws against illegal immigrants. They haven’t had a change of heart, but they have experienced a rude awakening: The state is losing millions of dollars in tourism and convention business because of a boycott inspired by last year’s tough immigration law, which required police officers to question the status of anyone they suspect may be in the United States illegally.
The proposals that failed this month deserved to fail on moral and constitutional grounds. One required hospital staff to inform police about patients they treat whom they suspect are illegal. Another created two tiers of birth certificates, ending birthright legal status for children born here to undocumented parents. One problem: Only the U.S. government can establish citizenship, not a state. The 14th Amendment of the Constitution grants birthright citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil.
Another bill would have made it tougher for undocumented children to enroll in K-12, limiting acceptable forms of identification. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled long ago that no school can deny a child access to education based on legal status.
Sixty members of Arizona’s business community — everyone from the president of US Airways to the owner of the Community Tire and Repair Shop franchise — called on Russell Pearce, president of the Arizona state senate and the catalyst behind the restrictive measures, to step back. Sure, press the feds for meaningful immigration reform, their letter states. But “when Arizona goes it alone on this issue, unintended consequences inevitably occur.”
That should be a signal for other states wanting to follow in Arizona’s footsteps. It’s good to know the power of the purse can be used to strike a blow for sanity and justice. The blow hit its mark.
mahtso 1, March 25, 2011 at 12:07 pm
…”The DOJ has been investigating the Sheriff for years. Obviously then, he has done something wrong.”~matsoh
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can I tell you how much confidence this inspires in me in the DOJ…
This sheriff is living proof that the heat of the sun in Arizona isn’t good for one’s thinking, yet he has become a folk-hero to the Right in AZ.
did steven grab the outlaws cocks?
i understand the problem when you break up a dogfighting ring, what do you do with the dogs. you can’t just give the dogs to the local humane society to adopt out.
what do they do with confiscated roosters, send them to popeyes?
I bet the same 40% of Americans who think god caused the earthquake in Japan think Arpaio and Seagal have been sent by god to protect them from … I don’t know … whatever that 40% sees as dangerous.
I wonder how many of that 40% live in Maricopa County …
I have a dream: Joe Arpaio in a pink prison uniform, living in one of his jail tents, perhaps with Steven Segal in similar dress right beside him.
How many cockfighting rings has Sheriff Joe actually shut down? He surely would have known where a ‘live’ one would be happening he just did the producers’ bidding and let everyone CHICKEN OUT.
mahtso,
“The DOJ has been investigating the Sheriff for years.”
The question is when will the DOJ finally nail his phoney Rambo-ass to the wall …
He is just so sexy and manly, that any short coming that he has I could get over it quickly.
“The people of Arizona have allowed this circus to continue with Arpaio. It appears that no constitutional violation or public scandal will shake his control of the county.”
The DOJ has been investigating the Sheriff for years. Obviously then, he has done something wrong.
Well of course they had to do it in a situation where there was no danger. You can’t have the star of the show getting hurt.
“Steven Seagal is incapable of taking on a cardinal, a blue jay or a sparrow let alone a vicious killer chicken.”
Come on, BIL. Cut Seagal some slack – those spurs on roosters feet really hurt! I mean, if I saw a rooster like this, I’d get the tanks out, too!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jpoki4wBwtA&w=640&h=390]
Gee, even tough guys like Steven Seagal have their limits.
Years ago I read about a lawsuit in Colorado that was based on local government employees who, using government equipment, bulldozed someone’s house to the ground. The local government claimed “immunity” for that because it was unauthorized.
Of course you need a tank to bust up cockfights.
If you’re Steven Seagal.
Chickens can be vicious.
Steven Seagal is incapable of taking on a cardinal, a blue jay or a sparrow let alone a vicious killer chicken.
He had better hope the mob hasn’t seen a group of semi-flightless hit men after him . . .
Or maybe he had better hope they have.
Because that would be a better movie than any he’s ever made.
Too bad THIS kind of cockfighting isn’t illegal..
“The police acknowledge that there was no evidence to suggest that the man was dangerous or that he was armed. He was indeed arrested without a struggle and no guns were found in the house. Well, without a struggle on his part. The armored Seagal attack blew its windows out and caused the neighborhood to think that an invasion was afoot. The huge operations (and its attendant costs) was basically a stage set up to give Seagal good footage for his reality program, “Lawman.” Seagal is shown riding in the tank in the assault on the suspected cockfighter.”
Oh I see.
I wonder if he still thinks the Mafia is after him….That is why he won’t make anymore movies…..I hate to say this but Ronnie was a better actor on screen than this clown….don’t want to confuse him with Bozo….or the monkey….