Feministe has posted before about Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the sheriff of Maricopa County (which contains Phoenix, AZ). This is the man who has reinstated chain gangs, refused to feed inmates anything except bologna sandwiches, set up tent cities as a way to combat prison over-crowding, refused to transport female inmates for abortions they planned to pay for themselves, and more. He is known especially for his choice to specifically target undocumented immigrants, and jail them (as opposed to the normal protocol for those without criminal records, which is turning them over to federal authorities, who normally send them back to their home countries).
Most importantly of all, many prisoners have died on his watch, due to abuse, neglect, and a lack of medical treatment.
Now, ACORN is calling on House Judiciary Committee Chair John Conyers to investigate Sheriff Arpaio both at state and federal levels. This man needs to be out of a job immediately — and it seems clear to me that he also needs to be criminally prosecuted. But they need your help
Sign ACORN’s petition calling for the investigation of Arpaio. Then, make sure that all of your like-minded friends do the same by March 11th. Because this really is an issue of life and death for far too many people.
Thanks for the link!
The first paragraph sounds exactly like Hillsborough County, Florida. The wingnuts here (Ronda Storms, David Caton, and Terry Kemple) are extreme.
And with a centrist organization of impeccable reputation like ACORN spearheading the fight, we’re sure to get the middle-of-the-road popular support we need to have a meaningful movement against Sheriff Joe!
I don’t know how that man sleeps at night. He is nothing but pure evil and walks around daily with blood on his hands.
Yeah, Dan, organizations that run voter registration drives, oh noes! ACORN had a fine reputation until the Republicans senselessly and baselessly attacked them, because they were losing an election. At the same time, they were calling the future president of the United States a terrorist.
I unfortunately live in Phoenix and when the newspaper in Guadalupe wrote how they didn’t like him, he stopped sending officers there to protect the city. He’s a crazy publicity whore.
When the electtion was going on, his opponent came to our radio station to do an interview and Sheriff Joe sent his hacks to follow him and heckle and take pictures of the guy, really weird.
Also, did anyone see the HBO documentary on drugs that he was in? I think it was called Americas last great white hope, or something like that. He is clueless about drugs. When the director or one of the prisoners in the background asked if he liked mushrooms, Sheriff Joe said that yeah, he ate them, with a straight face while they all laughed at him.
Don’t care, Cara. ACORN could be composed of the reincarnated spirits of FDR and Jesus, and they would still be political poison. Having them in the foreground = automatic fail.
I know someone who went to Arpaio’s prison. She laid on a cement floor with broken ribs and a cracked skull and denied her heart and thyroid medication. The only thing she really remembered was the jailors beating a prostitute and the cockroaches climbing out of her sandwhich.
Petition signed.
Yeah Dan, by that definition, Planned Parenthood should stay out of political fights, too. Because right wingers portray them as crazy extremists!
Sounds like it’s a great way for Republicans to win every fight, by the way. Just portray their opposition as extremists. Oh wait, that’s what they do already, even though the “extremists” are much closer to the values of average Americans. Yes, let’s just let them win that one by having each and every organization portrayed that way immediately pack up shop. Sounds productive.
Though I think you’re absolutely right that it’s just like the American public to care more about the fact that an organization dared follow voter registration law than about the fact that there’s a sheriff enacting policies which result in clear cruel and unusual punishment for inmates, including death.
Signed. Thanks for the link.
OT: Today in the Glasgow Herald :
PERNAMBUCO The mother of a nine-year-old rape victim pregnant with twins has been excommunicated by the Catholic church after doctors performed an abortion.
Government officials in Brazil sharply criticised the decision but ARchbishop Jose Cardoso Sobrinho siad despite the nature of the ase, the church had to hold its line against abortion. ‘The law of God is higher than any human laws’ he said. ‘When a human law – that is, a law enacted by human legislators – is against the law of God, then that law has no value. The adults who approved , who carried out this abortion, have incurred excommunication.
The girl lives in the north-eastern state of Pernambuco and was alegedly sexually assaulted for years by her stopfather. The doctors involved in the procedure were also excommunicated. Abortion is only permitted in Brazil in cases of rape and where the mother’s life is at risk. Doctors say the girl’s case met both conditions.
Sorry if this is the wrong place to post this, but I’m just so steaming with rage that I had to post it somewhere!
Thanks for the link. I first learned about Arpaio here on Feministe (I live in N. Illinois) and I’m glad I can do something to stop this hateful bastard.
When cops care more about self-aggrandizement than about enforcing the law fairly, it’s trouble.
Signed. Arpaio is a serial human rights violator, and he needs to go.
Done and passed on. Let’s throw the numbnuts into his own general population and watch the fireworks!
(Wow, that was kinda malicious…)