Gord's Notebook : Sheriff Joe Arpaio & Bull Connor & KKK Neo-Nazis Minutemen & Patriots (and Zach De La Rocha Speaks Out) Part 2.

UPDATE: 3:00 AM, Oct. 22, 2009

Black Non-Violent Protesters Being Blasted By Hoses- Birmingham 1963

Bull Connor Police Commissioner Birmingham 1963 Atop Armored Vehichle

"You have to keep the whites and the blacks separate" Bull Connor

Sheriff Joe Arpaio honored by being accused of being a member of the Ku Klux Klan???He's just a Draconian Dinosaur .

Sheriff Joe Arpio of Arizona /Your Local Sheriff - is he preparing for war but against whom??? He has a tank and 3,000 armed vigilantes. Will Obama shut him down or is he too afraid of Wackjob Joe AKA Little Hitler. (By the way This is how Hitler started.)

“Every time I watch Sheriff Joe unleash his ‘posse’ on another neighborhood with a high Hispanic population, arresting people with brown skin for the most stupid of offenses — honking their horn, having a tail light out, not signaling when they change lanes — I have to wonder how anyone could not see this as an assault on an entire race of people.”
— Columnist Jana Bommersbach (Phoenix New Times, June 2008)

“Over the past few weeks, Sheriff Arpaio’s actions have infringed on the civil rights of our residents. They have put our residents’ well-being, and the well-being of law enforcement officers, at risk.”
— A letter from Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon to the then-U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey calling for an investigation into whether Arpario had committed civil rights violations. (Phoenix New Times, June 2008)

“The sheriff says he is keeping the peace, but it seems as if he is doing just the opposite — a useless, reckless churning of fear and unrest.”
— (New York Times editorial. April 9, 2008)

Above quotes gleaned from: Prisonmovement's Weblog AMERICA: Land of the Free, Home of the Incarcerated

Part 1: The Morphing of the Conservative Movement

"When trying to make sense of the seemingly inextricable political morass into which we’ve descended, one of the real keys to understanding our situation is realizing that conservatism and the “conservative movement” are in fact two entirely different things. Conservatism is not a dogmatic philosophy, but rather a style of thought, an approach to politics or life in general. It stresses the status quo and traditional values, and is typified by a resistance to change..."

...The “conservative movement,” however, is a decidedly dogmatic political movement that demands obeisance to its main tenets (and exiles those who dissent) and a distinctly defined agenda. Movement followers proudly announce their membership...

...But there is little doubt anymore why the shape of the “conservative movement” in the 21st century is so familiar and disturbing: Its architecture, its entire structure, has morphed into a not-so-faint hologram of 20th-century fascism.

From: PDF file The Rise of Pseudo Fascism David Neiwert February 25, 2005

Obama visits Arizona
President Obama came to Arizona on February 18,2009 to promote the stimulus plan. Az is ranked second highest in home forecloses. But 100's showed up to send President Obama another message: Stop Arpaio, 287 (g) and stop the raids that are tearing families and communities apart. Promote real immigration reform that is humane and sensible. Please contact the President at www.Change.gov/pages/s/yourvision
Please call and write your congress person to support Conyers investagation of Arpaio

Zack de la Rocha of Rage Against The Machine Gives A Speech Publicly Criticizes Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Janet Napolitano at protest against Sheriff Joe Arpaio March 2009

Arpaio & Lou Dobbs KKK Wannabees
Arpaio and his racist anti-Immigrant ally Lou Dobbs think it's an honor to be accused of being KKK

According to Fox News and Rightwing Media Superstar Glenn Beck people are to be judged not just by their current actions but by their past actions and their past associations which then gives one an insight into what their agenda really is and what they will do next. So if Glenn beck and his "Fellow Travelers" such as Limbaugh, OReilly, Sean Hannity , Lou Dobbs , Michele Bauchmann & other McCarthyites can use this logic with impunity so can those who oppose Glenn Beck and the "Conservative Movement". What's good for the goose is good for the gander. Or all's fair in politics so misinformation, rumors, half-truths , lies , innuendo etc. are all acceptable as the ends justifies the means as it were and other rationalizations or as they say Bull-Shit Baffles Brains and so it goes...

Protests against racist Sheriff Joe Arpaio
Protesters gather every day in front of Wells Fargo bank located at 100 Washington St, Phoenix AZ 85003

Some Americans especially conservatives have claimed that once Barack Obama was elected as the first Black president it proved that racism as an issue was no longer a significant concern. This is not quite true as the campaign leading up to the election was filled with racism aimed at Obama and his supporters. This climate of overt and coded racism has continued since his election .

For instance rather than talk about Obama's race his detractors claim that many people voted for him just because he is black and therefore conclude that Obama as a candidate didn't deserve to win and so usurped the presidency. Others claim Obama is not an American citizen and so again doesn't belong in the Whitehouse.

Other conservatives characterize Obama as not being a "Real American" since he downplays the notion of "American Exceptionalism" and commits an act of treason by arguing that America has made mistakes and caused harm at times rather than good and that it acted in its own interests.

Obama has also committed another great sin by stating that America is not a Christian nation but is a nation of many religions and sects and tries to be tolerant and accepting of others.

So Obama's critics have gone on record claiming Obama is the Manchurian candidate who wants to radically change America into _An Islamic state or into a Socialists, Communist , Fascist state and /or to undermine America's sovereignty to make it part of some fantasized New World Order etc.They of course also spread fear by questioning the motives of everything done by the administration no matter how trivial

Combining all of these doubts the Conservative Movement is out to bring his administration to a stand still or to have Obama impeached or taken out by other means political or militarily.

So into this mix of feverish climate of overt racism and coded racism blended with various fringe conspiracy theories comes a character such as Sheriff Joe Arpaio who thumbs his nose at the government and at Obama and at agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security and he is treated like a Folk Hero by the Conservative Movement. Arpaio is the sort of strong man who the Conservative Movement idolizes because he know what must be done and he's willing to take flack as a martyr to accomplish his agenda of incarcerating all the illegal-immigrants possible. Now what if other Sheriff's in other jurisdictions follow his lead then you might have a bit of a shooting war and chaos. Even pseudo-Fascists like chaos. Look at all the damage Bush was able to do after 9/11.

If Arpaio can get away with refusing to take orders from anybody including the Whitehouse and president Obama this may embolden him to go even further with his bending and twisting the laws to pursue his own agenda. But his agenda is not simply as he claims rounding up Undocumented/illegal-immigrants since he is motivated by racism and self-aggrandizement he appears to enjoy creating an atmosphere of fear, anxiety and uncertainty in areas that are predominately populated by legal American Latinos and Mexicans. He justifies doing this by citing the law which seems rather vague and open to a wide interpretation which allows him to stop and search and to enter homes all those in his jurisdiction who according to him happen to look Latino or Mexican who dress a certain way or talk a certain way -that is dressing and talking not like "Real Americans" He believes he is therefore justified to harass and terrorize whole communities with impunity.

But it is troubling or should be when Sheriff Joe Arpaio thinks it is anhonor to be compared to the Ku Klux Klan which he and Lou Dobbs joke about in an interview. But this becomes even more troubling when it appears that a large number of his supporters belong to various racist hate groups such as the Minutemen, Patriots, Militias, White Supremacists and Neo-Nazis. And alarm bells should be ringing once it is noted that these racist and hate mongers are part of Sheriff Arpaio's 3,000 or more posse of vigilantes as we see in this next video.

In any case his attitude , his actions should not be allowed to stand. But as I have pointed out if Obama is willing to cover up the crimes of the Bush Regime then how can he go after any police officer or Sheriff or anyone else who abuse their authority and deny justice , equal rights, and treat the alleged criminals in a humane fashion.

The Association: Joe Arpaio and Neo-Nazi friendship exposed! May 4,2009
This video exposes the relationship between Joe Arpaio and Neo-Nazis. Footage from this video came from - Nauiocelotl,jackie40d, Dennis Gilman and Irene Chavez.

One of the things of note about Sheriff Arpaio is that he is a lot like Bull Connor who also loved to put on a good show cracking the heads of old women and little boys and girls .

Both love publicity and both are willing stand up even to Congress and the President because they believe they are right. Both forget their duty to uphold the law themselves and not just abuse and twist the law to fit their agenda. Arpaio like Bull Connor is a classic bully when he doesn't get what he wants he takes it anyway. Arpaio like Bull Connor is racist to the core. He resents being told by those who are in positions of authority who out rank who are non-whites then he refuses to obey them or to take them seriously and he then uses the law to go after them. One wonders what he is capable of when no independent viewers are around.has been involved in actions the motivation for which have been characterized as publicity stunts such as parading inmates in orange jumpsuits in chains walking from one facility to another facility in Phoenix.

Segregation at All Costs: Bull Connor and the Civil Rights Movement
National History Day documentary on Bull Connor, Birmingham's Commissioner of Public Safety, whose use of police dogs and fire hoses on civil rights demonstrators dramatically backfired and called national attention to the Civil Rights Movement.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio also reminds me of the Orson Wells' character in the movie "A Touch Of Evil" about a border town run by a corrupt over the hill Sheriff who wanted everything to stay the way it used to be.

Sheriff Arpaio's tough stand on illegal immigration is seen not so much as a matter of law and order as it is to do with racism. Sheriff Arpaio appears to have little regard for legal or illegal-immigrants who are Mexican, Latino or Hispanic. So he has set up roadblocks in which mainly people who look Mexican or Latino are checked out and their cars and persons checked for contraband. If a person dares to question why they are being searched they will probably spend the night in jail.

These roadblocks are set up mainly at entrances to areas with a large legal Latino population . As a result many people in these targeted areas believe their basic rights are being violated . They no longer have freedom of movement and feel harassed . Sheriff Arpaio also seems to have real difficulty in showing respect to those who are in positions of authority who are Latino whether its someone on the city counsel or mayor

as a New York Times editorial argues that Sheriff Joe Apairo is doing more harm than good and must be stopped by the Obama administration Wrong Paths to Immigration Reform New York Times Oct. 11, 2009

All last week the people of Phoenix witnessed public outbursts by their sheriff, Joe Arpaio, as he railed against the Department of Homeland Security for supposedly trying to limit his ability to enforce federal immigration laws. He vowed to keep scouring Maricopa County for people whose clothing, accents and behavior betrayed them as likely illegal immigrants. He said he had already nabbed more than 32,000 people that way, and announced his next immigrant sweep for Oct. 16.

The spectacle raises two critical questions that the Obama administration is in danger of getting wrong.

One is the specific question of whether the federal government should keep Sheriff Arpaio in its 287(g) program, which deputizes local law enforcement to act as immigration agents in street patrols and in jails. The answer is absolutely not. Sheriff Arpaio has a long, ugly record of abusing and humiliating inmates. His scandal-ridden desert jails have lost accreditation and are notorious places of cruelty and injury. His indiscriminate neighborhood raids use minor infractions like broken taillights as pretexts for mass immigration arrests.

To the broader question of whether federal immigration enforcement should be outsourced en masse in the first place, the answer again is no.

It was only days ago that Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano unveiled a plan to repair the rotting immigration detention system. The Bush administration had outsourced the job to state, local and private jailers, with terrible results: inadequate supervision, appalling conditions, injuries and deaths.

Ms. Napolitano wants to centralize federal control over the system that handles detainees. But she insists on continuing to outsource and expand the flawed machinery that catches them, including 287(g) and a system of jailhouse fingerprint checks called Secure Communities, which increase the likelihood that local enforcers will abuse their authority and undermine the law.

Rather than broadening the reach of law enforcement, using local police can cause immigrant crime victims to fear the police and divert the police from fighting crime. It leads to racial profiling, to Latino citizens and legal residents being asked for their papers. Responsible sheriffs and police chiefs across the country have looked at 287(g) and said no thanks.

Programs like 287(g) rest on the dishonest premise that illegal immigrants are a vast criminal threat. But only a small percentage are dangerous felons. The vast majority are those whom President Obama has vowed to help get right with the law, by paying fines and earning citizenship. Treating the majority of illegal immigrants as potential Americans, not a criminal horde, is the right response to the problem.

and from Eli Braun at Waging Nonviolencean even more scathing review of Sheriff Arpao's tactics and racist motivation.
"The cruelest sheriff in America" by Eli Braun at Waging Nonviolence, July 27, 2009,

Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the self-proclaimed “toughest sheriff in America,” has made a name for himself by being tougher on prisoners than on crime. Since 1993, he has overseen law enforcement and county jails in Maricopa County, Arizona, an area of nearly four million people that includes Phoenix. William Finnegan profiles (subscription only) the 77-year-old sheriff in The New Yorker’s July 20 issue.

Arpaio seems to delight in dehumanizing others. After winning his first election in 1993, he built a tent-city jail in an area where temperatures can rise to 135 degrees. He banned cigarettes, hot lunches, coffee, and salt and pepper, rejecting a study he had commissioned when it found harsh jail conditions ineffective at reducing recidivism. He gave inmates just two meals a day, each at 30 cents a head. He instituted black-and-white striped uniforms, but added pink underwear and pink socks. Several times he humiliated prisoners by marching them between facilities in the pink underwear alone. The prisoners nicknamed him “Hitler.”

Deaths and injuries in Arpaio’s jails have already cost Maricopa County taxpayers $43 million in court and settlement expenses. Arpaio’s officers have used stun guns against prisoners who were already immobilized in restraint chairs. As Finnegan writes, “The Phoenix New Times found that, between 2004 and 2008, the county jails of New York, Chicago, Los Angles, and Houston, which together house more than six times as many inmates as Maricopa, were sued a total of forty-three times. During the same period, Arpaio’s department was sued over jail conditions almost twenty-two hundred times in federal district court.”

Inmates in Maricopa County’s jails have shaken off the threat of retaliation and engaged in civil disobedience. In one of the largest US prison hunger strikes this past Cinco de Mayo, 500 inmates refused the morning meal and 900 refused the evening meal. Activists outside the jails have organized candlelight vigils, written letters, demonstrated at county meetings, and picketed Arpaio’s offices. On February 28, the National Day Laborers Organizing Network and El Puente Arizona organized a “March to Stop the Hate” focusing on Arpaio’s treatment of undocumented immigrants. Some 3,000 people rallied in downtown Phoenix.

In the latest Arpaio investigation, the US Department of Justice is reviewing his discriminatory profiling in the arrest and treatment of possibly undocumented people. Perhaps we might one day thwart this mockery of a ‘public safety’ official, who takes pride in the detestable quality of his jail food and in situating his open-air tent-city jail beside a dump, who diverts limited county dollars away from investigating violent crime or even responding promptly to emergency calls, to instead raid workplaces in search of undocumented yet taxpaying immigrants.

Who the real “criminal” is, one hardly has to wonder.