The magnitude of the evil: Thanks for putting it all together for me. As I read one John Dougherty column after another on Joe Arpaio, I was having trouble getting a handle on the magnitude of the evil. New Times editor Rick Barrs has summed it all up with a firm hand, and he did it with a sense of humor ("We Sue the Coward of the County," September 30).
In fact, if I'm not missing something here, I'm to understand our Sheriff of Rottenham is: 1) a whining pussy, 2) dumb as a doughnut, 3) a senile old goat, 4) an arrogant fool, and 5) a cruel sociopath.
No wonder Governor Janet Napolitano, Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon and County Attorney-to-be Andy Thomas love Joe! With him around, these guys will always look good. I understand why Thomas would support Joe -- they are two of a kind. But what hypocrites Janet and Phil are. They claim to be liberal, uh, progressive Democrats, and they have backed Joe Arpaio. Don't they have consciences? Guess not!
Ha, I'll bet Barrs won't be having wine with Lisa Allen MacPherson any time soon, despite his obvious respect for her ability to give extraordinary head re: Joe, etc. That "one dumb bitch" description was great, as was the observation [from the Channel 10 gag videotape and her years as Joe's mouthpiece] that she's so fine at blowjobs.
She certainly proves herself to be the punch line of a good blonde joke by challenging a pit bull like New Times without a legal leg to stand on. "So sue us!" is something that somebody -- whose actions are so in the wrong according to the law -- should never say. Of course the paper will sue the county when you do that, you lame ho!
About his withholding his property records, all I can say is that if Outlaw Joe has nothing to hide, then why wouldn't he want to give New Times what it has asked for to shut up the likes of Barrs and Dougherty?! Like one of them said, it smells like a "trout left to rot in the desert sun" when a so-called public servant breaks the law to cover his "wrinkled" butt.
My prayer is that you guys find something in those records -- which a judge will have to order Joe to turn over or seem like he's in Joe's pocket, like Judge Colin Campbell seems to be -- and get this boob out of office. Since Dan Saban couldn't do it for the GOP, it's unlikely that anybody on the Democratic side can.
Dissed: When Rick Barrs wrote that the people who work for the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office hate Joe Arpaio, boy, was he ever right! We sure do! And he's right that not enough has been made of this crucial point.
It's bad enough that every law enforcement organization in Arizona went against Joe in the primary, but included in this bunch was the very union that represents Arpaio's deputies and detention officers. Nobody respects this goon except a slight majority of the "goobers" (your word) who vote in this county. Too bad! Too sad!
Throwing their weight around: I love New Times' articles on Joke Arpaio. I have despised this man since the first time I met him. My husband works for him, and he has stories that would make your hair curl. We both felt so strongly about getting him out of office that we changed our political affiliation from Democratic to Republican in order to vote against him in the primary election (we have switched back now).
Since Joke won the primary and feels invincible, I would like to make a proposal: I think New Times should call for Dan Saban to throw his support -- and for all the law enforcement and firefighter organizations to throw their support, too -- to either Democrat Bob Ayala or Independent W. Steven Martin.
If Saban and these groups sincerely want Arpaio out of office, they should not split the vote. They should combine forces for the greater good of the county.
Editor's note: Because of Sheriff Joe Arpaio's reputation for retaliation against his enemies, New Times has chosen not to publish the identities of those who write letters critical of him or his policies to this publication, unless letter-writers request that their names be used.
The Phattest Yet
Like a hip-hop video, only in print form: You've outdone yourselves on your Best of Phoenix issue this year ("Phat Phx," September 30). Love the slick cover, and that whole jungle fever theme! Those babes are hot, baby! And Emerg McVay is cool in his black suit and blang, blang. The photos and even the words read like a good hip-hop video. Bitchin'!
Jeron Wilson, Phoenix
School Dazed
To learn and prepare: I read your article "Greek Weak" (Joe Watson, September 23) about ASU President Michael Crow's crackdown on the wild fraternity parties at Arizona State University. It was an excellent article. However, I do have some issues with it.
The article implies that President Crow's crackdown is a bad thing. I, on the other hand, feel that what he is doing will benefit the student body greatly. The students, after all, are there to learn and prepare for the future -- not to engage in 24-hour beer fests and meaningless, useless and often humiliating fraternity functions.
In that regard, Crow should continue his efforts to clean up the school and rid it of the rowdy element that has held it back for so long.
Michael Setzer, Phoenix
Taking the fun out of college: Whatever happened to the Animal House tradition of fraternities? Why is Michael Crow trying to turn the college experience into something so savory that there's no fun to it anymore?
And those fraternity boys that Joe Watson wrote about. . . . What a bunch of pussies! Sounds like they are just going along with it like fucking sheep.
Did you know that Crow has also banned political signs from dormitory windows because of the upcoming debate in Tempe? The guy is a Nazi!
Whatever happened to the campus protest spirit of the '60s? It's remarkable that college students won't be in the streets burning cars and throwing rocks during this debate. I guess it takes a draft to make young people stand up and take notice. Because they aren't being asked to serve in Iraq, they don't care, they don't vote, they don't even read the papers.
As for the Greeks, I always hated them when I was in school, but they're part of the campus scene and should be preserved, if for no other reason than so GDIs (God Damn Independents, which is what we non-frat types called ourselves in my day) have somebody to fuck with (read: beat up in bars).
Rob Stanley, Phoenix
They won't be missed: Aw, it looks like those poor, spoon-fed frat boys are finally being expected to act like upstanding citizens just like the rest of us. Now the privileged feel persecuted? Amazing!
I think Michael Crow is on the right track, and if this sets a trend in the colleges and universities across the United States, I, for one, will not object. My sympathy does not lie with the fraternities. It lies with the neighbors of frat houses who have had to live next to them and endure their rambunctious (and often dangerous) antics.
Max Berins, Scottsdale
It's Greek to them: Good job on the frat story! That was a solid, fair piece of reporting. One of my sons is a freshman at ASU, and he pledged Delta Sig. Since I went to one college (Notre Dame) that has no frats and another (ASU) where I didn't participate in them, I had no experience upon which to draw in giving him advice about what he should do.
But so far, so good. I think he may have made a good choice, but only time will tell.
As for me, I don't know if Michael Crow has the Greeks on double, secret probation or not. I went to college in days that were vastly different from what my kids are finding. Then it was TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! The world just isn't as much fun as it used to be.
Jack Lavelle, Phoenix
Plowed under: I'm glad those Greeks are getting pulverized by Michael Crow. Just stay independent and live in a house near campus like any self-respecting ASU student and you won't have to worry about any of it. You can drink and party all you want, and King Crow won't have anything to say about it. Nada!
Name withheld by request
