Bush is an idiot because he started a war based on no threat. That's about as smart as blowing up your own house because you thought you had termites, and it turned out you didn't.
Saddam is an idiot because he thought the best way to escape from the United States was to hide in a hole.
And Joe Arpaio is an idiot because . . . well, because he's Joe Arpaio.
The most recent stupid thing Arpaio has done was not the car accident you describe in "Enemies List." The stupidest thing he's done lately is the random investigations of his enemies. It proves he's desperate. He's scared. I don't want to get ahead of myself, but maybe his time in office is running out -- and he knows it -- so he's getting impulsive.
It's too bad he's concentrating on small things like his address being published. What he should be concentrating on is his growing list of enemies. It'll eventually be too much for him to handle, and then it's all over.
Mene Tekel, Phoenix
If it ain't broke, don't fix it: I assume you are a left-wing paper. I cannot understand why John Dougherty feels sorry for the inmates in the county jails.
Looks like the sheriff is doing something that works.
I see that most of the negative reports about the sheriff are from Dougherty and a few others. I think your paper would be better off giving news about things that concern people. At least 85 percent of the people agree with the sheriff. Looks like your paper and a few reporters (if you want to call them that) have a personal vendetta against the sheriff.
Robert Myers, via the Internet
Avoiding responsibility for his actions: While serving as a police volunteer for a local law enforcement agency in the 1990s, I was involved in an on-duty accident in a marked police vehicle. Unlike the vague explanation offered by Sheriff Joe, I gave the investigating officer a complete and truthful report of my actions. Accordingly, I was cited for the accident.
Sadly, a man who claims to "serve the public" and basks in his reputation as "America's toughest sheriff" apparently chose to avoid responsibility for his actions and instead blamed his county police cruiser. Worse yet, his apparent failure to tell the truth about the accident and the lack of a proper investigation further jeopardizes the trust that should exist between the public and our law enforcement officials.
Brian Duffin, Phoenix
Public enemy number one: Outstanding column on Joe Arpaio! I never heard of the traffic accident in other local news. Keep flushing the sheriff out of the bushes. The public needs to see him as he really is: incompetent!
Gerry Allen, via the Internet
Where does that leave us?: All I have to say is, I'm staying the hell out of Phoenix until this Joe Arpaio is out of office.
Rich Buchanan, Sergeant Bluff, Iowa
A punitive and ignorant culture: After moving from the Puget Sound area to Tempe a year and a half ago, I am still in culture shock over how often civil rights are violated in Arizona.
While still in Washington state, I explored my soon-to-be new home on the Internet. When I looked at the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Web site, I was horrified that Joe Arpaio felt politically safe bragging about the humiliation and inhumane treatment he heaps upon those in his custody. I was disturbed that this community accepted this.
Once I moved here, New Times was my first happy discovery. I didn't feel entirely alone in my views.
My son attended his last year of high school here, and then, as much as I miss him, we encouraged him to book back to Washington state. I don't feel this is a safe place for young people, especially young males.
Horrified by the actions of Arpaio and disgusted by a community that accepts them, I am inclined to join forces with others against this cowboy culture. However, fear of retaliatory, unethical law enforcement officials makes me hesitant to draw attention to myself and mine. I am not at all surprised about the break-in and theft of the names of anti-Arpaio people at Recall Arpaio headquarters.
As for John Dougherty, he is not only an engaging writer, but a hero. It takes great courage to keep doing what he does. I hope John makes public everything Joe Arpaio does to him. John is not only a citizen with rights, but a reporter entitled to journalistic freedom and protection from retaliation.
Name withheld by request
