Feedback from the Issue of Thursday, July 23, 2009

JOE'S ALL WET

Lots of us are praying: Another Arpaio/Thomas publicity stunt revealed in your "Down on Brown" story. When will it all stop?

Maybe never. But I felt better recently when [U.S.] Homeland Security came up with a new 287(g) plan in which police agencies with the federal authority to pick up illegal aliens — the MCSO — must sign a new agreement to go after only serious criminals in the undocumented community.

Also, it was great to see that the feds are interested in this SCA [Sheriff's Command Association] case, which obviously smells of corruption to high heaven. This and the fact that the FBI already is investigating Arpaio should bode unwell for the dangerous buffoon.

Lots of us are praying that justice is someday served on him and his staff, especially [Chief Deputy] David Hendershott, the evil brain behind the MCSO.
Ted Bart, address withheld

What if Joe snubs Janet?: Great story by Paul Rubin on the water-park raids. Rubin exposed how Arpaio and Thomas' racist little minds work. Arpaio must be stopped, but I wonder if [Homeland Security] Secretary Janet Napolitano has the balls to stop him.

What if he just snubs her order that he must concentrate on just dangerous undocumented criminals to keep his 287(g) class­ification? I could see him just ignoring the federal mandate and going about business as usual, thereby forcing a confrontation with the Obama administration.

What then? Are human-rights abuses [against] undocumented immigrants and Hispanic Americans a big enough issue for Washington to slap down Arpaio? You'd certainly hope so with a black president and a black attorney general!

My feeling is, the only way Napolitano will bust Arpaio is if the president forces her to.
James Guzman, address withheld

Let the Joe/Andy recall begin: Just writing to announce that we have filed official recalls on Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and County Attorney Andrew Thomas.

We are going to let the nation and world know that the image of ignorance and hate that Joe Arpaio, Andrew Thomas, [state senators] Russell Pearce, Bob Burns, et al., have sent out from Arizona is a false one! The recall Web site is arizonarecall.com. Phone is 623-206-2039.
Leonard Clark, Surprise

Apparently, it's okay to lie to a grand jury: For the I-support-Joe-because-he-upholds-the-law crowd: Since when did it become legal to lie in a grand jury proceeding? I'm sure Barry Bonds and his lawyers will be happy to hear that.

Ironically, the fact that [Arpaio's office] clearly withheld a witness could be the factor that lets five illegals stay in the United States to work and cause all those tax dollars spent on this case to be wasted yet again. That's a new level of incompetence.

And I love that [Arpaio supporters] wish all [illegal aliens] deported, and the MCSO is the reason they are staying. Lots of laughs.
David Saint, Phoenix

Joe's priorities are off-kilter: By all means, track down and arrest illegals after the fat-ass [Arpaio] finds those ten of thousands of felons running around with unserved warrants.

By all means, deport the illegals after the Sheriff's Office does the job it was created to do: patrol unincorporated Maricopa County and outlying towns it's contracted to [serve].

What good does it do anyone to arrest a corn vender or sub-minimum-wage slave if the MCSO doesn't do shit about the meth-head white people turning the small towns outside Phoenix into suburban hellholes? Get your effin' priorities aligned, Joe!
Name withheld

Useless and sarcastic: I can see why this trash is a free paper. Nobody would pay for this type of reading. Get a life, and let Joe do his job. Better yet, go find a job that serves America. This is useless drivel and sarcastic B.S.
Name withheld

MORE ON JACKO

Editor's note: Here's more reader reaction to our Michael Jackson spoof, most of it coming in before we let on in the last issue that we were kidding:

Unsatisfied reader says, "No more spoofs": Okay, your Michael Jackson story was a spoof. I get that. But I don't read New Times to be fooled. I read the paper because it goes after the fools. People like Joe Arpaio and Andrew Thomas.

Please stick to what you do best — investigative journalism. You are our only hope in this desert metropolis.
Marla Billings, Phoenix

Many among us are too stupid to live: I've read all the comments and feedback on your story of how Dr. Reinalda de Souza killed Jacko, and I've got to say that you exposed some sick individuals. Not the fictional De Souza, but a large portion of the readers of this satire.

Many are too stupid to live, others are deluded into thinking that Michael Jackson wasn't a pervert, and others care more about a fucking dog than they do about human beings.

One guy even wanted an investigation, whether the story was satire or not, because a Rottweiler puppy might have been killed. Dude, there is no puppy if it's a spoof! Get it? Apparently not.

I was, however, gratified to see that many people did get the joke, with some even playing along. To those who weren't fooled, it was good comedy. Keep 'em coming.
Mike Lucas, Phoenix