GOON SQUAD
MCSO is simply rotten: The case [of Julio and Julian Mora] proves that Sheriff Joe Arpaio and his goons don't give a damn whether they are busting illegals or brown-skin American citizens ("Bully Beat-Down," The Bird, Stephen Lemons, April 28). The case is quintessential racial profiling.
And this deputy [Lieutenant Joe Sousa] is a piece of work. I hope this makes him shut the fuck up. But it won't, because he is a self-righteous Nazi, just like with his boss, our flaccid fool of a sheriff.
Now that Chief Deputy David Hendershott has gone down ("Joe Fires Top Confidants," April 28) — and will eventually go down even further when he gets indicted and convicted — and [Sousa's] exposed as a redneck punk, it's clear that the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office is rotten from the top down.
Pete Harris, Tucson, formerly of Phoenix
Joe's boys are storm troopers: Now, the Mora case makes me want to scream. This is outright storm-trooper crap.
Whenever I see one of those black Sheriff's Office cars out in the world, I cringe. I'm pretty sure the occupants are about to trample on somebody's constitutional rights, or otherwise do something illegal, under the color of authority.
Nobody with integrity would work for Joe Arpaio, after all that's gone down over the years — especially lately.
Alice Atkins, Tempe
A racist organization: The Minutemen are the same as the Tea Party — the same people who had Joe Arpaio speak at their Feet to the Fire rally last week.
The same people who give Arpaio a free pass on his corruption and gross waste of taxpayer money. [People] who don't seem to mind that his department doesn't enforce most laws — as long as he arrests a few Mexicans every month or two.
They have been exposed for the racist organization that they are.
Chad Snow, Peoria
Being here "illegally" is not really a crime: The problem is that "illegal immigrant" is not a term recognized at law. It's a throwaway phrase created years ago by some right-wing hate group and has no meaning when viewed in light of the actual federal code.
Indeed, most "illegal aliens" haven't committed any crime, much less a felony. They are, as a matter of fact and of law, simply in violation of a civil regulation more akin to speeding.
The code speaks of "illegal, deportable, and excludable aliens," and virtually all the brown-skin, hard-working people [whom nativists here] loathe and are here without authorization fall into the deportable and excludable classifications.
I know this is hard for some to accept, but it is the truth. The reason we deport those found within the United States without proper authorization, instead of trying them in court, is that in all but the rarest of cases, there is no crime to charge them with.
Kit Carson, Phoenix
Arpaio is responsible: "Arpaio is responsible for aggro half-wits like Sousa and Sousa's underlings, just as he is responsible for the misdeeds of his recently fired Chief Deputy David Hendershott, axed Deputy Chief Larry Black, and the man who 'loves' Black so dearly, ex-Captain Joel Fox ('Love Connection,' Ray Stern, April 14)."
This statement says it all: He is responsible. [But] Arpaio continually takes no responsibility for anything his underlings do. Ultimately, however, he is the sheriff and is the responsible party.
Sheriff Arpaio, you need to stand up and be a man. Resign!
Susan Rastella, city unavailable
Clearly unaware of what bigoted means: Stephen Lemons whines throughout this bigoted article.
Aliens make themselves criminals by illegally entering our country, then continue to break our laws by working illegally. This court [action] is just a way station, not the overwhelming victory that is described.
I only hope that this article appeared on the editorial page, as it is an extremely poor example of journalism.
Maggy Drew, city unavailable
Editor's note: The Bird, by Stephen Lemons, is an opinion column, Ms. Drew. And please bear in mind what the following reader points out.
End of story: Why are you nativists all so stupid? The entire point of the case and the article was that Julio Mora is a U.S. citizen [and his father is a legal, permanent resident]. The ACLU represented a U.S. citizen, dumb-ass.
Adrian Cruz, city unavailable
A lot: Wonder how much money we taxpayers will pay the Moras for the stupidity of the Flaccid Fool and Lieutenant Sousa?
Jason Marques, city unavailable
Lock up dumb cops, please: Aiding a felony? The dumb cop gave [diabetic Julian Mora] no choice but to pee where he did, so lock up the dumb-ass cop.
Come on, Arizona, wake up! The MCSO needs some major housecleaning. Get the idiots out of there and lock them up. Plain and simple.
They are committing crimes, right and left, and making Arizona look really bad. There are [legitimate lawmen who] can take the little pygmy's place.
At this point, as screwed up as the MCSO is, I'll take illegals over the MCSO any day!
Diana Girk, city unavailable
Sousa's not fit to guard a Walmart: Are you freaking nuts, [Stephen Lemons]? Walmart isn't likely to hire a ding-dong, foul-mouthed ex-cop who has shown a disregard for the rights of people lawfully in the United States.
Walmart would be exposed to a massive lawsuit if it knowingly hired someone who had a record of abusing people's rights and that person repeated the offense.
Best bet for disgraced ex-MCSO goons is night watchman at a junkyard.
Name withheld
Another call for MCSO housecleaning: [The story about the Moras] pretty much describes the entire MCSO doesn't it?
And before some start whining about how the department has many fine, upstanding officers, no fine, upstanding officer would stay in an organized-crime family like the MCSO.
The corruption of MCSO leadership has had 16 years to trickle down through the rank and file. This entirely corrupt department needs a housecleaning.
A good start would be to have every single employee be required to take a battery of psychological tests to see if they are stable enough to have a badge and gun.
Name withheld
