Social-media websites like Facebook and Twitter may make it easier to connect with people, but they also make it easier to make an ass out of yourself in front of everyone.
Here are 10 people who did just that, in what we're calling the 10 worst social-media posts in Arizona history:
10.) Joe Arpaio: "I Don't Use Computers"
Don't forget one of the Ten Commandments of the Internet: Use your brain before you use Twitter. "I don't use computers," Sheriff Arpaio posted . . . on Twitter. That kind of gave it away that the old man himself wasn't the one manning the Twitter account.
9.) Everything on Jodi Arias' Twitter Account
It was bad enough to have the spotlight on Phoenix as murderess Jodi Arias went on trial, in a made-for-TV-spectacle. Then, Arias found a way to use Twitter from jail, somehow managing to make her trial more of a spectacle than it already was.
8.) PR Bigshot Jason Rose on "Special Ed"
Boy, if you're one of the city's biggest public-relations hotshots, you probably should use Twitter to refer to people you don't like as "special ed," especially when your PR firm represents the Special Olympics. D'oh.
7.) Republican Legislator Bob Thorpe's Thoughts on African-Americans
Turns out, the job description for state lawmaker doesn't include going on mini-rants about black people on Twitter. Republican Representative Bob Thorpe missed that part, complaining that there was no media coverage about three "blacks" beating up a white kid on a bus in Florida. He also suggested Attorney General Eric Holder might be soft on crime because there are so many black people in prison.
6.) Small-Town Politician Extraordinarily Confused About Fred Phelps
Ed Farrell, the vice mayor of Maricopa, wrote on Facebook that, "We need more Fred Phelps [sic] in the world." He was talking about Fred Phelps, you know, the guy who had the whole "God Hates Fags" thing going on. Strangely, he'd posted it alongside a satirical article from the Onion, which poked fun at Phelps' efforts. He made some anti-gay comments in response to others, but once he figured out who Fred Phelps actually was, he conceded that he was just very confused about everything.
5.) Cop and Kids Shoot Up Obama T-shirt
Another entry from the long list of bad ideas: A police officer teaching children that it's fun to shoot up images of the President of the United States.
4.) Republican Lawmaker Brenda Barton on President Hitler
After seeing this Facebook post about park rangers being "thugs," and President Obama being Hitler, it makes you realize that literally anyone seems fit to be in public office in Arizona.
3.) Jeff Flake's Son on Youtube
Write this down, kids: If your father ever becomes a U.S. Senator, delete that YouTube video in which you pretend to commit suicide.
2.) Jeff Flake's Son on Twitter
Also, if your father ever becomes a U.S. Senator, delete those Twitter posts about "faggots," and also the screenshot of the game where you play under the name "N1ggerKiller."
1.) Mesa Man Takes Credit for Murder That Didn't Happen, Complete With Bloody Photo
Classic social-media folly: Devin Almejo allegedly wanted to kill a family member, but didn't have the huevos to do it himself. So, he hired a hitman (an undercover police officer), but decided to take credit himself, by staging the murder scene and posting a photo of his blood-soaked hand to Facebook. Gotcha.
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