It only makes sense: "Ja, Joe!" was interesting and seems reasonable and reasoned. It's only logical that neo-Nazis would gravitate toward someone who, in large measure, shares their agenda. How far the MCSO has gone to gratify these slime buckets is surprising, but not too much.
It would be interesting to see what happens, should some of these
redneck Nazi thugs really get out of hand. Given their proclivity for
toting guns and provoking confrontation, it may be only a matter of
time.
Joe Curwen, via the Internet
When will the rest of the media wake up?: There is a very disturbing trend in Maricopa County law enforcement that seems to have escaped the eye of all major media other than New Times. The list of political opponents or critics of Sheriff Joe Arpaio and County Attorney Andy Thomas who have been arrested, jailed, intimidated, and, later, exonerated continues to grow.
Jim Cozollino, Nick Tarr, Michael Lacey, Jim Larkin, Dan Pochoda, Monica Sandschafer, Kristy Theilen. All were critical of the sheriff. All were arrested for misdemeanors [for which people are] usually cited and released. [Some] were taken to trial by Thomas, who threw the full resources of his office into trying to get a conviction.
And in every case, the accused was found innocent and the charges were dismissed. The extra-constitutional abuse of police power is appalling. The resources wasted (hundreds of hours of County Attorney and deputy time in each case) trying to get misdemeanor convictions is astounding.
When will the major media wake up and bring this police-state abuse
to the attention of the ignorant masses, who still believe that Joe
Arpaio is "America's toughest sheriff" and not a corrupt Third World
thug?
Chad Snow, Peoria
Joe's picture says it all: Well, that picture of Joe Arpaio with the neo-Nazi says it all. If anybody ever wondered how he felt about bigots who condone the murder of millions of Jews during World War II, about neo-Nazi thugs and murders, you need not wonder anymore.
Joe Arpaio is who we thought he was — a dictator who may as well be wearing an SS uniform. The other "jackboot" has indeed fallen.
Thanks to Stephen Lemons for putting all the pieces together. His
"Ja, Joe!" story makes it frighteningly clear what's going on in this
county.
Jennifer Bradley, Tempe
An extremist speaks his mind (and says "scum" a lot): Here is the truth on the matter: Sheriff Joe came to us [neo-Nazis] first. We moved to the far corner of the sidewalk to make sure that we were the first people the illegal scum [Walk for Respect marchers on May 2] saw. He came over to us first because of where we were placed.
The sheriff has no right to tell anyone not to support him [as his detractors want him to do] based on [neo-Nazis'] First Amendment rights. The sheriff is not a National Socialist, or a White Nationalist. He was hired to uphold the law, and he is doing so everyday.
What I really said to him was: "Sheriff, you have been protecting us for years now. You have had our back; now we have yours."
Thousands of street-walking scum were marching, calling for him to step down.
I am not going to sit idle as an American. He is an elected official. None of these scum voted for him. He was elected to uphold the law. Maybe these street-walking scum should become legal and vote him out of office the legal way?
There is no conspiracy. However, police do speak with us on a regular basis. Because we explain to them that we are not what you think. We tell them that the law is what we are most concerned about following. I am a member of a lawful, legal, approved non-profit civil rights group.
We show the greatest respect for our police officers who protect our
streets, and they show us respect back.
Thomas Coletto (a.k.a. Vito Lombardi), neo-Nazi, Scottsdale
IT'S CLASSIFIED
Leave Craigslist alone: Come on, these murders are not the fault of Craigslist! Any idiot should see that. All the Connecticut attorney general is trying to do is latch onto something that will give him maximum publicity — Joe Arpaio-style.
Yeah, old Richard Blumenthal is just a Democratic Party version of our illustrious sheriff (minus the criminal cruelty, of course): a publicity hound. You know that a guy with Blumenthal's pedigree knows there's no way to keep freaks and perverts from advertising on a site like Craigslist.
That Blumenthal got any sort of concession out of Craig Newmark and his company is remarkable. I would've told him to go to hell.
This is not to say that I don't feel sorry for the people who died, especially that poor kid looking for a babysitting job [Katherine Olson]. But in the case of the "masseuse," who was really a prostitute, she was in a dangerous business to begin with. A john could go crazy and harm or kill her at any time. The radio reporter was into very freaky stuff, and he allowed himself to be the victim of somebody who really liked to get his freak on.
Leave Craigslist alone. It has a constitutional right to do what it
does.
Ned Lucas, Phoenix
Victims should've been more wary: The way Craig Newmark came forward to help the family of Katherine Olson was wonderful. The [cynical] part of me at first thought Newmark was coming forward just to mitigate anger toward his business for publishing "adult" ads. But he seemed really saddened by Olson's death, as well as by the murders of the others.
I mean no disrespect, but all the victims should have been wary of
dealing with people they didn't know through a classified-ads site.
Olson was just a young woman who didn't know any better, but the others
must have known they were playing with fire.
Penny Heller, Tempe
Is that you, DeNiro?: Hey, look, I'm a liberal Democrat, but, Jesus, Craigslist is a vice nightmare. It's [an easily accessed] veiled prostitution network.
I'm all for freedom and less government intrusion. Economic and social. But why open up areas for predators and scum to prey easily on our sons and daughters?
It could happen to you. Someone wants to get a job, and they post on a supposedly cool site. Little do they know it's a hotbed for the movie Seven-type [depravity]? Think about it.
I'm not pleading for government regulation of the Net. By no means. I'm just asking for the public and media to point fingers at Craigslist. At least to scare the shit out of other non-regulated classified Web sites that hide behind respectability.
Freedom is awesome. Scumbags are not. Attack these prostitution Web
sites before the government does. Mobilize.
Travis Bickle, via the Internet
What's New Times' motivation?: Wonder
why New Times was so intent on doing a story about the
"Craigslist murders," since none of 'em took place in Arizona? Could it
be that New Times had to come to Craig Newmark's defense because
it also has ads that could result in somebody getting hurt?
Jane Savage, address withheld
Accept some responsibility, people: What a great, thought-provoking article on Craigslist! And polarizing, to boot!
Let me preface this by saying I don't mean to be disrespectful, but I believe that the folks at Craigslist are being blamed for things that aren't their fault. In our world today, people need to remember: caveat emptor.
If you answer an ad on Craigslist for rough sex, you might get rough sex, and you might get killed. If you're a prostitute (whoops, I mean massage therapist) and you advertise your services on Craigslist, you might get killed.
And, if you answer an ad for a babysitter, you might get killed. (And this is where I feel badly for speaking disrespectfully about Katherine Olson.)
Are you freakin' kiddin' me? What kind of a mother would run an ad on Craigslist for a babysitter for her 5-year-old? And then hire someone sight-unseen? No decent mother. And that should have been a red flag for Katherine.
"Hi, I don't know you, I've never met you, but please come to my home where I'm going to leave my 5-year-old alone with a total and complete stranger." Unrealistic scenario.
People need to take responsibility for their own actions and stop
putting the blame on everyone else.
Name withheld
HIPSTERS
Analysis is all part of the fun: Your article seems to go all over the place. Your analysis is terrible. You separate "fun" from analyzing. When, in fact, this is the most fun part.
People running around in "dance circles" may be fun for them, but not to people who are there to connect with the performers. There is a difference in participating in a cohesive and conscious musical experience and blackout partying. Both are fun, but one doesn't require you to pay $50. You can be blackout partying anywhere. You can only see a live Wilco show at a live Wilco show.
I had a tough time following your thought process in this article, so it would not surprise me that you can't understand the vital differences in these performers. Please never so grossly elevate Dave Matthews to near Jeff Tweedy status again. That's like comparing Mick Jagger to Bob Dylan (a good performer to God).
If you want a fun hipster show, go see The Hold Steady.
Jonathan Jacobsen, Minneapolis
