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Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Crime Sheriff in Phoenix Turning Immigration Sweeps into Entertainment for National TV

Posted by Charles Mudede on Tue, Nov 17, 2009 at 8:00 AM

Crime in the age of reality TV:

PHOENIX — There are new allegations against Sheriff Joe Arpaio as he conducts another one of his controversial crime sweeps.
The sheriff is targeting smugglers; but Arpaio himself is the target of critics who say this time he's really just playing for the press.
The sheriff shot down those claims, saying he’s dealing with increasingly sly, innovative smugglers, and this operation — targeting smugglers on highways — is needed.
But protesters accuse Sheriff Arpaio of staging the latest crime sweep for a national TV crew.
"This is nothing but grandstanding for national media who was asked to stay so they could witness a sweep,” said protester Lydia Guzman.
The sheriff's response?
"Network? What network? What is it? ABC? Oh, so I arranged this because ABC is here? The answer is no,” he said. “We happened to be here and they're smart enough to know they might want to film the sheriff."

We cannot separate this sort of thing from the balloon boy hoax. What is needed more than ever is a stricter regulation of the border not between Mexico and the US but between entertainment and life. Reality shows are not about reality; reality is not about reality shows.

Comments (7) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

I believe that we we need stricter control of the border between California and Arizona. Anybody who has been paying attention knows, Sheriff Arpaio is a media whore.

Posted by The Amazing Jim

on November 17, 2009 at 8:31 AM

Yes, he's staging this, but no, you shouldn't pay attention to him. The more attention people like you pay to him, the more he'll do these things.

Sheriff Joe loves to get calls from people in other cities, loves protesters, loves folks getting all weepy become some illegal died while tangled in someone's barbed wire.

Posted by Baconcat on November 17, 2009 at 8:31 AM

Arpaio is hated by liberals and libertarians because of his ignoring of the Constitution. This guy is the king of cruel and unusual punishment.

Posted by Zoroastronomer on November 17, 2009 at 8:38 AM

I HAVE FEELINGS OF LAMENESS ON THIS. SPECIFICALLY THE WAY YO POSTS DON'T COME WIT ACCOMPANYING MP3Z OF U READIN DEM. YOU A FIVE STAR BITCH, NO 5 STUR MEALS FO KARLES. ONLY SHAFTS/SHROOMS/UGLYGURLS/BADRAP(CONCIOUSRAP)/

GUESS WHAT YOU ATTRACTED THE KANG OF HATERZ GUESS WHAT HE GOT MY NAME GUESS WHAT YOU AIN'T WORTH MY TIME I TAKE BREAKS ERRY WEEK AND STILL ROOL THE CATHOUSE. NOTES END THAT HATE:

-SCARVES???? YOU AIN'T GOT THE ANYTHING FOR THAT
-CLEAN UP YO LINES
-DEAD AIR/SILENCE MEANS NOBODY GOT NOTHING TO SAY ABOUT KINGS OR WHAT THEY DO
-LOT'S TO SAY ABOUT YOU, THAT MEANS YOU AIN'T NO KING.

Posted by LaRiiiiM0RrrHAwtiiii696969

on November 17, 2009 at 8:43 AM

shoot, let's let Lou Dobbs get all up on it, you know now that he's gone rogue...or has he gone prejean? ohhh fek!!

Posted by pissy mcslogbot on November 17, 2009 at 9:01 AM

What. An. Asshole.

Posted by Reverse Polarity on November 17, 2009 at 10:38 AM

He does a lot of other things that are awful. Actually, as a resident of Az, I'm hoping that the rest of the nation will be forced to recognize his assholery and maybe make some waves about it, forcing him out of office and maybe in an ironic twist into his own shitty jail. People here love him, though, so if the whole of America is as stupid as Phoenix...

Posted by The Horseshoe is hell on earth on November 27, 2009 at 4:38 PM