The Arpaio Pardon

Written August 25, 2017, in Facebook

The so called President has pardoned convicted Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Arpaio is the sheriff who targeted and racially profiled Hispanics in Arizona for over a year after being told by courts to stop violating their rights. He was convicted of contempt. 

One of the talking points of the supporters of the so-called President will be that it was a political prosecution because it was announced just before the vote for the sheriff's position - which Arpaio then lost. However this excuse does not explain his actual conviction - he was indeed guilty.

The key reason for Arpaio's pardon is Arpaio's support for the so-called President. Arpaio endorsed the so-called President for the nomination and was a fellow birther; "Trump is likely a fan of Arpaio’s because Arapio is a fan of his—an early supporter who also went all in for birtherism, at one point sending members of a so-called Cold Case Posse to Hawaii to dig up something incriminating about Barack Obama’s birth certificate..." from the New Yorker.

That's the answer; they both promoted racist theories and policies - it's that simple.

https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/why-does-donald-trump-like-sheriff-joe

Dog Whistles

Written August 22, 2017 on Facebook

The so-called President's visit to Phoenix may be partially intended to goad protesters into committing violence - and unfortunately there could be some protesters who may fall into the trap. If he pardons Sheriff Joe Arpaio he will of course be excusing someone who goes out of his way to persecute the Hispanic community. The so-called President's base would love it.

But the temptation to disrupt rallies of those you disagree with and even of those you believe are racist or otherwise immoral must be resisted - always and by everyone.

There is a narrative that the so-called President is trying to create - the narrative that his opponents want to destroy everyone's free speech and enforce a political correctness on everyone. Never mind that that the so-called President wants to force everyone to say "Merry Christmas, " wants no Muslims or Hispanics to enter the country, enjoys the support of White Nationalists and worse; it's the LEFT that threatens our freedom! Never mind that his primary opposition in the past election, Hillary Clinton and her supporters are the most middle of the road politically in the country - they will get lumped in with anarchists and whatever left wing group that gets violence.

Since his supporters are lo-info, all he needs are a handful of idiots to allow him to smear the entire opposition - and make it stick with many. Unfortunately there is never a shortage of idiots within any group.

This is the plan of the so-called President - goading some tiny fraction of his opponents into disrupting and possibly even attacking his supporters with his "dog whistles." All he cares about is winning even if it ruins the country.