In 'honor' of our Vets, 'Sheriff Joe' Arpaio reaches new levels today, putting in a policy in hopes to change those in his county charge.
http://www.kpho.com/...
PHOENIX (CBS5) -
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is threatening water and bread for unpatriotic inmates who deface or vandalize the American flag.
"Ten inmates are currently on bread and water for this infraction," Arpaio said.
Arpaio said he has implemented an American flag campaign in his jails.
Each cell is getting a sticker of an American flag. Any inmate who vandalizes the flag will be punished with the restricted diet.
In keeping with the patriotic theme, Arpaio has ordered that the playing of God Bless America and the National Anthem be done daily in every jail facility over the public address system and for all the inmates, regardless of national origin, to hear and sing-a-long.
The sheriff's office employs more than 600 men and women who are veterans representing past service in all branches of the armed forces.
The patriotic campaign will cover the Fourth Avenue Jail, Durango Jail, Estrella Jail, Lower Buckeye Jail, Tent City Jail, Central Intake and Towers Jail.
I wish I could count the number of ways this is wrong; pushing people to sing 'God Bless America', Punishment and protect a sticker by denying nourishment strikes me as clear cruel & unusual punishment.
The real problem here for me at least is that we condone a culture that doesn't just tolerate these things we've come up with political parties and thoughts that make heroes out of those who do this. I find it incredibly sad that we see a rally/urge for these kind of actions, to inflict pain on others in the name of trumped up justice.
It seems obvious to me that this just continues the campaign of keeping Sheriff Joe in the national news, as it will be quickly undone by federal monitors. More Arizona tax dollars will be wasted handing any legal back and forth.
And yet, there are those on the right (follow my motto here: DO NOT READ THE COMMENTS) who will praise him all the way.
Because wasting taxpayer dollars on defending clear violations of the constitution works, while saving that money to provide it for education, job growth, health care doesn't.
Sad, really.
(Edited for Clarity)