• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Before Header

  • About Us
  • Lexicon
  • Contact Us
  • Our Store
  • ↑
  • ↓
  • ←
  • →

Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Being the leader of the world means to be the leader of peace.

Give the craziest people you know everything they want and hope they don’t ask for more? Great plan.

That’s my take and I am available for criticism at this time.

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

Nancy smash is sick of your bullshit.

Only Democrats have agency, apparently.

Let there be snark.

Republican obstruction dressed up as bipartisanship. Again.

“More of this”, i said to the dog.

Republicans are the party of chaos and catastrophe.

Fuck the extremist election deniers. What’s money for if not for keeping them out of office?

Let’s delete this post and never speak of this again.

When I decide to be condescending, you won’t have to dream up a fantasy about it.

Teach a man to fish, and he’ll sit in a boat all day drinking beer.

A last alliance of elves and men. also pet photos.

Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.

Make the republican party small enough to drown in a bathtub.

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

This really is a full service blog.

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

I did not have this on my fuck 2022 bingo card.

Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

Schmidt just says fuck it, opens a tea shop.

Battle won, war still ongoing.

Mobile Menu

  • Winnable House Races
  • Donate with Venmo, Zelle & PayPal
  • Site Feedback
  • War in Ukraine
  • Submit Photos to On the Road
  • Politics
  • On The Road
  • Open Threads
  • Topics
  • Balloon Juice 2023 Pet Calendar (coming soon)
  • COVID-19 Coronavirus
  • Authors
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Lexicon
  • Our Store
  • Politics
  • Open Threads
  • War in Ukraine
  • Garden Chats
  • On The Road
  • 2021-22 Fundraising!
You are here: Home / Politics / Domestic Politics / A Tale of Two Sheriffs

A Tale of Two Sheriffs

by John Cole|  January 10, 20113:28 pm| 90 Comments

This post is in: Domestic Politics, Our Failed Media Experiment

FacebookTweetEmail

Oddly enough, I’ve never seen wingnuts react this way to any of Joe Arpaio’s briefings:

Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik thrust himself into the spotlight in the aftermath of the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) and 19 other people in Arizona on Saturday, decrying the heated political atmosphere and calling for more civility.

“It’s not unusual for all public officials to get threats constantly, myself included,” he said on Saturday. “That’s the sad thing about what’s going on in America: pretty soon we’re not going to be able to find reasonable, decent people willing to subject themselves to serve in public office.”

Dupnik immediately angered some on the right, who took his words to be directed at the tea party and conservatives, as well as Arizonans who took offense to his depiction of Arizona as “a mecca for prejudice and bigotry.”

Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) said he didn’t think the sheriff’s words “had any part in a law enforcement briefing.” Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) said he was “disappointed” in the sheriff. Conservative talk show host Neal Boortz said Dupnik was looking for political gain, and Fox News anchor — in an interview with the sheriff — wondered aloud why he would “inject political speculation” into the story.

Two quick notes for David Gergen and the “both sides do it” bullshit peddlers. First, there was nothing partisan about Dupnik’s statements. He pointed no fingers at any specific group- he merely pointed out that public figures are receiving a lot of threats and that as a lifelong resident of Arizona, he has noticed a change in the political atmosphere, which DIRECTLY impacts his ability to do his job, which is keeping the peace. Compare that to the overtly political statements Arpaio has made… well, forever.

Second, and this is a very key distinction, when liberals get up in arms about Arpaio, it is because they are disagreeing with him. Conservatives disagree with the Dupnik non-partisan remarks, obviously, but what is different is that they don’t think he should even be allowed to make them.

But this is all par for the course. The media and the Republicans have set up two sets of rules. One for right-wingers, and one for everyone else.

*** Update ***

Looks like Media Matters got there before me on this (barely), with a lot of quotes and the same title (damnit!).

FacebookTweetEmail
Previous Post: « Open Thread
Next Post: DeLay to Prison »

Reader Interactions

90Comments

  1. 1.

    Xecky Gilchrist

    January 10, 2011 at 3:33 pm

    when liberals get up in arms about Arpaio, it is because they are disagreeing with him. Conservatives disagree with the Dupnik non-partisan remarks, obviously, but what is different is that they don’t think he should even be allowed to make them.

    It’s in the makeup of the groups, for sure. I started noticing this in my long-ago college days. Leftie and rightie campus groups would put up flyers for their events, and their opponents always responded. The hippies would mockingly vandalize the rightards’ flyers, and the rightards would tear the hippies’ flyers down completely.

  2. 2.

    scav

    January 10, 2011 at 3:33 pm

    Hell, politicians and sheriffs in AZ can blame immigrants for rising crime rates without being called on for politicizing events, let alone being called on the fact that crime rates seem to be falling.

  3. 3.

    Kryptik

    January 10, 2011 at 3:34 pm

    And then people wonder why we consider right-wing rhetoric eliminationist and tending toward violence.

  4. 4.

    Joseph Nobles

    January 10, 2011 at 3:37 pm

    The media and the Republicans have set up two sets of rules. One for right-wingers, and one for everyone else.

    Well, that’s the way it is in a white-centered… excuse me, center-right country.

  5. 5.

    joe from Lowell

    January 10, 2011 at 3:37 pm

    Interesting that conservatives see the message “Hate speech doesn’t belong in politics,” without any reference whatsoever to any party or ideology, and feel that they’re being attacked.

    I guess we can dispense with this “Both sides do it,” argument right now, since the conservatives themselves seem convinced that a denunciation of hate speech and violent rhetoric in politics should be read as an attack on them.

  6. 6.

    JCT

    January 10, 2011 at 3:41 pm

    Excellent post — this is exactly the issue. Gee, do you think we would have to work hard to find a clip of Meghan the Village Idiot Kelly drooling over Sheriff Arpaio? Doubtful.

  7. 7.

    Martin

    January 10, 2011 at 3:41 pm

    That’s because Arpaio is a bad-ass on the side of the righteous, and Dupnik just hates America.

    I wonder how many folks out there are arguing that someone should shoot Dupnik just to prove how wrong he is.

  8. 8.

    Campionrules

    January 10, 2011 at 3:41 pm

    Various web sites – right wing – are now positing the claim that Dubnik’s department had numerous reports of death threats from Loughner to various locals. And did nothing to follow up, therefore not heading it off early.

  9. 9.

    beltane

    January 10, 2011 at 3:42 pm

    Conservatives have unlimited rights. The rest of us have only two rights, the rights to sit down and shut up. Why do you hate them for their freedoms?

  10. 10.

    Captain Haddock

    January 10, 2011 at 3:43 pm

    Ah, David Gergen – the man to call when regular bullshit needs the patina of even more bullshit.

  11. 11.

    Lee

    January 10, 2011 at 3:44 pm

    @joe from Lowell:

    I guess we can dispense with this “Both sides do it,” argument right now, since the conservatives themselves seem convinced that a denunciation of hate speech and violent rhetoric in politics should be read as an attack on them.

    I’m going to be using this.

    thanks,

  12. 12.

    Felonious Wench

    January 10, 2011 at 3:44 pm

    Dupnik immediately angered some on the right, who took his words to be directed at the tea party and conservatives, as well as Arizonans who took offense to his depiction of Arizona as “a mecca for prejudice and bigotry.”

    The right keeps insisting on pointing fingers at itself.

  13. 13.

    GordonGuano

    January 10, 2011 at 3:48 pm

    @joe from Lowell:

    Bullseye. Nobody denies more quickly than the guilty.

  14. 14.

    Roger Moore

    January 10, 2011 at 3:50 pm

    @scav:
    That’s not quite fair. Crime rates are only falling outside Joe Arpaio’s jurisdiction; they’re going up in his neck of the woods. Now you might suggest that the sheriff deserves some blame when crime goes up in his county while going down in the rest of the state, but let’s not go pointing fingers- at least not a white people.

  15. 15.

    kwAwk

    January 10, 2011 at 3:50 pm

    Two quick notes for David Gergen and the “both sides do it” bullshit peddlers. First, there was nothing partisan about Dupnik’s statements. He pointed no fingers at any specific group- he merely pointed out that public figures are receiving a lot of threats and that as a lifelong resident of Arizona, he has noticed a change in the political atmosphere, which DIRECTLY impacts his ability to do his job, which is keeping the peace. Compare that to the overtly political statements Arpaio has made… well, forever.

    To me it is interesting in that Sheriff Dupnik, unlike Neil Boortz and the rest of us, probably has had contact with the shooter, has probably interviewed him or has watched interviews of him, and would seem to be in a much better place than anybody at Foxnews to describe the intentions and reasons for what the shooter did.

    I suppose we’ll learn more about it in the next few days.

  16. 16.

    Xecky Gilchrist

    January 10, 2011 at 3:52 pm

    @joe from Lowell: I guess we can dispense with this “Both sides do it,” argument right now, since the conservatives themselves seem convinced that a denunciation of hate speech and violent rhetoric in politics should be read as an attack on them.

    True.

    Compare to how they see Michelle Obama’s anti-obesity campaign as an attack on them.

  17. 17.

    r€nato

    January 10, 2011 at 3:57 pm

    it may surprise you to learn that there are some crazy politicians in Arizona.

    “State Rep. Jack Harper, R-Surprise, blamed the shooting on Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik, who has himself blamed caustic political rhetoric and lax gun-control as contributing to the massacre.”If he would have done his job, maybe this doesn’t happen,” Harper told USA Today on Monday. “Sheriff Dupnik did not provide for the security of a U.S. congresswoman.””When everyone is carrying a firearm, nobody is going to be a victim,” Harper continued. “The so.cialists of today are only one gun confiscation away from being the communists of tomorrow.”

  18. 18.

    IrishGirl

    January 10, 2011 at 3:59 pm

    Of course they’re all over Sheriff Dupnik, he’s a Dem. In good ol AZ where no one blinks an eye at State Legislators attending neo-Nazi rallies, Sheriff Arpaio is the toast of the state. I actually now worry for Dupnik’s security. At least this time, the victim will have a gun.

  19. 19.

    calliope jane

    January 10, 2011 at 4:00 pm

    Yay Dupnik! I’m so glad he’s been making these comments. The atmosphere these past few years has been hideous– and all it does is make his job harder. I’ve always liked him and I have voted for him and will keep doing so. He’s also the sheriff who said he wouldn’t be enforcing SB 1070 and would just keep doing his job for the community, which he has. I’m sure he’s been getting his own share of threats. He asked the country to do some soul searching– and apparently kyl, etc aren’t comfortable with doing even that.

  20. 20.

    WereBear

    January 10, 2011 at 4:01 pm

    @Xecky Gilchrist: Compare to how they see Michelle Obama’s anti-obesity campaign as an attack on them.

    Never thought of that. But then, they are tetchy folk, aren’t they?

  21. 21.

    scav

    January 10, 2011 at 4:02 pm

    @Roger Moore: Because we certainly wouldn’t want to be politicizing strictly local trends and representing them as being globally applicable or anything, you’re right. Rhetoric (and statistics) is only non-political when aimed in certain directions.

  22. 22.

    Catsy

    January 10, 2011 at 4:03 pm

    Second, and this is a very key distinction, when liberals get up in arms about Arpaio, it is because they are disagreeing with him.

    Er, no. When liberals get up in arms about Arpaio, it is because he is a corrupt, racist authoritarian who routinely and unapologetically misappropriates public resources, violates the civil rights of American citizens, and terrorizes minorities.

    Reducing this to “disagreeing with him” is a reduction to absurdity.

  23. 23.

    r€nato

    January 10, 2011 at 4:04 pm

    You may find this hard to believe, but there are some crazy politicians in Arizona.

    “State Rep. Jack Harper, R-Surprise, blamed the shooting on Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik, who has himself blamed caustic political rhetoric and lax gun-control as contributing to the massacre.
    …
    ”If he would have done his job, maybe this doesn’t happen,” Harper told USA Today on Monday. “Sheriff Dupnik did not provide for the security of a U.S. congresswoman.”
    …
    “When everyone is carrying a firearm, nobody is going to be a victim,” Harper continued. “The so.cialists of today are only one gun confiscation away from being the communists of tomorrow.”

  24. 24.

    Bulworth

    January 10, 2011 at 4:04 pm

    @Felonious Wench: Yes, they seem to be outing themselves as hate-mongerers.

    If the teabaggers can’t take the heat, they should stay out of the kitchen.

  25. 25.

    azlib

    January 10, 2011 at 4:05 pm

    A sheriff in AZ is a political office. They are elected by the people here. Arpaio is a narcissistic showboat. He will do anything to get attention and has been very popular in Maricopa County. Recently, his star has fallen with the fallout from his failed attempt to indict various members of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors on trumped up corruption charges. Hopefully, the guy will retire or get defeated next time he runs. We really need a competent sheriff here in Maricopa County.

  26. 26.

    gex

    January 10, 2011 at 4:06 pm

    I’m feeling pretty hopeless right now. Talked to a former co-worker. A rightie, but pretty moderate for one.

    He’s one of the “let’s not politicize this” assholes. I tried to tell him that this is in itself politicizing things.

    Then he said now was not the time to talk about it. To which I said: we didn’t talk about if after Eric Rudolph bombed gays bars, clinics, and the Olympics. We didn’t talk about if after OKC. We didn’t even talk about it after Scott Roeder, even though O’Reilly had been demonizing Tiller. So when do you think we will talk about it? How many bodies do you need? It isn’t my fault that when calling out violent rhetoric it seems to be equivalent to calling out the right. That in itself tells the disparity between the two parties.

    But alas, he is a straight white Christian male, and I’m only a gaysian atheist. He’s on the win-win side. Because if the country is “taken back” , of the two of us, he’s the one who will lose nothing.

    ETA: Oh, and tomorrow I have an appointment to euthanize my eldest cat, Simon. Crap.

  27. 27.

    r€nato

    January 10, 2011 at 4:07 pm

    @Bulworth:

    when you call out racism, then you are the real racist.

    when you call out hatemongering, then you are the real hatemonger.

    when you criticize Sarah Palin, then you are taking away her free speech rights.

    That’s how we roll in right-wing bizarro world.

  28. 28.

    cleek

    January 10, 2011 at 4:07 pm

    . The media and the Republicans have set up two sets of rules. One for right-wingers, and one for everyone else.

    and don’t you forget it.

  29. 29.

    Tony Gatto

    January 10, 2011 at 4:07 pm

    He mentioned Sarah Palin and Sharron angle — by name — and said the vitriol is coming from one side of the political sphere, not the other.

  30. 30.

    IrishGirl

    January 10, 2011 at 4:09 pm

    @azlib: Sheriff A-hole cost the county around 6 million fighting with the County Board of Supv. Now former County Atty Thomas is up for censure and possible disbarment by AZ State Bar. It’s about damn time. Now all we need is for the state to wake up and vote A-hole out.

    PS: if you’re into AZ news and blogs, I have one at http://drangedinaz.wordpress.com/

  31. 31.

    WereBear

    January 10, 2011 at 4:10 pm

    @gex: an appointment to euthanize my eldest cat, Simon. Crap.

    My heartfelt sympathies. That last night with them really really sucks.

  32. 32.

    Jim, Once

    January 10, 2011 at 4:11 pm

    Something for all the rightwingers screaming all over the interwebs that Loughren is clearly a liberal Democrat – the shooter’s voter registration information:

    http://img171.imageshack.us/i/jllrsc.jpg/

    I admit, I haven’t done any cross-checking on the validity of this . . . but it sure looks real.

  33. 33.

    Bulworth

    January 10, 2011 at 4:12 pm

    ETA: Oh, and tomorrow I have an appointment to euthanize my eldest cat, Simon. Crap.

    Very sorry to hear this. I know how hard it is.

  34. 34.

    Sharl

    January 10, 2011 at 4:13 pm

    @gex: I’m sorry to see that about Simon. My condolences.

  35. 35.

    gex

    January 10, 2011 at 4:14 pm

    @Jim, Once: Registration aint the same as voting. There are a lot of “Democrats” in the south. Not that this level of nuance would gain traction.

  36. 36.

    Bulworth

    January 10, 2011 at 4:14 pm

    @Jim, Once: I’ll only say that the Tucson shooter and the reloading Palin-Teabaggers seemed to have the same goal regarding his district’s congresswoman.

  37. 37.

    FormerSwingVoter

    January 10, 2011 at 4:14 pm

    Yeah – I’m trying to figure out how the “everyone needs to chill the fuck out” talk going around the last couple days is being interpreted as an attack on conservatives. That seems like a… rather stunning admission, doesn’t it? It goes like this:

    PERSON: Hey, maybe people should be less of assholes sometimes.
    ASSHOLE: How dare you say such a thing! You are my political enemy forever!
    PERSON: Wait, what?

  38. 38.

    WereBear

    January 10, 2011 at 4:14 pm

    @Jim, Once: Cue the emails claiming a liberal photoshopped that.

  39. 39.

    suzanne

    January 10, 2011 at 4:16 pm

    @IrishGirl: Awesome. I’m in Chandler and am just so damn full of sadness right now about the political state of affairs here. Glad to know I’m not alone.

    Side note: a former employee of my mother’s is embroiled in a lawsuit against Sheriff Fuckwad. She got a DUI, and notified the judge before she went in that she had certain mental health issues for which she was taking medications. The judge authorized her to bring the medications with her to the jail. When she got there, she wasn’t permitted to take them.

    Joe Arpaio makes me wish I still lived in Tucson, and I ***hated*** living in Tucson.

  40. 40.

    r€nato

    January 10, 2011 at 4:16 pm

    @Jim, Once: I have my doubts. You can’t look up voter registration at the AZ Sec. of State’s site without knowing either the voter ID # or the driver’s license # of the person you’re trying to look up.

    But feel free to check it out yourself.

  41. 41.

    cleek

    January 10, 2011 at 4:20 pm

    @Jim, Once:
    FWIW, one can’t do that search without knowing either his voter registration ID or his driver’s license #.

    see also, r€nato

  42. 42.

    Campionrules

    January 10, 2011 at 4:22 pm

    @gex:

    Hilarious. It is a photoshop. Local Registrar confirmed he’s registered independent. Not everything on the interwebz is true.

  43. 43.

    Campionrules

    January 10, 2011 at 4:23 pm

    I will point out though. Voter Registration is public record in most states-and-you should definitely not put the registration of a party on the persons politics. Fred Phelps of Westboro Baptist fame is registered Democrat.

  44. 44.

    D

    January 10, 2011 at 4:24 pm

    I just want to check the rules: Are we considering, as you say, glibertarians as conservatives? If so, I do propose this.

  45. 45.

    evinfuilt

    January 10, 2011 at 4:24 pm

    @WereBear:
    He’s not a republican till they find the long form registration for voting. No websites or photocopies allowed, only the vault record!

  46. 46.

    jl

    January 10, 2011 at 4:25 pm

    It would be rancorous and contemptible partisanship, up with which the public is sick, to use this tragedy to criticize registered independents! Especially crazy ones.

  47. 47.

    Ash Can

    January 10, 2011 at 4:26 pm

    @gex: So sorry to hear about Simon. That’s a dreadful crossroads to come to, a choice between the awful and the worse. My thoughts are with you.

  48. 48.

    WereBear

    January 10, 2011 at 4:27 pm

    @evinfuilt: Well, now I’m annoyed. That’s a dumb thing to do; there’s enough crap out there without adding to it.

  49. 49.

    The Dangerman

    January 10, 2011 at 4:28 pm

    Dupnik called for civility…

    …Limbaugh responded today by lambasting the Sheriff.

    I figured Limbaugh would tone it down a bit now; sadly, I was wrong.

  50. 50.

    CaptainFwiffo

    January 10, 2011 at 4:30 pm

    Hey, let’s focus on what’s important here. What are his counter-tops made of?

  51. 51.

    WereBear

    January 10, 2011 at 4:30 pm

    @gex: In case it helps.

    I wrote an article:

    How to handle the final appointment

    With some tips that might help.

  52. 52.

    KG

    January 10, 2011 at 4:31 pm

    @Felonious Wench: That was my thought, guilty consciouses immediately respond in defense.

  53. 53.

    Jim, Once

    January 10, 2011 at 4:32 pm

    @WereBear:
    True – sorry I posted. Really.

  54. 54.

    r€nato

    January 10, 2011 at 4:33 pm

    @The Dangerman:

    this is exactly what bullies and sociopaths do.

    They double down just to prove that they were right and have nothing for which to apologize.

  55. 55.

    slag

    January 10, 2011 at 4:33 pm

    Dupnik immediately angered some on the right, who took his words to be directed at the tea party and conservatives,

    Methinks someone doth protest too much.

    It’s all been said before, but I’ll say it again. I’ve never understood the rightwing concept of civility. Isn’t saying “With all due respect” before calling someone a terrorist-loving traitor just a little…um…disingenuous? Or is that just Real America talk that we Unreal Americans simply don’t understand?

  56. 56.

    lllphd

    January 10, 2011 at 4:34 pm

    yeah, dupnik was candid and courageous and made a point not to point fingers. megan kept probing him to do so until she finally had to be the one to … point out that he’s a democrat. as if that means a damn thing here.

    except that the dems are the ones being targeted yet fox and all their friends want to make dems the culprit.

    fascinating.

  57. 57.

    KG

    January 10, 2011 at 4:34 pm

    @The Dangerman: yeah, no, Limbaugh doesn’t know how to tone it down. He’s the guy that splits 10s, doubles down on 13, or moves all in with a weak draw (yes, I am referring to two different games, the analogy still holds). I use to listen to him a lot, but got tired of everything being a plot by the Democrats to destroy the nation. And nothing but name calling

  58. 58.

    SIA

    January 10, 2011 at 4:35 pm

    @gex: RIP Simon. Sorry you have to go through this Gex.

  59. 59.

    kerFuFFler

    January 10, 2011 at 4:37 pm

    @joe from Lowell: @joe from Lowell:

    “I guess we can dispense with this “Both sides do it,” argument right now, since the conservatives themselves seem convinced that a denunciation of hate speech and violent rhetoric in politics should be read as an attack on them. ”

    Beautifully put! Thanks for saving me the botheration of struggling to express that idea so succinctly.

  60. 60.

    gex

    January 10, 2011 at 4:40 pm

    @Campionrules: I was not claiming it was true. That is just what my response would be if the registration were true.

  61. 61.

    uila

    January 10, 2011 at 4:42 pm

    “Bigotry” is apparently a left-wing dog-whistle. Then why are the righties howling?

    To quote Guru: If you don’t like it, take it personal.

  62. 62.

    4jkb4ia

    January 10, 2011 at 4:43 pm

    This is to alert John to Adam Serwer’s post at the Plum Line. Very, very nice job. Articulated well that the issue is making violence acceptable. Even if a crazy person trying to avoid an emptiness of meaning in general is the first to act on it, a sane person listening to enough of this could believe that he or she is besieged against evil forces. The referred post is better than anything I can babble.

  63. 63.

    gex

    January 10, 2011 at 4:44 pm

    @WereBear: Thanks! I’ve been through it twice before so I know what I’m into. I’ve got it down, I think.

    You get 15 – 20 awesome years and two weeks of emotional hell at the end when you lose them. You can’t beat that benefit to cost ratio.

  64. 64.

    You Don't Say

    January 10, 2011 at 4:44 pm

    If anyone argues with you that both sides do it, give them this link.

  65. 65.

    r€nato

    January 10, 2011 at 4:45 pm

    @KG: you forgot about the raging misogyny. Hard to imagine how this ladies’ man is on his fourth marriage.

  66. 66.

    Bulworth

    January 10, 2011 at 4:47 pm

    @WereBear: I love the Rainbow Bridge. When one of my cats died I got a sympathy card from the Vet with the Rainbow Bridge included, and I’ve always appreciated it.

  67. 67.

    Mike in NC

    January 10, 2011 at 4:48 pm

    I figured Limbaugh would tone it down a bit now; sadly, I was wrong

    The Right Wing Noise Machine lacks a volume control, as well as common decency.

  68. 68.

    You Don't Say

    January 10, 2011 at 4:49 pm

    @You Don’t Say: Edit time ran out. Link is via James Fallows, btw.

  69. 69.

    moe99

    January 10, 2011 at 4:50 pm

    I’m just trying to figure out if this Erik Ericksen is the same one who posts here.

    http://1boringoldman.com/index.php/2011/01/10/felt-sad/

  70. 70.

    Jebediah

    January 10, 2011 at 4:56 pm

    @gex:
    So sorry to about your Simon. My thoughts and condolences are with you.

  71. 71.

    Joseph Nobles

    January 10, 2011 at 4:58 pm

    Oh, yes, Beck followed that up by rededicating himself, in the wake of this attack, to being a “progressive hunter,” invoking “Israeli Nazi hunters” as he did so.

  72. 72.

    gex

    January 10, 2011 at 5:00 pm

    Thank you so much everyone for your sympathies. There’s a reason why I can’t quit this blog.

  73. 73.

    Moonbatman

    January 10, 2011 at 5:00 pm

    How dare John Green, the father of nine-year-old Christina Green, who was killed in Saturday’s Tucson shootings, not use his Absolute Moral Authority to advance progressive causes!!!!!

  74. 74.

    John - A Motley Moose

    January 10, 2011 at 5:04 pm

    @slag: I am writing something about this for the blog I post on and had already written my title – “The lady doth protest too much”.

    Cole beat me to this, as did MM. I have a feeling we will see a lot more about this in the next couple of days.

  75. 75.

    Mnemosyne

    January 10, 2011 at 5:10 pm

    @Moonbatman:

    Wow. The man’s child has been murdered and all you can think is, “Ha, in your face, lefties!”

    And you wonder why we keep accusing you of having no empathy or human feeling for anyone but yourself.

  76. 76.

    Albaz

    January 10, 2011 at 5:11 pm

    We have more than one right wing sheriff in Arizona. Babeau of Pinal County, not far from where the Giffords shooting took place is a rabble rouser who ventured far from his own territory to join John McCain in a tv ad along the border (two counties south of his territory.) Former Sheriff Mack of Graham County who left office to pursue his right wing militia and minuteman connections and make money on the hate and violence circuit was another.
    Along with Sheriff Dupnik though there are two more sheriffs, Estrada of Santa Cruz County and Sheriff Ogden of Yuma County, who opposed SB 1070, and who spoke out about the climate of violence.

  77. 77.

    WaterGirl

    January 10, 2011 at 5:12 pm

    @WereBear: WereBear, just went to your link and was transported back to the final appointment for my sweet quiver a year ago.

    I had been through this 3 times before with my dogs and I thought I knew what to expect, but with my kitty it was nothing like it had been with my dogs. So I was completely unprepared for what happened.

    I am sobbing, and lamenting, not for the first time, that I was not able to read what you wrote before what turned out to be the worst day of my life.

  78. 78.

    Bruce (formerly Steve S.)

    January 10, 2011 at 5:15 pm

    Let’s see. A generic call to calm down is in fact a political incitement. Hmm, maybe that explains why they consider the pathologically centrist, “both-sides-do-it” media to be “liberal”.

    Leaving aside all the other issues, the institutional right-wing’s extreme defensiveness about this is interesting.

  79. 79.

    tesslibrarian

    January 10, 2011 at 5:20 pm

    @gex: So sorry, gex. The last night is so draining–you know what morning brings and dread it, but also don’t want their suffering to go on any longer.

    Knowing it is what’s best doesn’t make living without them any easier. Condolences.

  80. 80.

    joe from Lowell

    January 10, 2011 at 5:32 pm

    @Moonbatman:

    How dare John Green, the father of nine-year-old Christina Green, who was killed in Saturday’s Tucson shootings, not use his Absolute Moral Authority to advance progressive causes!!

    Have you noticed yet that not a single person reading this is the slightest bit bothered by either your comment, or poor Mr. Green’s comment?

    That means you missed your target by a mile.

    Congratulations, son. Your aspiration was to be an internet troll, and you’ve even failed at that.

  81. 81.

    WereBear

    January 10, 2011 at 6:01 pm

    @WaterGirl: Ah, crap. Sounds awful.

    But thank you for reminding me my article does help others.

  82. 82.

    James R Lindley

    January 10, 2011 at 7:34 pm

    As my dear departed ole pappy used to say, When you throw a rock at a pack of dawgs, it’s the hit dawg that hollers.”

  83. 83.

    jl

    January 10, 2011 at 9:04 pm

    @efgoldman:

    I sent a paper letter to the county supervisors and the sheriff’s office. I hope people do write in support.

    The fuss over what I consider fairly obvious and innocuous comments by Dupnik is telling. And the guy will get flack.

    Witness the link @83 from a blog run by somebody named Tony Gatto. Gatto links to an interview Dupnik made in response to a specific question by the goofball Rivaldo, whatever his name is (I cannot keep the names all straight, I don’t watch enough TV), and conflate that with the press conference.

    Note that the Fox interviewer AGREES with Dupnik that the environment created by reactionary and extremist campaign rhetoric may have played a role.

    So, the obfuscation in service of a smear begins.

  84. 84.

    LikeableInMyOwnWay

    January 10, 2011 at 9:11 pm

    Phoenix would like to trade for Dupnik, in exchange for Joe Arpaio, an undisclosed amount of cash, and three sheriffs to be named later.

  85. 85.

    LikeableInMyOwnWay

    January 10, 2011 at 9:23 pm

    @Moonbatman:

    Worst troll effort I have ever seen. At least put some effort into it. Pathetic.

  86. 86.

    Cacti

    January 10, 2011 at 11:13 pm

    Neal Boortz’s middle name is Adolph.

    Not joking.

  87. 87.

    Alex

    January 11, 2011 at 10:38 am

    Have people seen this? http://thechollajumps.wordpress.com/2011/01/09/jared-loughner-is-a-product-of-sheriff-dupniks-office/

    Provides another possible foundation for Sheriff Dupnik’s totally disinterested analysis of this tragedy.

  88. 88.

    jerry

    January 11, 2011 at 12:24 pm

    I agree with much of this post, but let’s face it:

    “Second, and this is a very key distinction, when liberals get up in arms about Arpaio, it is because they are disagreeing with him. Conservatives disagree with the Dupnik non-partisan remarks, obviously, but what is different is that they don’t think he should even be allowed to make them.”

    The Zonies I know, like myself, want Arpaio fired, trialed, and jailed. We don’t just merely disagree with him. (However, our upset with Arpaio is about behavior not speech.)

Comments are closed.

Trackbacks

  1. The BRAD BLOG : Violent Rightwing Rhetoric Doesn't Kill People. People Living in a World Where They Hear A Lot of Violent Rightwing Rhetoric Kills People. says:
    January 10, 2011 at 5:11 pm

    […] Of course, if "both sides do it", as many on the Right are now claiming, why are they so angry at Dupnik for his comments? He didn't say anything about either the Right or the Left, as John Cole points out. […]

  2. Sheriff Dupnik Named Sarah Palin And Sharron Angle « Tony Gatto says:
    January 10, 2011 at 6:50 pm

    […] then Moulitsas tells his followers to see this blog post – which derides Dupnik (fine) — but they, too, just don’t have the facts.  […]

Primary Sidebar

🎈Keep Balloon Juice Ad Free

Become a Balloon Juice Patreon
Donate with Venmo, Zelle or PayPal

2023 Pet Calendars

Pet Calendar Preview: A
Pet Calendar Preview: B

*Calendars can not be ordered until Cafe Press gets their calendar paper in.

Recent Comments

  • Qrop Non Sequitur on Open Thread: Al Capone Investigates Eliot Ness (Feb 8, 2023 @ 3:42pm)
  • brantl on Open Thread: Al Capone Investigates Eliot Ness (Feb 8, 2023 @ 3:41pm)
  • Manyakitty on Open Thread: Al Capone Investigates Eliot Ness (Feb 8, 2023 @ 3:40pm)
  • Suzanne on Open Thread: Al Capone Investigates Eliot Ness (Feb 8, 2023 @ 3:37pm)
  • Jim, Foolish Literalist on Open Thread: Al Capone Investigates Eliot Ness (Feb 8, 2023 @ 3:36pm)

Balloon Juice Posts

View by Topic
View by Author
View by Month & Year
View by Past Author

Featuring

Medium Cool
Artists in Our Midst
Authors in Our Midst
We All Need A Little Kindness
Favorite Dogs & Cats
Classified Documents: A Primer

Calling All Jackals

Site Feedback
Nominate a Rotating Tag
Submit Photos to On the Road
Balloon Juice Mailing List Signup
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Links)
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Posts)

Front-pager Twitter

John Cole
DougJ (aka NYT Pitchbot)
Betty Cracker
Tom Levenson
TaMara
David Anderson
ActualCitizensUnited

Shop Amazon via this link to support Balloon Juice   

Join the Fight!

Join the Fight Signup Form
All Join the Fight Posts

Balloon Juice Events

5/14  The Apocalypse
5/20  Home Away from Home
5/29  We’re Back, Baby
7/21  Merging!

Balloon Juice for Ukraine

Donate

Site Footer

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Comment Policy
  • Our Authors
  • Blogroll
  • Our Artists
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 Dev Balloon Juice · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding Inc

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!