As I watched the news about the shooting in Tucson, I wondered why Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik was the spokesman when he seemed unprepared for any questions. I soon got my answer. I was in disbelief as the sheriff on national TV told the nation Arizona is full of hate-filled racist people and talk radio and TV were to blame.
Are you kidding me? This guy used this tragedy for a soap box for his personal agenda. Unfortunately, as I switched through stations I found the same true on a few stations, blaming the conservatives not the shooter. How can we trust a sheriff or news organizations when they show such extreme bias?
The hypocrisy of spewing hate-filled talk toward other groups because you feel they do the same... It's like a dog chasing its tail. Where does it end? It's time we stop pointing fingers at everyone else and take a look at ourselves. To quote one book the shooter said he hated, "Why do you worry about the speck in your neighbor's eye when you have a plank in your own?"
Gary Larson, Mesa
Oust Dupnik posted at 2:02 pm on Sun, Jan 9, 2011.
As a long time resident of Pima County I am outraged by the comments of our Sheriff and believe that his public appology is in order along with his resignation from office. If what he has said in his statements is true then it is a reflection of his ability to do his job and the time hes come to step down.
Carolyn posted at 3:00 pm on Sun, Jan 9, 2011.
Sheriff Dupnik's comments WERE called for, and it's about time someone had the courage to speak up against the hatred spewed over and over by bigots/extreme conservative right-wingers in this state. I am a native of Arizona and have been embarrassed, over and over, since the extremists took over our state. I hope Sheriff Dupnik serves as sheriff as long as he wishes to do so....and his detractors simply reveal their bias, racism, and extremist/tea parier attitudes.....nonthinkers all.
Dale Whiting posted at 4:50 pm on Sun, Jan 9, 2011.
Does anyone know Sheriff Dupnik's party affiliation? Facts people, get the facts, before you vent your prejudices. He could be the Joe Arpaio of Pima County!
Dupnik does owe two groups profound appologies. The first group is Arizonans. Is it unfair to say that Arizona has become a stomping ground for bigots and racists? Surely Dupnik can say that during his time in office he has seen more bigotry and racism than ever before. But can he say that Arizona leads the pack of bigotry and racism? No. He has no means to make such a comparison. Appology is due, Dupnik!
Second, where Mecca is a destination for peace loving people of faith, can Dupnik fairly compare Arizona to Mecca as a destination location for worship? No.
It is clear to see that Dupnik has his own set of problems with bigotry and irresponsible miscategorization.
Shame on you Sheriff Dupnik. And shame on many of you above who also missed these two points. Get the facts first. Then form an opinion. Otherwise your opinions are weak and only expose your prejudices, i.e. judgements not based upon fact.
MarkInMesa posted at 5:04 pm on Sun, Jan 9, 2011.
The Pima County sheriff's remarks outraged you? Good! He's right on! I'm sick and tired of people trying to shout each other down when it comes to political discourse.
Time was when US Senators and Representatives would argue passionately on the floor of their respective chambers in very heated debate...but afterward these same solons would go out to lunch or dinner together. From the tenor of discussions around our state capitol, there seems to be little chance of R's and D's ever even saying "hello" to one another!
Choose your words wisely... And stick to the point of the debate rather than verbally eviscerating your opponent. Civil discussion is endangered thanks to this violence. And THAT'S unAmerican.
Leon Ceniceros posted at 7:26 pm on Sun, Jan 9, 2011.
Sadly, this is not the first time that Pima County Sheriff Dupnik has spoken inflammatory words. He has said that "we didn't have a Tea Party until we had a Black President" and called "SB1070 a racist law". None of this is ever printed in our local newspapers. None of his remarks have ever been shown on our local TV stations. Why, because none of these media outlets wants to show any one but Tea Party supporters, anti-illegal alien supporters, lawful gun owners in a "bad light". Just look at the "ethnic studies" issue. Have Tucson parents and Arizona tax-payers ever seen what books are required reading in these "ethnic study" high school programs? The answer is "NO" because even if a TV or newspaper reporter would write an in-depth article...it would never see the light of day. Local TV stations and newspapers would rather show a harassed, disheveled, un-attractive photo or video clip of Sheriff Joe, Sen. Pearce or Governor Brewer. Just look at how the commentators and reporter's on tax-payer supported Public Broadcasting Station, KAET, Channel 8, ridiculed Governor Brewer on her diction and word choice and her "15 seconds of hesitation" in answering a question. Have you ever seen a liberal Arizona law enforcement officer or politician portrayed in a negative light by our local tv and newspaper media....again, the answer is a big, fat, "NO". It was the national television news shows that first called Sheriff Dupnik's statements as inflammatory. Then our local liberal media saw themselves out on a limb and did an "about face".
wdgnas posted at 5:54 am on Mon, Jan 10, 2011.
where was the outcry when governor brewer was spouting off about headless bodies found in the desert?
Darnold posted at 6:16 am on Mon, Jan 10, 2011.
January 23, 2012
Closing arguments for the defense
"How can we blame this troubled young man for his actions, when even our own sheriff correctly blames the political climate for this terrible tragedy. I pray for all those who were harmed, but I urge you to find this troubled young man innocent, and place the blame on the right wing media, where it belongs"
(Heckofa job there, Dupnik)
Dale Whiting posted at 7:35 am on Mon, Jan 10, 2011.
Darnold,
First get the facts, then form your hypothesis. No attorney would make such an argument. It does not address the issues. Find out what sorts of arguments constitute a defense. At best your argument goes to the insanity defense. But it does not reach the issues there either.
Can't anyone on this site learn to first get the facts before they form their opinions?
VivaSB1070 posted at 9:55 am on Mon, Jan 10, 2011.
Sheriff Dupnik also stated that AZ citizens ( and non citizens we can presume ) have the highest rate of marijuana use in the country, when in FACT, according to numerous non partisan websites, marijuana use in AZ is at or under the national use percentage depending upon the area of the state.
Dupnik has long outlived his usefulness. His unprofessional demeanor is embarassing to us all. His job is NOT to lecture to us and IMPOSE his personal opinions, or to try to shove his left wing politics down our gullets. His job is strictly to keep the public informed of the FACTS. By inferring that political discussions somehow guided Jared Loughner in his murderous rampage was absolutely immature and irresponsible.
Dale Whiting posted at 8:10 am on Tue, Jan 11, 2011.
Don't kill the messenger for delivering the message. It's juvenile. One may critizize the messenger for delivering a misinformed message [and I have done so]. But killing the messenger for the message while ignoring an unpopular message, whether factually partially incorrect or a pack of lies, only heightens the discord of our civil debate.
Saturday's events were not caused by our incivil political debates. They were caused by events which caused a troubled mind to act irrationally. At best the debates inflamed his troubled mind. At the worst they informed it. But Sheriff' Pudnik's observations, no matter how misinformed they might have been and no matter how much discredit to Arizona they might bring, do have a point, one which ought not to be ignored.