Just when you think Sheriff Joe Arpaio can’t sink any lower, he does. Arpaio, as you’ll see in the video below, proudly compares his infamous Tent City to concentration camps:
I already have a concentration camp. It’s called Tent City.
Concentration camps in the United States? In 2012? The strangest thing is that he’s proud of it. From UpWorthy:
Via The Phoenix New Times, we learn that Puente Arizona, long considered the heart and soul of the pro-immigrant movement in Arizona, is organizing a protest demanding that Arpaio shut down his concentration camp:
Shut down Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s notorious outdoors-deathtrap Tent City? Sounds like a solid idea to me, and one the Phoenix human rights organization Puente will be pushing Saturday, June 23 during a rally and vigil outside Joe’s al fresco gulag.
I had to look twice at the announcement for this action initially, thinking it was promisingto shut Tent City down. The message is slightly less in-your-face, though I doubt Joe will like it:
Likely following the Supreme Court decision on the DOJ SB1070 case, Puente and the UU’s Standing on the Side of Love are calling for a rally and vigil at Sheriff Arpaio’s Tent City.
Thousands of Unitarian supporters and community members will hold a peaceful vigil at the site of one of Arizona’s longest standing embarrassments and epicenter of human rights violations calling for it to be shut down, Sheriff Arpaio’s “tent city.”
We are the 99%, Arrest Arpaio, Close his tents.
Location, Tent City, 2939 W Durango, Phoenix, AZ 85009
Time: 8 p.m., Saturday, June 23.
The demonstration is scheduled to coincide with a General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association in Phoenix that weekend.
Like most bullies, Arpaio has a thin skin. Sure, he boasts about his concentration camp, but he doesn’t really think Puente Arizona should be protesting. Arpaio felt compelled to respond to Puente on Facebook:
Evidently Puente does not like my 19 year old successful tent city incarceration program with thousands protesting on June 23rd at the tents. Numerous presidential candidates have visited the tents and support the concept. I suggest leaders of Puente meet with me in my office to discuss concerns and save resources from demonstrating in the heat. I started tent city on Aug 2nd, 1993 and will be celebrating the 20th anniversary in August and plan on having some type of celebration.
Celebrating what Arpaio calls a “concentration camp”? That’s classic Arpaio. Unfortunately.
