The video above by Citizens for a Better Arizona tackles the question of Arpaio being “tough.”

Sheriff Arpaio would have you believe that making a bunch of buff brown guys wear pink underwear is tough.

Sheriffs Paul and Joe. Image: Robert Haasch.

Muy macho!

While Arpaio and his supporters love all the tents that get pitched in Tent City, there are crimes against children that go ignored by “Arizona’s Toughest Sheriff,” a favorite guest on Fox News but who is slowly...

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I’m an exact example of the FACT that racyism [sic], as much as you want to say is about your color, it is not now. It’s about the level of your education.

- Dr. Lupita Garcia, who John Pedicone chose to supervise the Mexican American Studies program against the Latino community’s objection to putting an anti-MAS person in charge of MAS.

Dr. Lupita Garcia, it is under her supervision that MAS classes have ended.

Dr. Lupita Garcia subscribes to the same school of thought that T...

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Paul Babeu sues Catholic priest for sexual abuse.

Former Berkshire County Commissioner, Paul Babeu, is suing a former priest, accusing him of sexual abuse.

The suit was recently filed by Babeu who now lives in Arizona. It is the eleventh lawsuit filed this year against the Rev. Richard Lavigne.

Springfield Diocese Bishop Thomas Dupre has begun proceedings to defrock Lavigne, who recently completed a ten-year probation sentence.

from December 18, 2002.

How did that lawsuit turn out?

SPRINGFIELD &...

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“I endorse Paul Babeu based on his distinguished record of service to his country both in the military and as a law enforcement officer,” Kolbe said. “I think he has a solid understanding of the short and long-term economic problems that face this country and is willing to make the necessary, tough decisions to tackle them.”

In the New Times piece, Jose, whose last name wasn’t disclosed, alleged Babeu threatened him with deportation after their relationship soured. The article include...

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Terri Proud

PHOENIX – The state House voted 42-15 Tuesday to allow high schools to teach elective courses on the influence of the Bible on Western culture and civilization.

Tuesday’s vote came over the objections of House Minority Leader Chad Campbell. The Phoenix Democrat said limiting schools to using the Old and New Testaments “is going to run into a constitutional challenge.”

But Rep. Terri Proud, R-Tucson, who wrote HB 2563, said she does not see a problem. She said...

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“After a tortuous process and long hours for the board-appointed committee which advised the Pima County superintendent of schools, Dr. Linda Arzoumanian, I was happy to learn that she had appointed Dr. Alex Sugiyama to be our new board member. Dr. Sugiyama, like me, teaches economics in UA’s Eller School of Management. (I play no role in his supervision or evaluation.) Whether this strikes you as good news or bad news probably depends upon whether you think it is good or bad to have peo...

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After the nation’s Palinsanity when one of the two political parties actually considered the former less-than-one-term Alaskan governor as a great and qualified Presidential candidate, the nation was consumed (I guess, since I don’t follow sports that closely) by “Lin-sanity.”

Palinsanity

The spectacular New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin just made more headlines by leading his team to victory over the defending champion Dallas Mavericks, with twenty-eight points and...

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Warning: All anti-MAS right-wing haters of true facts of American history being taught, please read no further as this will only challenge the indoctrination you yourself have received in American history.

President Andrew Jackson, founder of the current-day Democratic Party, makes the top of this new list of worst US Presidents released on this President’s Day 2012.

This is no big surprise considering he was the President who signed the Indian Removal Act into law, America’s own Eth...

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President Obama awards one of the highest honors to a Chicano Studies professor.

Meanwhile, John Pedicone and Lupita Garcia continue their assault on Chicano Studies, banning books from the Chicano Studies classroom in TUSD and continuing their attack on the MAS teachers and director.

Pedicone’s posse, and their apologists, will be on the wrong side of history when this chapter is written.

Chicano studies prof wins National Humanities Medal

Ramon Saldivar and President Obama

Stanford prof...

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Jefferson County is the most populous in Alabama, home to Birmingham and comparable in size to Arizona’s Pima County containing Tucson which is a bit bigger.

They are the focus of a NY Times article that shows how bad things have gotten economically, and the reason why they are in such dire straits may surprise you.

Note the similarities with Arizona, private prisons, etc. Alabama is also home to the anti-immigrant HB56 which passed last year which was stricter than Arizona’s SB1070....

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Was Paul Babeu spending the night at former Tucson Congressmember Jim Kolbe’s house also?

See text messages below.

At least Kolbe is a Republican. Democratic representative from the southside of Tucson, Matt Heinz, should have known better! Breaking ranks with Democrats to give Babeu millions for border security even though Pinal is not a border county, and having the white supremacist radio show guest over for dinner and ice cream, followed by spending the night?

Would it be acceptable to...

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It is with some sadness but a great deal of excitement and anticipation, I write to you today to inform you that I will be stepping down as Executive Director at the end of the month. We have experienced incredible highs and yes, a few humbling lows together and I would like to take a moment to reflect on what we have accomplished together these past three years.

Working with an outstanding leadership team, we have emphasized a grassroots field program, increased fundraisi...

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At one time one of the Three Sonorans was this fellow named Science Sonoran.

Lots of BS on the streets of Tucson this week

His voice ended up taking a backseat in the wake of SB1070 and HB2281, and other right-wing pendejadas in Tucson and Arizona.

The political Sonorans have decided to head to the rodeo this week (yes, Tucson has an official rodeo holiday this week), finding less bullshit there than in politics, so it is time to revisit some science and math for the next few days.

The falling c...

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It’s time to let the status quo fix the problem Tucson is in.

I think we are running out of water.

I think an energy crisis is coming.

I think we are racist as hell.

I think Dems have sold out.

I think Tucson is not sustainable.

Now is a time to see how you fix the problem without my criticism.  You are in power, so use your power for good.

Best wishes.

The Phoenix New Times has a huge story on Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu’s former gay lover, who was Mexican and:

Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu — who became the face of Arizona border security nationally after he started stridently opposing illegal immigration — threatened his Mexican ex-lover with deportation when the man refused to promise never to disclose their years-long relationship, the former boyfriend and his lawyer tell New Times.

via Phoenix Paul Babeu’s Mexican Ex-...

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It is ironic that right-wing haters out there lie about MAS classes in Tucson, saying that they teach hatred.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Especially when you consider how racist and homophobic uneducated people (of all races) tend to be. Especially when you consider that in poorer parts of town there are almost as many churches as liquor stores, and sometimes being more conservative teaches you a few things such as:

1. Don’t marry other races. Sometimes this is indirect by enfo...

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Mark Stegeman wants to talk to the former African-American TUSD desegregation representative about “unfairness”… of course the irony is lost on him due to his white privilege.

Original email is here.

February 17, 2012
Dr. Stegeman:

I received your comments via email February 15, 2012 about my letter to Dr. Alexandre Sugiyama. Your email is found below this response.

You state that many of the things I have written are unfair about Dr. Sugiyama. It is interesting that you woul...

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Sean Arce, co-founder and director of the MAS program. Photo: Diana Uribe.

Let us now praise what’s right with Arizona — starting with one nationally celebrated Tucson educator who has steadfastly defended the interests of school children and held his ground amid the swirl of crazy national headlines and relentless attacks on Tucson’s acclaimed but now outlawed Mexican American Studies: Program co-founder Sean Arce.

[snip]

“The gifts that Mr. Arce and the MAS teachers hav...

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This is the February 2012 TUSD meeting in the video above (unedited audio in excerpt above).

This is the first regular meeting since the MAS ban, and furthermore the first meeting since the district went in with boxes that said “Banned books” on the side and took books out of the MAS classroom.

It’s about a minute long. Enjoy.

February 13, 2012
Alexandre Borges Sugiyama, Ph.D.
Tucson Unified School District
Governing Board Member
1010 East 10th Street
Tucson, AZ 85719
RE: Open Letter to Dr. Alexandre Borges Sugiyama, Ph.D.

Dear Dr. Sugiyama:

I am a very active community member and have been involved in TUSD issues for about thirty years. I am a former TUSD teacher, parent, and citizens’ desegregation oversight committee member to list some of my involvement.

TUSD board members Sugiyama and Stegeman violate feder...

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