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‘Under Arpaio’ a ‘must see’

by on Sep. 12, 2011, under Arizona, Immigration, racism, SB 1070

Under Arpaio, a new documentary film by Tucson’s own Pan Left Productions is definitely a must see movie.

The film by J.M. Aragon aired on Saturday to a packed house at the Salt of the Earth Labor College’s first class of the fall semester.

I have been in Arizona long enough to have a general knowledge of Arpaio’s dastardly deeds– the neighborhood sweeps for illegal aliens [his terminology], the racial profiling, the tent city jails in the desert, the chain gangs, the pink underwear, the bologna sandwiches, and the investigations of Arpaio that never go anywhere.

But I was shocked by what I didn’t know– murder and torture (on video tape) inside the Maricopa County Jail; trumped up traffic charges to back up police stops (thanks to SB1070); intimidation, arrest, and detention of elected officials (including several members of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors) and others who challenge his authority or tactics; destruction of evidence by the Sheriff’s office; and millions of dollars in lawsuits brought against him.

Aragon and co-producer Mary Charlotte Thurtle have created a chilling documentary by weaving together interviews of Latino activists who have been targeted by Arpaio; interviews of lawyers and family members of prisoners who were murdered by Sheriff’s deputies inside the jail; surveillance video from the Maricopa County jail; videos of traffic stops as they happen; and Arpaio’s speeches.

The big questions that I came away with are: Why isn’t Arpaio in jail? Who votes for this guy? Has anyone been tortured and murdered in the Pima County Jail?

The current version of Under Arpaio is a director’s cut, according to Aragon. During the next few months, he will be showing the film to small audiences around Tucson and raising funds for broader distribution. He plans to have a larger viewing at The Loft in the future.

It is a marvelous film, which deserves national attention. This film made me glad I don’t live in Maricopa County. Here’s the trailer.

This entry was posted on Monday, September 12th, 2011 at 7:44 am and is filed under Arizona, Immigration, racism, SB 1070. Tags for this post: , , . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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  • RH

    Ole Arpaio might not face any earthly justice for his sins, crimes & evil, but the good lord is going to judge him one day, as he will us all, mankind can gain the whole world but what has he gained if he looses his very soul! Evil men like Arpaio of Arizona, Bull Conners of Alabama are not unique, they exist all through out history, their time on earth is short, as with us all, but eternity is a long time for one to pay for their evil!

  • coyote

    I don’t understand all the HIPE from one ethnic groop. The people in jail and caught commiting a crime (YES ILLEGAL IS A CRIME) SHOULD BE handeled as crooks and bad people.
    Keep up the good work JOE.

    • Pamela Powers

      This film shows sheriff’s department videos of torture and murder of inmates; that is hardly hype. Three of the murdered prisoners (2 men, 1 woman) in the film were Anglo.

  • The Baron

    Isn’t it funny how people like coyote talk a big game about putting criminals in jail unless the people committing them wear badges? Then they’re just doing their job. Jesus, being “illegal” in this country is the criminal equivalent of a traffic ticket…guess we should throw all those dangerous speeders into jail too, eh? For being named after such a lonesome outsider of an animal, he sure sucks up to the powers that be like a pro. If guys like this had been in the Nuremburg juries, the defendants would have all walked scot-free!

    P.S. – I think the word he was attempting to utilize was “hype”.

  • http://AOL Jimboo

    This country needs more sheriffs like JOE.

  • http://www.facebook.com/pages/Three-Sonorans/144198198931412 DA Morales

    I saw it when it showed at Armory Park. I agree, it is a must see movie.

  • robert

    we need more people like joe who can bring old west justice where it belongs in tis day and time…take our country back from illegals and crooks

    • Pamela Powers

      More sheriffs who just murder prisoners? I guess this would save court costs. Oh, wait, I forgot. Maricopa County has had to pay more than $100 million in court costs defending Arpaio’s illegal actions and those of his deputies. It’s easy to see how Russell Pearce felt right at home being Arpaio’s right hand man, when he was a Maricopa County deputy sheriff.

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The Tucson Progressive

Pamela Powers Hannley writes the Tucson Progressive blog on the TucsonCitizen.com and contributes articles to the Huffington Post and Salon.com. She has had more than 30 years of experience in written, visual, and electronic communication—including freelance writing, photography, graphic design, and consulting. In addition to blogging for the Citizen, she is the Managing Editor of an international medical research journal.

Hannley has authored medical research articles, print magazine and newspaper stories, and numerous cancer prevention and self-help publications.

She has been a blogger since 2006, joined the ranks of Tucson Citizen bloggers in October 2010, and started contributing to the Huffington Post in 2011 and to Salon.com in 2012.

Hannley holds a masters’ degree in public health from The University of Arizona and a bachelors’ degree in journalism from The Ohio State University. She is a native of Amherst, Ohio but has lived in Tucson since 1981.