Thread: AZ-Mesa Chief Gascón sounds off in New York Times

Mesa Chief Gascón sounds off in New York Times
The New York Times today published an opinion piece on immigration by Mesa Police Chief George Gascón.

Maybe Gascón figured that if he can't find anyone with whom to have a civil conversation about immigration here in Arizona -- and he can't -- then he would try to do so nationally.

"In this politically charged environment, some chiefs are making decisions based on bad politics instead of sound policing," he writes.

What Gascón does NOT do is name names. Specifically one name. That of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

"In many cases, police officers are making illegal arrests with the acquiescence and sometimes explicit approval of their superiors," he writes, adding, "Demagoguery and misinformation are shaping public opinion and in some cases public policy."

Trying to stir up an honest national conversation on immigration issues is a good idea.

But it will only work if law enforcement professionals like Gascón don't hold back. In the article he should have spoken directly about the varying approaches to immigration law enforcement in the Valley and what effect it has on his department, his city, his county. He should have leveled direct criticism at Arpaio, discussed their conflict and even talked about the role of Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas.

You can't just tell people that it's a mess here. You have to show them.

If people outside border states are to understand what is going on in places like Arizona, police chiefs like Gascón, who deal directly with the problem, are going to have to kick up some dirt.

What's happening here isn't pretty. It's isn't clean. It's an old-fashioned barroom brawl.

Make them see it.

Then maybe it will mean something when Gascón says, as he does in the article: "Without a national immigration policy, a new culture of lawlessness will increasingly permeate our society. In cities, politicians will pressure police departments to reduce immigration by using racial profiling and harassment. At the same time, immigrants who fear that the police will help deport them will rely less on their local officers and instead give thugs control of their neighborhoods."


http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/EJMontini/29112

Then maybe it will mean something when Gascón says, as he does in the article: "Without a national immigration policy, a new culture of lawlessness will increasingly permeate our society. In cities, politicians will pressure police departments to reduce immigration by using racial profiling and harassment. At the same time, immigrants who fear that the police will help deport them will rely less on their local officers and instead give thugs control of their neighborhoods."

Gascon is a news whore and his head is buried so far up his anal region.

I tweaked his statement and came up with a more accurate one:


Without ENFORCEMENT of laws we already have, a new culture of lawlessness has increasingly permeated our society. In cities, politicians have pressured police departments not to enforce immigration laws by instituting "sanctuary" policies. At the same time, US citizens and legal immigrants are being killed by illegal aliens at unprecedented rates. The illegal aliens and thugs have continued to terrorize neighborhoods while the police departments stand by.

Hopefully there is a movement to recall this fool! Let's see: Ron Paul for president and Joe Arpaio for veep.

Originally Posted by vortex

Hopefully there is a movement to recall this fool! Let's see: Ron Paul for president and Joe Arpaio for veep.

My DREAM come true!!

"Without a national immigration policy,

There IS a national immigration policy and countless immigration laws. Denying that won't make it so. Perhaps he meant to say "Without a national immigration policy THAT I APPROVE OF."

vortex wrote:

Hopefully there is a movement to recall this fool! Let's see: Ron Paul for president and Joe Arpaio for veep.

How about Sheriff Joe as president. Anyone that has voted repeatedly against sending our military to the border and calls a border fence "offensive" isn't getting my vote.

Maybe Gascón figured that if he can't find anyone with whom to have a civil conversation about immigration here in Arizona -- and he can't -- then he would try to do so nationally.

"In this politically charged environment, some chiefs are making decisions based on bad politics instead of sound policing," he writes

Yea...and the NY Times is a place where we are going to have a honest, non-biased debate on illegal immigration...right?