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PHOENIX -- After years of tension between the sheriff's office and Hispanic community, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said Tuesday night after his re-election that he wanted to reach out to explain his immigration policy and how he handles the law.

Valley attorney and activist Daniel Ortega said he would welcome that move by Arpaio but he questioned the motives.

"He's the same guy that he has always been," he said. "Why he wants to reach out is speculative on my part."

Ortega said there is a great deal of disappointment, distrust and fear in the Hispanic community with the sheriff.

"Of course, we should take the opportunity to keep him from discriminating and racially profiling the Latino community," he said.

"Anything we can do to achieve that would be time well spent."

Jim Cross, Reporter

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  • Abuse
    yrreta wrote...
    You know, with all these problems of possible
    November 8, 2012 7:35 am
    profiling, racism, etc., it’s going to come down to the point where an officer will have to choose whether or not to pull over a vehicle that may have a dark skinned person driving, for some violation, for fear that they may be branded as profiling or racist, ultimately having to defend their reasons for making the stop. How do you do your job with this hanging over you? What’s next, mal-practice insurance for LEO’s?
  • Abuse
    gilbert armenta wrote...
    he wants to reach out because
    November 8, 2012 9:44 am
    the writing is on the wall. America spoke pretty loudly this elections, latinos particularly, and the GOP finally looking up from their 15 year painting party and lo and behold they now see the corner they are in. The old party is quite literally dying off and the nuts running it now don't connect with most AMericans. If Arizona doesn't flip blue next election it will the election following and they see that now. Watch as the hand comes out across the table now... Remember Latinos, remember these last 15 years and NEVER forget how this group felt when they thought they had power.
  • Abuse
    OneWonders wrote...
    Way to continue
    November 8, 2012 11:51 am
    to racially divide the country Gilbert. Your words speak strongly to keep us divided instead of bring a country together. Thank you for your hate and racism.
    Equal Justice, Not Social Justice.
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    Insulting Hispanics right out of the gate is
    November 8, 2012 1:02 pm
    Not a particularly astute approach to beginning a dialogue. "I would hope to get together with the Latino community, if I could ever have them talk to me without screaming and threatening me..." sez Arpaio. He's so out of touch with the Hispanic community that he doesn't know where to find anyone to talk to outside of the ranks of the activists who hound him.
  • Abuse
    OneWonders wrote...
    Wait am minute Michoacan
    November 8, 2012 1:13 pm
    "if I could ever have them talk to me without screaming and threatening me," if this is the case and the rolls were reversed and you were the one being yelled at and threatened, you wouldn't come out of your mothers basement for a week, hey, I don't know if I would come out either. And the ones that would talk with him outside of the activists you speak of...those are the ones who don't want the illegals here, I've talked with those ones many times myself.
    Equal Justice, Not Social Justice.
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    I'll have to suppose that your circle of
    November 8, 2012 1:44 pm
    Hispanic acquaintances is as small as Arpaio's, One. You are saying that Hispanics are either strident, screeching activists or in whollly in Arpaio's camp? Get real. The problems Arpaio creates for the Hispanic community go well beyond his illegal racial profiling approach to immigration enforcement. Ignoring child rapists so that he can use the freed up resources to round up cleaning ladies is a decision that affects the whole community. If Arpaio really wants to engage in civil discussion with members of the Hispanic community, he needs only to pick up the phone and make a few calls.
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    Great example of Arpaio running roughshod
    November 8, 2012 1:53 pm
    over Hispanics: When Arpaio was pursuing his politically motivated harassment of his political enemy, Mary Rose Wilcox, he decided he needed to look into the books of the Chicano's Por La Causa Credit Union. A simple subpoena would have sufficed. CPLC is as Establishment and law abiding a non profit as you will find. Instead, Arpaio decides a major publicity production is called for with all of his intimidating displays of law enforcement power. Humiliation was as much his aim as any purported search for truth. He likes to feign ignorance of the consequences of those actions.
  • Abuse
    Patriot wrote...
    Daniel Ortega can help
    November 8, 2012 3:08 pm
    by stopping the hate and feat mongering. An unnecessary fear exists that is merely reserved for those who break the law.
    **ICE Tip-line 1-866-DHS-2ICE**
  • Abuse
    OneWonders wrote...
    There is your problem
    November 8, 2012 3:11 pm
    Michoacan, you assume things and you have no clue, that's your problem, I'd rather speak on actual facts and life experiences instead of drinking the left's juice that you so willingly consume. And if you say I drink the right's juice, you would be wrong.
    Equal Justice, Not Social Justice.
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    Arpaio would need to evince a genuine
    November 8, 2012 3:31 pm
    interest in dialogue, not his typical demagoguery. He has shown, so far, that it is not in his character to do so. If Arpaio had a genuine interest in reaching out, he could call any number Hispanic CEOS of private sector business organizations, nonprofits, women's groups and professional organizations, as well as the captains of local block watches who will discuss the issues of the day in civil tones. Arpaio needs to be willing to hear these things with an open mind. Not something he's shown himself capable of lately.

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