From: Jason

Subject: Re: [Arclist] Arizona

I'm from Arizona. I live in Arizona. I'm not sure how to respond to this message. 
I do know this -  Whenever I respond to someone's ignorance with anger, I usually end up saying things that I regret...... 
So here is another point of view.

1) There are many, many cool things in Arizona besides Arcosanti.
2) Not everyone in this state is a tea bagging republican.
3) Jared Lee Loughner's actions have nothing to do with his domicile. I got news for you - crazy people live everywhere. 
4) Sheriff Dupnick's comments, if taken in the proper context, were more about the BS of fox news/talk radio than Arizona. (more below)
5) I have no idea what you're talking about with this militia parking lot gun show thing. I've lived in AZ for 25+ years and have never seen anything remotely like this.
6) Most places in the southwest have a sprawling, cookie cutter type suburbia, including New Mexico. It's a shame you didn't make any effort to find the more ecelect parts of the state.  

In Arizona we have things like art museums, Trader Joe's, public/independent radio/TV, universities, internet access and members of the Democratic Party that hold elected office. We also recently passed a medical marijuana initiative. General Motors chose Phoenix for one of the select cities to introduce the Volt (it's an electric car) based on market research along with other "green" leaning cities such as Seattle and San Francisco. Despite what you see in the media and on the news, we all don't drive lifted 4x4 with gun racks in the rear window and shoot those with whom we disagree. SB1070 has nothing to do with racism, rather tough economic and security problems that the state faces. In fact, Arizona is very much a part of the emerging blue mountain states movement. Quit thinking that what you see on TV and read on the internet is reality. Arizona is not a "Republican Wilderness". 

Ok, I digress. I'm trying to be nice.

Here is a more complete quote from the Sheriff:
“The anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous, and unfortunately Arizona has become sort of the capital,” Dupnik said Saturday January 8th at a press conference about the shooting of Congresswoman Gabriell Giffords and 18 others. “We have become the mecca for prejudice and bigotry,” Dupnik added. “The fiery rhetoric that has taken hold in politics may be free speech, but it’s not without consequences.”

The above is more of a political statement and less of an observation of Arizona. Yes, one might bump into angry bigots more often here in (rural) AZ, but I would say it's not the norm. Unfortunately their boisterous voice make them appear more numerous then they really are. And I'll say it again - crazy people live everywhere.

Kind of ironic that this tragedy happened in Tucson. Tucson is the "blue" part of the state. One of the reasons that I drove my "lumbering trailer home" here........ 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/11/tuscon-residents-funeral-christina-taylor-green
http://www.facebook.com/pages/We-will-not-let-Fred-Phelps-or-WBC-protest-any-funeral-in-Tucson/183976931620895

Jason 
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Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity. 
- Hanlon's razor
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