Advocate strikes back electronically on Arpaio crime sweeps

[Are_grits_groceries]

Every time word spreads that Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is conducting one of his controversial crime sweeps, Lydia Guzman drives to the scene to see for herself.

The rumors often turn out to be false. But when they are true, Guzman, an advocate for immigrant and civil rights, springs into action, sending a wave of text messages to a wide network of contacts, who in turn forward the texts to their own contacts.

Guzman is the trunk of a sophisticated texting tree designed to, within minutes, alert thousands of people throughout the Valley to the details of Arpaio’s crime sweeps, which critics contend are an excuse to round up illegal immigrants.

Guzman says the messages are part of a well-orchestrated effort to protect Latinos and others from becoming victims of racial profiling by sheriff’s deputies. Deputies have been accused of stopping Hispanics, including U.S. citizens and legal immigrants, for cracked windshields and other minor traffic violations just to check their immigration status.
http://thepoliticalcarnival.net/?bloggerURL=/

Good on them.
Better be careful too. Protester in Philly was arrested for tweeting police positions.

[midnight]

1. The most impressive use of texting I have ever heard of....

[G_j]

2. bravo

K&R

[47of74]

3. K & R

[ThomCat]

4. How soon until Arpaio finally loses his right wing public support

and stops trashing people's civil rights for fun and profit. :grr:

Even the local people on the far right have to be getting sick of that asshole soon, and his over the top theatrical assaults on people's rights and health and safety.

We are all years past due for the right to see him behind bars for the shit he has done.

[azmouse]

5. Arpaio can't lose support soon enough to suit me.

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/2010/01/04/20100104monlets044.html

There are some interesting comments after the LTTE.
There may be some hope for Maricopa County yet.