Joe Arpaio Prayed Over by Latinos, and Michael Nowakowski Doubles-Down (w/Update)

By Stephen Lemons Wed., Feb. 13 2013 at 3:11 PM

More good press for Joe: Fox 10 covers the Arpaio-Latino summit

"I need to find out more about the recall," Nowakowski told me. "What's their plans? I mean, I was not included in any of the planning, so I'm not sure what the strategy is. And if there is a candidate they're going to run, is it good to run a recall during a low turnout election or is it better to have a high turnout election? Those are the kinds of questions I have."

Nowakowski said he had spoken with organizer Randy Parraz, president of Citizens for a Better Arizona, and one of the primary supporters of the recall. He said that he had told Parraz the same thing he was telling me.

"If we lose this recall," Nowakowski worried, "it just gives the sheriff more power."

I noted that many Democrats were saying the same thing when Parraz spearheaded the successful recall of ex-state Senate President Russell Pearce in 2011.

"The Pearce thing was a godsend," Nowakowski responded. "The stars, the sun, the moon all lined up. If it wasn't for the Mormon community coming in and having a candidate, to be honest with you, we wouldn't have won that election."

This is probably true, but it's also hindsight. When the recall of Pearce started in early 2011, his successful challenger Jerry Lewis was nowhere on the horizon.

Meanwhile, whether they intended to or not, Nowakowski and the pastors handed Arpaio a major publicity coup.

Not only was Arpaio shown in a picture with the pastors and Nowakowski in a front page photo for the current issue of Prensa Hispana, a local, free Spanish-language tabloid, the local Fox News affiliate also covered the meeting, with some interesting quotes from Arpaio and one of the pastors, Joe Garcia.

"They are concerned with my reputation with the Hispanic community and I was concerned about the kids fearing the sheriff," Arpaio said of the religious leaders. "That's not me."

Um, hell, yeah, it is. After all, the MCSO collared 27 in the recent Tempe raid, 23 of whom were suspected of working unlawfully. Because of Arizona's Prop 100, that means there are at least 23 families that now are missing a mother, a father, a son or a daughter.

"My hope is that Sheriff Joe has a change of heart," Garcia told Fox, "that he sees this in a different way, that we Hispanics and spiritual leaders are seeing this."

To which, I would reply, you have to have a heart in order to change it.

Also, the pastor should look for deeds not words from Arpaio. As the reverend's savior once said, "By their fruits, ye shall know them."

UPDATE February 14, 2013:

A V-day card purportedly sent to Nowakowski from victims of Sheriff Joe

Tags:

Barrio Defense Committees, Fox News, Michael Nowakowski, Sal Reza, Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Telemundo, Tonatierra

IdontRecall

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I still can not believe how naive these "Pastors" are by allowing SATAN into their midst, and then pray for him to change his evil ways, there is no more 'SHEEP' than this. This is another notch on the handle of his BB gun. BTW, It's eazy to see that he is thinking: "Fuck, don't touch me, fucking Illegals...I'm goona have to round up some of them to teach them......take a shower -which I hate the most- with bleach after this....fucking Nowakowski is gonna pay for this....shit, when is this gonna end......well, anything for publicity..... and then there is the recall.....pray, pray sheeps", or something like that.

squash

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Praying for Joe isn't going to get us anywhere; he's been in office for 20 years! If you want to take a meaningful step forward in getting rid of Arpaio, sign the recall petition and maybe even think about getting involved in the effort to gather signatures. Once he is recalled, perhaps THEN we can pray to God to ask him to forgive Joe. Until then, all energy should be spent on the actual recall effort itself!

MaskedMagician1967 topcommenter

Can anyone imagine how uncomfortable someone like twice-disgraced, corrupt, narcissistic and mentally sick Pearce or Candy Andy would be posing in that photo?

JohnQ.Public topcommenter

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By the way - look at how uncomfortable Arpaio looks in that photo.

Lone_Wolf

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@JohnQ.Public The Flaccid Failure must have shitted in his Depends at that moment. Either that, or this is evident of his hypocrisy....I think its both. A body language expert will tell you otherwise.

JohnQ.Public topcommenter

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@Lone_Wolf Look at the Pastor in the red shirt try to hold Arpaio's hand and Arpaio seems to be offering a fist in return.

JohnQ.Public topcommenter

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Phoenix City Councilman Michael Nowakowski should be applauded. Even though I believe that his efforts are ultimately futile because Arpaio is always going to pursue whatever he feels is going to garner the most votes among his xenophobic base, I also believe that trying to open dialogue (even if ultimately futile) and facilitate bringing people together is a courageous and important thing to do.

Donna

@JohnQ.Public This isn't an argument over marginal tax rates. The Sheriff's office has engaged in a sustained and systemic campaign to bully Hispanic residents and deprive them of their basic human rights. And it's worse than a futile gesture - it is handing free positive spin to Arpaio.

JohnQ.Public topcommenter

@Donna Understand your point but disagree.

JohnQ.Public topcommenter

@MotherJones @Donna "Nonviolence means avoiding not only external physical violence but also internal violence of spirit. You not only refuse to shoot a man, but you refuse to hate him." -- Martin Luther King Jr. That's really really hard to do. I'm not successful in doing it. Maybe these Pastors know something we don't.

MotherJones topcommenter

@JohnQ.Public @Donna I back the recall. It's worth a shot. Suing for peace from Arpaio is a fool's errand. Reminds me of Lenin's comment about "useful idiots."

MotherJones topcommenter

@JohnQ.Public Neville Chamberlain ring a bell?

MaskedMagician1967 topcommenter

@MotherJones @JohnQ.Public

Wasn't Neville run out of town by an angry mob after British negotiations with Nazi Germany failed and Hitler was allowed to take the Sudetenland?

JohnQ.Public topcommenter

@MotherJones Are you concerned that these Pastors meeting with Arpaio is likely to result in 60 million deaths? If not, then it isn't a fair analogy. I didn't suggest that these Pastors engage in a policy of appeasement with Arpaio - these Pastors shouldn't give an inch in their discussions with Arpaio. But they also can't press their issues unless they meet with him (even though I think that the meeting will ultimately be futile because Arpaio doesn't care).

MotherJones topcommenter

@JohnQ.Public @MotherJones I don't think Chamberlain thought what he was doing would result in 60M deaths. And to be fair, there were a lot of other factors involved.

That said, all this does is let arpaio say he's met with some hispanic leaders. Nothing else. Nowakowski is a player who likes being a wheeler dealer "power broker." He'd sell his ma to the North Koreans if it was in his interest. He and Arpaio are 2 peas in a pod.

Donna

This what the constant harping on "civility!" and "bipartisanship!" and "extremism on both sides!" leads to - an embarrassing spectacle of the people who are on the right side of an issue degrading themselves in the hope that someone on the very wrong side of the issue (Arpaio) will realize the error in his ways and become more reasonable. Arpaio isn't going to change one iota but will use this event to claim he has friends in the Latino community.

MotherJones topcommenter

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I'm going to be sick now.

Lone_Wolf

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@MotherJones Can't blame you, hon. The Flaccid Failure himself is sickening. Especially his lies, deceits and hypocrisies. The man has no "heart". And the Pastors are blinded by his manipulation.