Arizona – America’s Worst Police State?
December 29, 2008 by Frank
I was resting today on a break from entertaining visiting family who are here now, and thought I’d take a look at the headlines on AZCentral.com. The top stories read like this:
“Speed Cameras Go Live On US 60″
“DUI Task Force Nets Over 2,000 Arrests”
And on and on.
In the comments beneath each article where the now-typical Arizona residents saying “If it saves one life it’s not worth it.” “If you don’t want tickets then don’t speed.” “Anyone who drinks and drives should get life in prison.”
Blah blah blah.
What these idiots don’t realize – aside from the fact that this is America and not Iraq – is how corrupt the agencies behind these “safety” initiatives really are. Speed cameras have nothing to do with safety – they’re about revenue generation. Same goes for red-light cameras. That’s why the City of Scottsdale absolutely refuses to add one second to the duration of the yellow light. Did you know that New Jersey did this and dramatically reduced the instance of red light crashes as a result? The sick part is that Scottsdale is intentionally increasing the instances of red light running and red light crashes by keeping the yellow light artificially short!
The same goes for DUI. Arizona is the only state in the Union with “slightest degree” laws, meaning you can theoretically be arrested for rinsing with Listerine or taking a spoonful of cough syrup before getting into the car. That may be rare, but if you read the Arizona Revised Statutes, you will be arrested for DWI at .05, then DUI at .08. Which is a joke to differentiate the two because they carry the same fines and sentences.
Anyone who believes DUI laws have anything to do with “safety” is an idiot. Every single scientific and medical study done proves that driving does not become unsafe until approximately .14. In fact, using cell phones while driving has been documented to kill more people every year than drunken driving! But, there are no fanatical groups like MADD going after cell phones and lobbying our money-grubbing politicians to ban them, so instead they choose drinking.
I cannot believe how bad the situation in Arizona has become. It’s like living in one big jail. Big Brother is everywhere. Police care little about patrolling and safety since they’re ordered to go out and write tickets and make questionable DUI arrests.
If you care one bit about yourself, your loved ones, and about the principles of freedom, get the hell out of Arizona. It’s not getting better – it’s only going to get worse as tax revenues continue to fall and the crooked politicians look for more and more ways to steal your money from you. While ruining your life in the process for good measure, as is the case with DUI.
I couldn’t agree with you more Frank. At least there are a few people out here who still fight for our freedom. Check these guys out. This doesn’t really address DUI, but it’s a start.
http://www.camerafraud.com
http://www.youtube.com/user/RP4409
DPS statistics are completely irrelevant. That’s just a PR job.
Arizona is a golfcart old fart police state! Crappy health care, crappy education and Peenix just had another bad air day again today. What a joke.
Good Post Frank. I argued with you over at Housing Panic. But I also said sometimes you are right. You are right on this one.
I have kept quite for too long. Frank is right Phoenix/Scottsdale is the worst. Counting the days till I am out of here. Live in a “nice” area yet completely surrounded by scumbags and deadbeats and theifs! Why do they all come here to this city!!!! I remember in the late 90′s early 2000′s it was a nice place. I don’t think I have the patience to wait on it to return to that though.
speaking of scottsdale and dui…
http://www.nypost.com/seven/12312008/news/nationalnews/barkley_arrested__accused_of_dui_146673.htm
Pinal County sheriff does away with speed cameras and makes some interesting comments–
ttp://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2009/01/22/20090122pinalradar0122.html
So sad but so true, Frank. I have lived in SoCal for almost 20 years and it is well-known here that AZ is a police state and is to be avoided. You can drive with the flow of traffic here in San Diego at 80 mph and not even get a second look from a cop, whereas in AZ you better smile real perty for the camera, boy. We avoid AZ if at all possible.
Radar cameras just add to the already creepy police-state vibe in AZ. It’s almost like you are in a weird movie. When you look at a place like Scottsdale, which gives off a serious vibe of all flash no substance, you really start to get weirded out.
I guess the world does need places like this for people who want to play big fish in a very tiny pond. It’s funny to watch the playa/high society vibe out in full force in Scottsdale. I get a good chuckle out of that, actually. Everyone knows all the real playas with big game in the southwest region reside in coastal SoCal. Not that SoCal is without its fronters – plenty of em, in fact – but it’s also where the real game is being played and it’s where you are at if you got game and you live in the southwest.
You are right on the ball on this. I have no idea why there arent more people angry about the police state this place has become. Im from NY and have lived in Los Angeles and cant wait to get out of this hell hole state..
People dont know how to drive or are afraid to drive because they are afraid of cameras and overzealous police. People being afraid .. is sad enough.. It really does feel like the movies here. I have a right to feel protected.. not afraid to live here in my own country.
I’m counting the days till i leave and never come back as well.
the cameras are gone tools, they dont work anymore. its funny because arizonians feel that people from california suck at driving, that with waking up at 10 in the morning and the traffic being bumper to bumper. not to mention the horrible road ways where if you miss a turn, you better be ready to drive another 5 miles to get back to where you wanted.
Hi I can’t thank you enough , I was planing on moving out there with my company I was planing on hiring quite a few people @ way above the min wage. But after reading what everyone had to say I have to think this if I were to come out there I would have to have a lawyer on my staff just to get my people back and forth to work.You do know you can vote these people out of office and if you are having a hard time with pressure from them you can ask the FBI for help.I will not be moving there Thank You for the heads UP!
camerafraud.com is down: (Page cannot be displayed)
Arizona is by far the worst state to get arrested in, especially for DUI. Let’s say I have a glass of wine and hop in my car to go pick a buddy up. If i get pulled over and refuse sobriety tests, the police will arrest me and tow my car without a shred of evidence! The cops here are way too concerned about traffic violations and have ignored the growing violence across Phoenix and southern AZ. There’s a reason why AZ had to pass that immigration law; law enforcement officials were too busy arresting legal citizens for petty offenses while immigrants poured in by the millions.