by Corinne Murdock | Sep 2, 2021 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
Two of the Arizona Democratic Party’s top leaders apparently want people to riot over the Supreme Court’s refusal to intervene in Texas’s abortion ban. State Representative Daniel Hernandez (D-Tucson) liked and State Representative Diego Rodriguez (D-Phoenix) retweeted a post calling for the public to “break some s***” over the ban.
Both Democrats are running for higher seats. Hernandez is aiming to become the second district’s next congressman, while Rodriguez has his sights on becoming the state’s next attorney general. After news of their support for riots circulated, it appears that Rodriguez removed his retweet. As of press time, Hernandez’s like remains on the tweet.
The tweet originated from Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona (PPAZ) Board Chair Chris Love, posted early Wednesday in response to Texas’s fetal heartbeat law going into effect. The law effectively bans abortions at 6 weeks, when a fetal heartbeat is first detected.
“I mean, what exactly did you all expect?” wrote Love. “You’re devastated, but you consistently ignored every single sign. I’ll write something coherent in the morning, but just know that fighting back doesn’t mean pussy hats or petitions. Be ready to break some s***.”
Love retweeted the above tweet with further commentary, as promised – a thread of 12 tweets, to be exact. She explained that she knew for years that Roe v. Wade, the cornerstone for abortion legality, was imperfect and doomed to fail. She added that Texas’s fetal heartbeat law was proof of her predictions. Love said that the time for “polite” debate is over, and advocated for people to fight and “shatter this s*** system.”
The entirety of Love’s follow-up post is reproduced below:
If you went to bed early last night, you’re waking up to news that SCOTUS did not to intervene in Texas, so SB8, a bill that bans abortion at 6 weeks, is now law. If you’re like me, your timelines [are] awash with folks being all varieties of upset as Roe [v. Wade] is essentially done. I’m not upset. I’ve been numb to this for a while. We knew this was going to happen. Black women told you think [sic] would happen. THIS Black woman told you it was coming…and many of you rolled your eyes. But the die was cast a while ago. The first sign was Dems doing absolutely nothing to force through a SCOTUS appointment in Obama’s last year. They let Republicans run roughshod and hold up the Garland nomination. BTW, the choice of Garland was a strategy to appease Rs [Republicans]. The thing is, it didn’t work. Never does. Next, white people voted for Trump. Those of you didn’t didn’t [sic] were shocked! Why? Again, many people, especially Black women, TOLD YOU IT COULD HAPPEN. And you shrugged and wore your white suits to the polls instead of making sure “you people” knew what was at stake. As promised, Trump and the Rs appointed some of the most conservative justices to the bench as a whole, not just the SCOTUS. Again, y’all were shocked. Why? They told you that was exactly what they planned to do. But white folks were too busy upholding whiteness to see clearly. Now, Dems are back in the majority. What have they done? Exactly NOTHING. It took 6 months to get the Biden administration to even look at the Hyde Amendment. That dude has never said abortion. Conservative Dems are holding up the filibuster, which limits options in Congress. Simultaneously, y’all kept voting for a**holes in your states. Arizona did, too. Don’t believe that “we went blue” nonsense. We still have [a] Rep[ublican] Governor, AG, and leg[islature]. Legislatures around the country have been working overtime to ban abortion and get a case to this new SCOTUS. When SCOTUS agreed to take the Mississippi case, folks in repro knew what it meant for Roe. So did the antis. I’ve been saying for months that Roe is done and we need to build movement around creating a new abortion rights framework, especially b/c Roe is imperfect. Then last night happened. I know you’re upset, but we’ve had years to recon with what was coming. So, I’m not broken or deterred. I’m ready to FIGHT BACK! Are you? Then stop being polite about this. Stop speaking in hushed voices. Get some courage and shatter this s*** system! To every person who called me dramatic or I said needed to “give Biden a chance” or “stay in your lane,” I hope your eyes are open now. I hope your ears are open now. And I hope you’re ready to fight to protect abortion in this country. Say it with me–ABORTION! If you’re not sold on abortion on demand and without apology, then it’s well past time for you to get there. If you need a push, I’m happy to discuss. But if you can’t get on this train, then GET OUT OF THE WAY! And with that, all antis will be blocked. Do me a solid and don’t feed the trolls. (emphasis added)
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
by Corinne Murdock | Sep 2, 2021 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
A year-old petition to change Arizona State University’s (ASU) mascot from the “Sun Devils” to “Sun Angels” was resurrected after a poll revealed significant public opposition to the current mascot.
Renewed interest in the petition began last week following a survey claiming that people found Sparky the Sun Devil to be one of the most disturbing and offensive mascots. Sparky ranked 7th for the most disturbing mascot, and 8th for the most offensive. News reports on the survey cited the petition to trade Sparky’s horns for a halo as an example, breathing life back into the effort.
The petition, started by ASU alumni Joseph Forte, Jr., questions cultural complacency with the idea of celebrating the devil in any capacity. Forte cited ASU’s track and field program and booster organization as precedents for changing the mascot. The track and field stadium is named, “Sun Angel Stadium,” while the fundraising club was known for decades as the “Sun Angel Foundation” before rebranding to the “Sun Devil Club.”
“What once might have been viewed as acceptable – is now just plain demonic. Anyone with an ounce of Christian belief will have a hard time pledging allegiance to…being loyal to…or spending money with the devil. With every T-shirt, souvenir and game ticket [ASU] sell[s], they solidify their consent that idolizing the devil is just fine with them,” wrote Forte. “Your support sends a strong message that there is a big difference between school spirit and glorifying the devil.”
Forte further pledged his case by noting that less than 900 people approved of the mascot name when it was established in 1946 – the fourth in the university’s short history. He noted that the goal of this petition wasn’t to turn ASU into a religious school – just to save it from being “demonic.”
“Keep in mind the Archangels cast the devil out of heaven, so the devil is actually history’s biggest loser. The Archangels on the other hand can only be considered victorious winners,” wrote Forte. “And, for those narrow-minded enough to think that all this devil talk is just a tongue-in-cheek reference to the hot weather in Arizona, the Archangel Gabriel is also known as the Angel of the Sun – completely in line with Arizona’s hot weather in what is known as the “Valley of the Sun” to all who live in the Phoenix area.”
AZ Free News spoke with Forte about the origins of the petition, and where he stands now. He said that he hasn’t really done anything with the petition since last year, because his business takes precedence currently. Forte shared that he’d heard about the renewed interest in his petition through a friend who’d seen a recent report from AZ Central mentioning it, and the subsequent criticisms that came.
“I’ve had a bunch of people trying to tag my personal [social media] profiles and stuff, just saying nonsense,” explained Forte.
In an update posted to the petition on Sunday, Forte elaborated that ASU students and alumni were chief among his harassers.
“Now I have a whole bunch of ASU students and alumni complaining, contacting me, and telling me that I’m a loser, I’m soft, I don’t have anything better to do with my time, etc. Yet they’re triggered and wasting their time about this petition that has been dormant for months. Funny how that works huh?!” wrote Forte.
Another thing Forte noticed was the lack of support from those who wanted to change other mascots and figures, like the Washington Redskins and Aunt Jemima. Forte speculated to AZ Free News that this surface-level inconsistency had a deeper meaning – those normally in favor of changing things they find offensive won’t support the Sun Angel petition because it’s a Christian issue at its core.
“Half of the petition was obviously my strong feeling that I don’t want to praise the devil anymore, but it also had to do with the hypocritical nature of the woke mob because they’re all for tearing down many things – but if it’s something to do with Christianity, they say we can’t do that,” observed Forte.
The petition stalled at around 1,000 supporters last October, shortly after it launched. As of press time, the petition has grown to over 3,000 supporters – nearly all of these additional supporters followed local reports on the mascot survey citing the petition.
Read about the petition in its entirety here.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
by AZ Free News | Sep 2, 2021 | News
PHOENIX — On Wednesday, Governor Doug Ducey announced $60 million to support staffing at health care facilities that deploy proven techniques to decrease COVID-19 related hospitalizations, including administering monoclonal antibody treatments and offering vaccination at discharge.
“Arizona’s health care professionals and all frontline workers are heroes, without a doubt,” said Governor Ducey. “We are working to make sure they have the resources they need. This funding opportunity will decrease stress on existing hospital staff, increase hiring opportunities and decrease the risk of COVID-19 hospitalizations in Arizona. I’m grateful to all the nurses, doctors, first responders, frontline workers and everyone supporting and protecting our fellow Arizonans during this health emergency.”
COVID-19 hospitalizations represent a significantly lower proportion of hospital patients than in previous waves due largely to the deployment of vaccinations among the most vulnerable populations. Despite this, hospitals are experiencing higher numbers of patients than normal. This has led to staffing challenges as doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists and other health care providers are in high demand across the country and hiring costs for these needed professionals has increased dramatically. This funding will help ensure that Arizona hospitals can obtain temporary staff to assist and alleviate stress on existing staff.
“This latest COVID-19 surge has been challenging for health care workers,” said Linda Hunt, President and CEO of Dignity Health’s Southwest Division. “They are exhausted yet continue to step-up in the most heroic ways. The high volume of patients compounded by the shortage of doctors and nurses across the country is creating intense competition for a limited pool of nurses nationwide. I am grateful for Governor Ducey’s actions today to bring more health care workers to Arizona as we navigate through this latest surge. This effort will help provide the relief desperately needed for our most valued resource — our staff. The Governor recognizes and supports the needs of our health care workforce. We will continue to work together to find long-term solutions that sufficiently invests in a sustainable health care workforce for Arizona.”
Monoclonal antibodies are designed to block the virus’ attachment and entry into human cells, and the treatment can be used for mild to moderate COVID-19 patients. When administered early enough, this treatment can dramatically decrease the patient’s risk of developing severe COVID symptoms. Expanding the use of monoclonal antibody treatment will help decrease the rate of hospitalizations and help alleviate pressure on hospitals and staff.
Tucson Medical Center in January became the second treatment center nationwide solely focused on administering monoclonal antibodies to help patients avoid severe illness and hospitalization. The center’s temporary treatment program was successful, and according to the Arizona Republic in February:
“Since it opened earlier this month, the TMC center has infused 600 patients. None has had allergic reactions to the medication and anecdotally, about 1% have been admitted to the hospital, though actual outcome data is not yet available, said Mimi Coomler, the hospital’s chief operating officer.”
This funding will be administered by the Arizona Department of Health Services.
by Terri Jo Neff | Sep 1, 2021 | News
By Terri Jo Neff |
One Arizona sheriff sees too many similarities between U.S. immigration policy at the Southwest border and how the Biden Administration has handled the situation in Afghanistan, and he fears a perfect storm is brewing.
“It’s a mess down here all along the southwest border both on public safety, national security, and humanitarian,” Cochise County Sheriff Dannels told KFYI’s James T. Harris earlier this week. “The willful neglect, the willful avoidance to solve the problem, take responsibly for it, is the same thing he did on the Southwest border that’s now being played in a terrorist country with the Taliban.”
According to Dannels, just under 10,000 undocumented immigrants -what he calls “getaways”- were able to evade capture in July crossing from Mexico into Cochise County. The crisis is more frustrating, he said, because the Biden Administration ended President Donald Trump’s Stay in Mexico policy without having another plan in place.
The policy, Dannels said, worked well and allowed for a controlled situation at the Southwest border. Last month the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the Stay In Mexico policy reinstated despite objections from Biden’s appointees running the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
“It’s amazing that our own Department of Homeland Security is fighting that,” Dannels said of the Stay in Mexico policy. “It’s not like Mexico is fighting that or another private group is fighting that. Our government is fighting that. Which is just a crying shame because the program worked in the past.”
For now, Dannels and his deputies are putting up a valiant stand while trying to respond to the continuous influx of undocumented immigrants and the accompanied increase in crime reports. He also says “it’s truly been beneficial” to have several dozen members of the Arizona National Guard assigned to work with his agency by order of Gov. Doug Ducey.
Dannels is also aware of recent warnings to New Mexico residents about a growing Middle Eastern presence among illegal border crossers. That concern, the sheriff said, has actually been on the radar of law enforcement officials for a while.
He worries a “perfect storm” exists right now with the upcoming 20-year anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001 and the U.S.’s open border philosophy under President Biden. It is a philosophy, Dannels said, that even those in federal leadership positions concede is not working, unless they are “a political puppet.”
And the chances are great that someone intent on doing harm to the United States is going to come through the Southwest border, Dannels said, because the White House has left law enforcement personnel unable to compete against the Cartel.
“Nothing is changing for the good down here,” Dannels said.
by Corinne Murdock | Sep 1, 2021 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
The city of Phoenix announced last week it will punish Phoenix Police Department (PPD) officers for giving Black Lives Matter (BLM) protesters criminal street gang charges. This latest development was part of an ongoing investigation into how PPD handled the arrests of 18 BLM protestors last October.
City Manager Ed Zuercher submitted the report to the Phoenix City Council, alluding to further disciplinary actions and reorganization. In a previous letter summarizing the investigation, Zuercher noted that any of PPD’s Tactical Response Unit (TRU) officers involved would be removed from that team. He added that his office and Human Resources would determine disciplinary action, and that officers involved are under an administrative investigation.
Phoenix City Councilmember Sal DiCiccio told AZ Free News that this decision was nothing more than a political show.
“What Phoenix is doing is BS. We have rising crime rates, can’t patrol our streets effectively – all because we don’t have enough cops – and Phoenix politicians are making it worse by constantly attacking Phoenix PD,” wrote DiCiccio. “It’s political gamesmanship, and they’re putting the public at risk to satisfy a tiny handful of screaming anarchist activists who know nothing about anything.”
According to Arizona statute, criminal street gangs are either ongoing or informal associations in which individuals or the collective engage in the commission, attempted commission, facilitation, or solicitation of any felony. Criminal street gang members are defined as individuals who meet at least two of the following criteria: self-proclamation, witness testimony or official statement, written or electronic correspondence, paraphernalia or photographs, tattoos, clothing or colors, and any other indica of street gang membership.
Participation in a criminal street gang is defined as intentionally organizing, managing, directing, supervising, or financing a criminal street gang with the intent to promote or further the criminal objectives of the gang; knowingly inciting or inducing others to engage in violence or intimidation to promote or further the criminal objectives of the gang; furnishing advice or direction in the conduct, financing or management of a criminal street gang’s affairs with the intent to promote or further the criminal objectives of the gang; or intentionally promoting or furthering the criminal objectives of a criminal street gang by inducing or committing any act or omission by a public servant in violation of the public servant’s official duty.
Criminal street gang participation is a class 2 felony, while assistance is a class 3 felony.
The council contracted Ballard Spahr, a national law firm, to conduct the investigation into these claims. The firm determined that PPD wrongfully charged the BLM protestors.
According to their report, the BLM protestors were charged with criminal street gang assistance because they chanted “All Cops Are Bastards.” That’s the full phrase behind “ACAB,” an acronym used by political dissidents opposed to and possibly violent toward police, repopularized during the BLM protests and riots in the wake of George Floyd’s death last year. The Anti-Defamation League classifies ACAB as a hate symbol.
The BLM protestors’ chant reportedly caused PPD officers to believe the protestors were involved in an ACAB-affiliated gang with an intent to harm police. Ballard Spahr cited multiple issues with PPD’s attempt to classify the protestors as part of a new gang. This included PPD’s decision to ignore the absence of any gang called ACAB in the state’s gang database, GangNet.
This debacle hasn’t remained local. At the beginning of August, the DOJ launched its own investigation into PPD.
At the helm of the DOJ investigation is Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke – the Biden appointee who wants to defund the police “strategically,” per her opinion piece published in Newsweek last summer. Clarke promised that the DOJ would work with PDD to create the “best remedies” if they discover any systemic constitutional or federal statutory rights.
If no agreement on best remedies can be reached, Clarke threatened legal action.
The Biden Administration announced it would investigate the PPD and the city of Phoenix for arresting Black Lives Matter (BLM) protestors under criminal street gang charges.
Citing the DOJ’s investigation and a lack of jurisdiction, Attorney General Mark Brnovich has declined to launch an investigation of his own.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
by Corinne Murdock | Aug 31, 2021 | Education, News
By Corinne Murdock |
The latest Arizona Department of Education (ADE) statewide assessment results revealed that Arizona students are failing in English and math. ADE published the results Friday, culled from the 2020-2021 versions of AzM2 and MSAA – the two versions of standardized testing administered to grades 3-8 and 10. The average passing rates differed depending on whether a student was from a district public school or charter school; charter schools had resoundingly better outcomes in statewide assessments, with an average of 10 percent more charter students passing the ELA and math sections compared to their district peers.
In district public schools, only 38 percent of students on average passed the English-Language Arts (ELA) section, while even less passed the math section – 31 percent. Approximately 84 percent of students took the ELA section, while 86 percent took the math section. Federal law requires at least 95 percent participation, but that requirement and others were made optional due to the pandemic.
When broken down by race, American Indian/Alaskan Native students had the lowest average passing scores in public schools, even below students who were classified as in the foster care system or homeless: 15 percent for ELA, and 11 percent for math. However, they ranked slightly above migrant students, 13 percent of whom passed the ELA section, and 11 percent passed the migrant section.
The highest passage rates by race came from Asian students: 69 percent for ELA and 68 percent for math. The highest passage rates of any non-racial classification came from military children: 53 percent for ELA, 44 percent for math.
All of the average passing rates in public schools under various classifications remained relatively consistent when broken down by grade level.
As for charter schools, the average percentage of students who passed the ELA and math sections increased by around 10 points or more. This was true for all types of students classified by ADE – students had higher passing rates at charter schools than the district public schools regardless of race, sex, or circumstance.
AZ Free News inquired with ADE what their plans are to address these falling test scores and the overall proficiency of Arizona’s students. They didn’t respond by press time.
In their press release, ADE called the test results “just one part of a student’s academic record.” The department announced that they had already “proactively” begun addressing the results through funding, programs, and initiatives, such as $9.6 million for online math education assistance from Arizona State University (ASU) and $6.5 million for extracurriculars from Discovery Education.
It appears that metrics of student success, like test scores, aren’t as much of a focus for ADE leadership. ADE Superintendent Kathy Hoffman has focused especially on COVID-19 mitigation in K-12 schools, calling for universal masking and criticizing Governor Doug Ducey for his opposition to such measures. It is unclear if Hoffman believes the same should be true for adults such as herself. As AZ Free News reported, the superintendent was caught maskless at a party last weekend. Hoffman still hasn’t addressed this incident.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
