Guns, chain gangs, and tent prisons (Phoenix, Tucson: transplants, crimes, college)

[matt_sfl]

Last night I watched the 6 part series on youtube about tent city. Then I was reading posts regarding your gun laws, or lack of them. Do you go out on a date with your girlfriend, the host seats you at the table and everyone has a gun in a holster? Then there's the chain gangs and that sheriff. He reminds me of the villain in the movie Roadhouse, "This is my town, and don't you forget it." I'm not ragging on Phoenix by the way, I've never really spent much time there other than driving up there 20 years ago from Tucson to see the zoo. I'm just a little confused. I'm thinking up and coming progressive city, California transplants, awesome roads and freeways, strict tobacco ordinances, ASU, astronomy, and world class spa resorts. And I've read that you all don't have that bible belt element you get in the southeast either. It all sounds great. But that sheriff though, he has a big "Vacancy" sign in tent city. Look, I'm as law abiding as you can get. I've never had a speeding ticket my whole life. I haven't had a sip of beer or drug in over a year. I go to college. But I wouldn't want to live in a place that scared me. That Vacancy sign is a bad trip. I like the criminal element separated from my life. I'll watch Cops but that's about it. I told my mom about tent city and chain gangs. She said it sounds like a good idea.
Hopefully I'm just getting the wrong impression of the city. My 'research' is limited to google maps, youtube, and this forum! Hopefully I can get out there next summer to see what it's like (at it's hottest). I sure like the look of the place. It's like a massive San Fernando Valley!

[JordanJP]

Pheonix is hardly a scary place, as long as you don't associate yourself with the wrong people or live next to a crackhouse or something.

[Boompa]

Bring plenty identification

[IDASpaceman]

Hope you Habla...and enjoy the heat.

[henry1]

the biggest problem with people comeing to the valley of the sun is not useing common sense what your police or sheriff dept will put up with there in area where you live is total diff than the what the local sheriff or police in the valley of the sun will put up from outsider ..

just use common sense when down here and you will be fine ..it just that they will not put up with alot of stupid things out of people ..we have enough of the local yahoo's types causeing problems they do not need a bunch of out of towners causeing more problems ..

[Steve Pickering]

Every County should have a Sheriff like Joe. We have one of his deputies as a police Chief here and he really cleaned up the town. In and out of the department.

[lyzzard]

Tent city is a great, chain gangs are great, and if people want to bear arms, then they have that right to do so. People around here aren't gun toting fools running around and being reckless (generally, maybe they are in areas you want to avoid anyhow). You don't see someone carrying a gun very often, but it can happen. You're making most of it seem grander than it is.

I'm thinking up and coming progressive city, California transplants, awesome roads and freeways, strict tobacco ordinances, ASU, astronomy, and world class spa resorts. And I've read that you all don't have that bible belt element you get in the southeast either. It all sounds great.

That's more what it's like than the other image you have. If you keep your nose clean, and know your associations, then you really don't have anything to worry about.

Sherriff Joe has really done some good around here over the years, but his recent over zealousness is starting to catch up with him. I don't think he has long in office anymore. I worry more about who is going to replace him than anything he has done.

[kanhawk]

I don't see what the big deal is about the tents. I lived in tents out in the middle of the desert for months, but it was in Saudi Arabia and I was in the military. So I don't feel too much sympathy for the criminals. Don't want to live in tents, then don't commit crimes in Phoenix.

[Gaffer]

I was thinking the same as Kanhawk brought up. Many in our military are living in tents at 120 - 130 degrees. No reason AT ALL our criminals can't do the same.

[Gaffer]

One more thing. All members of Sheriff Joe's chain gangs (male and female) volunteered for it.