Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton has asked President Donald Trump, who blamed "both sides" for the tragic events in Charlottesville, Va., to cancel his plans to attend the rally and 'stay away.' Stanton made it clear that he did not feel that Trump should attend the rally while America is trying to heal from the murder of 32 year-old Heather Heyer and the fatal helicopter crash that killed two Va. State troopers who were searching for the murder suspect, James Alex Fields, who ran over Heyer with his car. Heyer was a counter-protester who was at the Charlottesville rally to protest the white supremacists who were conducting the rally that included neo Nazis, white nationalists and members of the KKK (Klu Klux Klan).
Possible pardon of Sheriff Arpaio
It is believed that Trump, who has been described as having "blood on his hands" for his anti-immigration statements resulting in the tragic events in Charlottesvile, may pardon former Sheriff Joe Arpaio, of Maricopa County, Arizona. Arpaio, as sheriff, allegedly illegally enforced immigration laws that affected immigrants, abused power, refused to enforce various sex crime laws, and misused funds. Arpaio also was accused of violating elections laws and improperly clearing cases.
Stanton is concerned that simply having the rally in the wake of the Charlottesville tragedy, let alone pardoning Arpaio, is unequivocally inappropriate. Despite the Trump Administration's insistence that the President will attend the rally, Stanton has pleaded with the White House to cancel Trump's trip to Phoenix.
Protection of free speech
Stanton stated that although he thinks that Trump should cancel, or at least delay, his trip to Phoenix, that he has the same rights to free speech that all other Americans have. Stanton, therefore, stated that Trump has the right to go to Phoenix and attend the rally, as do all other Americans.
However, Stanton explicitly clarified that he feels that Trump does not represent the values that citizens of Phoenix "hold dear."
Keeping everyone safe
In a formal statement put out by his office, Stanton clarified that his primary objective, and that of the Phoenix Police Department, is to keep everyone "safe." This is becoming harder and harder to do in the climate precipitated by the Trump Administration in which America's citizens, immigrants and workers are segregated by their nation of origin, and deported despite their past histories of hard work, paying taxes and raising American-born children.
