Dog the Bounty Hunter arrested

I was surprised to find out tonight that Dog the Bounty Hunter and several family members were arrested in Hawaii. Their arrest relates to Dog’s capture of Max Factor heir Andrew Luster in Mexico three years ago. Here’s a story on it from the Star Bulletin in Hawaii. Check out A&E’s site to find out the latest news on the situation and see the videos about Dog's arrest.

If you don’t watch A&E, then you don’t know about Dog Chapman’s show, Dog the Bounty Hunter. It is a surprisingly good show about the Chapman family’s bounty hunting business, DaKine Bail Bonds. Reality TV, but it’s good.

Anyway, bounty hunting is apparently illegal in Mexico and they waited three years to call for the extradition of those involved. Dog was arrested and eventually released, along with Leland and Dwayne Chapman. I found some good commentary dating back to when Dog made the arrest. I remember when it happened too. It seems like a long, long time ago now.

Now, I’m not known for being a big fan of Americans doing whatever they want wherever and whenever they want, but I’m in favour rapists being arrested, wherever it happens. Luster is serving over 100 years for the several rapes after he was brought back from Mexico to serve his sentence.

I find it ironic that the Mexican government gets pissed off at one bounty hunter who goes into Puerto Vallarta to pick up a rapist (that the government of Mexico doesn’t really seem interested in deporting) yet they are complicit in allowing millions of illegal Mexican immigrants to flood into the U.S. (Rich tourista helping the economy I guess. I wonder who he bought off down there?) For that matter, George Bush doesn’t seem to give a flying f**k about it either. (Uh oh… my bloods boiling… bastard, would rather blame Canada for an apparently porous border when Mexico is the real problem.)

So here we have a case of the corrupt Mexican government calling for the extradition of one of the good guys. The U.S. should tell Mexico it will send Dog Chapman to face charges when Mexico takes back all the illegal immigrants. Yeah, I know, it will never happen. George Bush will make sure of that because he needs the cheap labour. Follow the money they say. Who do you think contributes to the Republicans? Mainly business of course, and with the money they save by hiring Mexican illegals under the table, they can contribute to the Republicans to keep the gravy train flowing.

Dog’s show is quite popular and he has a lot of fans, myself included. Watching the show you really get the sense he actually cares for the people he is capturing. I think that’s a rare attitude in any type of law enforcement these days. Who could blame law enforcement for being a little jaded though, with a justice system that does little to rehabilitate before dumping people back on the street.

What can you do about it? Don’t visit Mexico.

You could start by signing an online petition to stop the extradition of Dog Chapman and his associates. I’m not sure if it will go to the U.S. or Mexican government or both.

The other thing you can do is go to the Visit Mexico site and email them, saying you will not go to Mexico until they retract their extradition request. Money talks. I have thought about visiting Mexico in the past, but all I ever hear about people’s trips there is how drunk they got. I’ll stay home and save the money for a real trip to Europe, or Hawaii if I want nice weather.

One of the comments I saw posted on the online petition hit the nail on the head. They basically said Mexican government officials saw an opportunity to get a bribe from an American TV star. How nice. I wouldn’t doubt it if it’s true either. You’d think three years would have been enough for the Mexican government to get over the embarrassment of it’s corruption and inaction on arresting criminals fleeing to its safe haven. Guess not.

Here’s an interesting link on U.S. laws related to foreign arrests. It’s interesting thinking about law enforcement going after individuals (micro level) versus countries going after other countries (macro level.) I’ve written enough about what I think of U.S. foreign policy, so I won’t bore you with any more of it.

Why is it that governments have no concept of what fundamental justice means? I don’t know if it’s worse these days or if it’s always been the case, but governments at every level, everywhere are so out of touch with what the average person wants, it is sickening. It happens constantly here in Canada, the U.S. and abroad.

In democracies we do have the power to do something about it. Good people need to run for office; good people with spines and who are actually out for the public good and not just to line their own pockets and those of their friends. I can’t say that’s the case now. Voter apathy is worse than ever, just when people need to vote out the assholes in there now.

I find it odd that I might be quoting the Gettysburg address here, but it seems so appropriate: “…that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

It’s sad to say, but it’s happening, if it hasn’t already.