Headless dolls were strewn across the concrete sidewalk outside the Arizona State Capitol Saturday afternoon.
A Halloween-themed event was organized at the capitol to send a message about Republican Gov. Jan Brewer — that she is a liar, said Stacey Champion, 39, who independently organized the event.
“We have a governor that has said multiple lies,” said Champion, a Phoenix resident.
The headless dolls alluded to Brewer’s comments about finding headless bodies in the Arizona desert that she originally made in a television interview over the summer.
"Oh, our law enforcement agencies have found bodies in the desert, either buried or just lying out there, that have been beheaded," Brewer said on Fox News in June.
Brewer later recanted her statements about the headless bodies.
"That was an error, if I said that," the governor told the Associated Press Sept. 3. "I misspoke, but you know, let me be clear, I am concerned about the border region because it continues to be reported in Mexico that there's a lot of violence going on and we don't want that going into Arizona."
Signs were posted on trees and around the ground at the event. One read: “Use your head — don’t lose your head.”
About 25 people attended the gathering. Some were face painted as zombies and dressed the floors with paper-stuffed clothes. Also, most were in support of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry Goddard.
There was no notable speaker at the event; it was simply to send a political message to voters to vote against Brewer, Champion said.
Salustio Hernandez, 48, who attended the protest, said Brewer’s comment was because of “cheap politics” and she eventually corrected herself because of pressure.
“Many politicians lie, and if they don’t get caught, they never admit it,” he said. “[Brewer] eventually admitted she was wrong because she was caught in the lie.”
In recent weeks, Brewer has also been criticized about not being healthy enough to serve the next four years as governor. But last Friday, her doctor said she was in perfect health.
However, Champion said Brewer not disclosing her health records after weeks felt like the governor was being dishonest.
Many at the event said they have never been politically active before and are hopeful that Goddard wins the gubernatorial election Nov. 2.
Recent polls have shown that Hispanics heavily support Democrat candidates, but might not show up at the polls.
A Behavior Research Center’s Rocky Mountain Poll shows that Goddard has support from 60 percent of Hispanics, as opposed to 13 percent supporting Brewer. But Brewer still holds a lead with 38 percent of registered voters and Goddard 35 percent.
However, a survey report released earlier this month by the Pew Hispanic Center suggests that Hispanics will not show up to vote.
“I’m hoping to God that they do,” said Ron Henriquez, a 43-year-old man who was also at the event. “[SB 1070] was the wakening to a lifetime of activism for me.”
However, ASU College Republicans President Tyler Bowyer said he feels Brewer is the right candidate for governor.
“Jan Brewer is right for the job,” said Bowyer, a Russian senior.
Bowyer said the signing of SB 1070 was to protect Arizona from crimes and to enforce immigration laws, but the federal government should pass some sort of immigration reform.
“Any law that gets passed by our representatives, that we elect, will be a law that we need to uphold,” he said. “SB 1070 is about enforcement and not about immigration reform.”
Reach the reporter at uriel.garcia@asu.edu
