When Real Life Imitates Movies: Steven Seagal Busts Cockfighter

Under Siege: Steven Seagal Attacks Home in Arizona with Armored Cars and SWAT Members to Arrest Man Accused of Cockfighting

We have previously followed the feudal system created by Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio in Arizona. Arpaio’s insatiable desire for media attention has led him to turn over areas of his office to Hollywood producers. Last week, Arpaio’s unhinged administration gave the public another bizarre scene as Steven Seagal was seen attacking a home with a tank, armored cars, bomb robot, and dozens of SWAT team members. The crime? Suspected involvement in cockfighting.

The police acknowledge that there was no evidence to suggest that the man was dangerous or that he was armed. He was indeed arrested without a struggle and no guns were found in the house. Well, without a struggle on his part. The armored Seagal attack blew its windows out and caused the neighborhood to think that an invasion was afoot. The huge operations (and its attendant costs) was basically a stage set up to give Seagal good footage for his reality program, “Lawman.” Seagal is shown riding in the tank in the assault on the suspected cockfighter.

This is just so bizarre as to be creepy.  Steven Seagal? What, did Chuck Norris have scruples or something?  I'm I know cockfighting is a crime (at least most places), but it is, in fact, a perfectly ordinary thing for chickens to do.  They are, after all, just small feathered dinosaurs, a variety that we actually find quite tasty.  As crimes go, it's rather petty, hardly the sort of thing one needs to call in the tactical squad with bombs to eliminate.  Likely, a quiet word to the man on the side:  "look, we know about your chicken fighting, knock it off or we may have to arrest you" would probably be sufficient.  And if not, the extreme violence shown here still seems absurd.  But it's Sheriff Arpaio, and Steven Seagal, so what else would you expect?