All-Day Holiday Music Will Play Again This Year In Arizona Jail

In Phoenix, Arizona, Sheriff Joe Arpaio plans again this year to play Christmas music over speakers in his county jail for 12 hours a day. The Washington Times reports that the music will begin today with the playing of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer", Frosty the Snowman" and "Feliz Navidad.".  The sheriff has prevailed in six lawsuits-- most recently in December 2009-- in which inmates challenged the practice as a violation of their religious rights and as cruel and unusual punishment. So again this year, 8,000 inmates will hear multi-ethnic and culturally diverse holiday music all day during the holiday season. Apparently they can avoid the music only by remaining in their cells. (See prior posting.)