Self-inflicted woundIt’s usually a bad idea to shoot from the hip ó or the lip ó as Johnston County Sheriff Steve Bizzell has learned. Bizzell, a former head of the N.C. Sheriff’s Association, issued an apology for comments quoted in a News & Observer story about the growing Hispanic population in his community. These included the statement that “Mexicans are trashy” and Hispanic residents were “breeding like rabbits.” As the sheriff belatedly recognized, his comments were inflammatory and demeaning to all Hispanics. While such statements would be deplorable coming from anyone, they’re especially despicable coming from someone who’s supposed to administer the law fairly and impartially.