Posted on 07/26/2010 9:08:16 AM PDT by traumer
The fatal shooting of a Phoenix resident becomes a hate-crime case even as police and activists downplay the incident's racial overtones.
Reporting from Phoenix — Had Arizona's governor not just signed the toughest law against illegal immigrants in the nation, the killing of Juan Varela probably would have been written off as just a tragic neighborhood dispute.
The 44-year-old U.S. citizen was watering chile plants in his front yard when a neighbor confronted him and shot him to death, according to police documents.
Varela's brother, Antonio, told police that the neighbor, Gary Kelley, who is white, called Juan Varela by an ethnic slur and said he had to "go back to Mexico" now that Gov. Jan Brewer had signed SB 1070. The family campaigned to publicize the death, culminating with the county prosecutor's decision last month to add a hate-crime allegation to the second-degree murder charges filed against Kelley.
But Kelley's Latino tenant and neighbors say he displayed no racial animus and had criticized the new law as unfair. Most immigrant rights activists have shied away from the case, skeptical that the killing was racially motivated.
To some Arizonans, it's an illustration of how incidents in the state now get interpreted through the prism of the new law.
"When this happened, everyone immediately wanted to make this about 1070," said an exasperated Tommy Thompson, a Phoenix police spokesman who downplayed any racial overtones to Varela's killing.
Tensions are rising here as the clock ticks down to Thursday, the day the law is scheduled to take effect.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
LA Times trying to stir up trouble.
Sounds like BS to me. Why would someone shoot someone if they thought they had to leave the country?
This is the victim of the crime family trying to make a political issue out of this.
Yes it does....
>>LA Times trying to stir up trouble.<<
That’s how you sell papers, and that is what it is about.
According to the lamearse LATimes, anything and everything is racially tinted due to the AZ law...... =.=
This is an interesting relative statement. Does "some" equal one or two? And interpreted by whom, the poser journ-o-listers?
With no background on the shooting presented, how can anyone even begin to put this into perspective? But this journ-o-list connection of SB-1070 with violence based on nothing is off the charts ridiculous.
Lefties want to paint this bill as racist and will use whatever tactic they can think of to accomplish this, including outright lies and fabrications. LA Slimes strikes again.
This is exactly the same routine they pulled in the two years before Rodney King.
exactly
Another reported that, “While walking Gary to the patrol car he stated several times, `He kicked me in the balls. What else could I do?’”
Antonio Varela’s statement has his brother attempting to kick Kelley, but only after Kelley had approached Juan while the latter was watering plants in the Varelas’ yard.
During the altercation, Kelley yelled, “You fucking Mexican, go back to Mexico!” And later, “If you don’t go back to Mexico, you’re going to die!”
Juan Varela admonished Kelley, saying, “Don’t come here and disrespect me at home. I have kids...I’ve lived here a long time. This country was Mexico before it was the U.S.”
Kelley and the Varelas faced off, with Juan attempting to kick Kelley and missing. Kelley asked Juan if he wanted to die, pulled up his shirt, pulled out a gun and pointed it at both men. Kelley then shot Juan Varela, and pointed his gun at Antonio.
But Kelley did not shoot Antonio. Instead, he went back inside his house.
Juan Varela was later transported to Good Samaritan Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Note this is MISSING from the LAT story...
Forgot the link:
http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/bastard/2010/05/phoenix_pd_release_report_on_w.php
So the “victims” brother even admits the “victim” tried to kick kelly in the balls...BEFORE he was shot...
Hmmm, well.....maybe we’re coming up on another “get out the popcorn and watch the show” kind of moment. Isn’t LA overdue for a goodly bloodletting and burn down the neighborhood style race riot?
“Most immigrant rights activists have shied away from the case, skeptical that the killing was racially motivated.”
That is the most important part of the story. Because if they thought there was a sliver of motivation, they’ed be all over it.
That’s what the media does to generate revenue...tv, radio, papers, magazines. If they don’t stir people up and get them interested, people change the channel or read something else.
I know the game.
I also know that the LA Times, NY Times, and Boston Globe are bleeding in a sea of red ink. Good for them. Carlos Slim may own the NY Times in a year or 2. The Globe cant give itself away.
Then you know why the media is the way it is. They are very good at dividing people up.
This story does not pass the smell test.
Juan Varela admonished Kelley, saying, “Don’t come here and disrespect me at home. I have kids...I’ve lived here a long time. This country was Mexico before it was the U.S.”
This scenario (minus the shooting) is probably repeated hundreds of times a day in the US. Even if there are NO illegal aliens involved.
People with anger-management issues are everywhere, all kinds, without the benefit of SB-1070, illegal aliens or trailer-trash mentality. Lots of blame to go around on this one; Even without knowing all the facts or the obvious missing "background."
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