All Arizona should be mourning the death of a fourth-generation American–a father and soft ball coach–murdered in his front yard because America has not dealt with the immigration issue.
His name is Juan Varela. He was born in Phoenix 44 years ago. He traces his American lineage back to a great-grandfather. He was the father of a 13 year-old daughter and a loving husband who was proud of his city and his community. He was standing in his front yard watering a tree on May 6–two weeks after Gov. Jan Brewer signed SB 1070 that makes it a state crime to be in Arizona illegally. His neighbor, 50 year-old Gary Kelly, an unemployed golf cart repairman who was reportedly drunk at 1 p.m., walked up to him and issued a threat. “Hurry up and go back to Mexico or you’re going to die,” Kelly reportedly said.
Juan kicked at Kelly to shoo him away. Kelly pulled out a gun and shot Juan in the neck.
Juan’s brother, Antonio, almost became the second victim that day. He told Channel 12 in Phoenix that Kelly threatened him too: “He came up to me and said in my face, ‘Go back you f—-ing wetback; go back to Mexico or you’re going to die today.”
Kelly was originally charged with second degree murder.
But now prosecutors have labeled it a “hate crime” that could add 15 to 20 years to his sentence.
Juan’s family says it is certain that the hateful SB1070 fueled this flame.
Hate is like that. It’s vicious, it’s dangerous and it can be deadly.
Arizona is already mouring Rob Krentz, a southern Arizona rancher who was killed, along with his dog Blue, in April. Although his killer is unknown, officials believe it was a drug dealer, as tracks led toward the Mexican border. (Whether they were Mexican or Anglo tracks, noone knows.)
His senseless death was used by politicans to help pass SB 1070; it has become a rallying cry for those who say deportation is the only answer.
I have not heard one of those people say anything about the senseless killing of Juan Varela–and we know exactly who killed him and why.
My heart goes out to the Varela family and everyone who shares the revulsion of what has happened here.
I know supporters of SB1070 will say they’re not responsible for any of this, but I beg to differ. You can’t make Mexicans into demons and not expect hot heads to react; you can’t throw around false “facts”–like the border is worse when there’s fewer breaches than ever; like Mexican violence has spilled over into Arizona when all records show crime is down along the border–and not expect some to take matters into their own hands.
You cannot light a campfire in a windstorm, walk away, and then deny any responsibility for the forest fire.
Hate breads the kind of agony the Varela family is going through. And all Arizona should be mourning.