Dear Chancellor John Sharp;
Hope or is well in College
Station, wish the same could be said over yonder in Uvalde, merely 4-hours
away. But that short distance has
meaning, or it did for a 10-year old named Maite. OK, erase that “it did” emotion,
as it still has meaning for Maite and for the rest of us - the reason I write
to you this day. Hope I am not wasting your time, please hear me out. That
said, what erases a tear and brings out a smile even in the face of tragedy,
when one reads of a 10-year old kid in high-top sneakers that was already
reaching out and researching a program at your coveted institute of higher learning
in education. A 10-year old, with a dream so early on in youth to become an
“Aggie”, indicative that with this kind of interest and reasoning ability at
such a young age, sure sounded like a success story. Which unfortunately, it
will never ever be fulfilled due the innocence of youth shattered, dreams
forfeited, to a kid along with other school mates that fell victim to a
horrendous and heinous assault on one’s right to be left alone, Wherein it was
supposed to be a place to feel safe, when at a school and learning the
fundamentals that would one day allow admission to that higher learning. That
dream of Maite Rodriquez, to one day attend Texas A&M to study “Marine
Biology”, not anymore as Maite was one of the victims at Robb Elementary. Sorry
if it is annoying that I am regurgitating things you are already most aware of,
for that my apology. Maite was the
10-year old kid Matt McConaughey showed us how to shed a sorrowful tear, when
at the White House, when the Uvalde born actor went talking about this cowardly
act the passion of forfeiting the life of children with the almighty mission
that complements the barrel noise of an assault rifle. I will never forget, when
Matt showed off to the world Maite’s green high-top Converse with the green heart,
now her only remaining trademark in individuality. I’m pushing 70, even though
retired I did take out of retirement my old green high-tops, and with an
unsteady hand painted a green heart in honor of that little girl and her
class-mates – it was all I could do in remembrance we shall not forget. Funny,
how people notice that “heart” when I am out shopping, so people are aware of
this tragedy. At night, I wake up in distress thinking about what a 10-year
old, what her lasts thoughts in a desperate last breath of air, the thought
process – that maybe with Maite her last will and testament rested in the
realization that she saw herself in cap and gown, her parents looking on with
joy, at a Texas A&M graduation ceremony. And when the cap toss found smiles
and hugs and everything else that goes along with that graduation ceremony
after years of study and tests and finals, the friends made along the way that
will become forever associates, the mentors that graded all those research
reports, it would mean the beginning of a career ahead for Maite. Maybe career that would re-write the biology books,
as when the Robb school officials wanted to lift off balloons in her honor, her
parents said no, as that would have upset Maite, something about her
understanding about the effects of “Global Warming”. A 10-year old kid, that
had her sights set on becoming a “Marine Biologist” and getting that education
at Texas A&M, talk about planning, talk about a dream! But, that dream is
gone for now, yet maybe we can do something about it, to show we humans do
care, that a kid’s dream can come somewhat true now and forever Amen regardless
of the circumstances that may interfere to forfeit meaningless that “dream”. So
please take under serious consideration, better yet how about an obligation, to
honor Maite with an “honorary degree” in Marine Biology or whatever works
within the bounds of things, as how else can we tell her and the others we
“still love them”? And think about how the upcoming August graduation ceremony
would sound in lasting satisfaction, out-of-the-ordinary of years’ past, when a
10-year old Maite’s name is announced, receiving that “honor”. Take care, and
thanks for hearing me out.
For reference, Maite’s
preliminary “Obituary” as posted:
Maite
Rodriguez, 10
After a rough time with Zoom classes during the pandemic, Maite Rodriguez made
the honor roll for straight As and Bs this year and was recognized at an
assembly on Tuesday, said her mother, Ana Rodriguez. Maite especially liked
physical education, and after she died, her teacher texted Ana Rodriguez to say
she was highly competitive at kickball and ran faster than all the boys. Her mother
described Maite as “focused, competitive, smart, bright, beautiful, happy.”
Maite wanted to be a marine biologist and after researching a program at Texas
A&M University in Corpus Christi she told her mother she wanted to study
there.
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