Originally Posted: July 29, 2018
Rick Halperin, Director of the Embrey Human Rights Program at Southern Methodist University writes a letter to Dallas Morning News encouraging city officials to honor Santos Rodriguez with a memorial.
Honor Santos Rodriguez, Dallas
Last week marked the 45th anniversary of a major tragedy in Dallas: the murder of a handcuffed 12-year-old Santos Rodriguez by Officer Darrell Cain inside his police car on July 24, 1973; that event led to the only race riot in Dallas’ history four days later in anger and protest.
Currently, there is nothing in public in this city dedicated to the memory of Santos Rodriguez, although Seattle was able to dedicate a public park in his name in 1976. The failure of Dallas’ leadership over 45 years is stunning, outrageous and inexcusable. The killing itself was horrific, and so is Dallas’ unwillingness to face this disturbing event.
Dallas deserves the chance to heal from that terrible wound and must come to grips with its entire history no matter how difficult. Mayor Mike Rawlings apologized to Santos’s mother five years ago, 40 years after the crime. More is needed, and now.
I urge city officials in all capacities to show their political will and moral courage to bring closure to the family for this crime. Act responsibly now. READ MORE