(Ed.'s Note: Perhaps in the annals of church-state relations in Brownsville there has never been written a more vicious, cunning and disturbing missive as the one that Juliet Garcia's confessor-in-chief and official inquisitor Armand Mathew sent Texas Southmost College trustee Trey Mendez. Filled with loathing and vituperation, it reminds us of the parable told by Ivan to Alyosha in Foydor Dostoevsky's novel The Brothers Karamazov where the Inquisitor says that under him, all mankind will live and die happily in ignorance. Though he leads them only to "death and destruction," they will be happy along the way. The Inquisitor will be a self-martyr, spending his life to keep choice from humanity. He states that "Anyone who can appease a man's conscience can take his freedom away from him.")
On Feb. 24, 2011, 6:28 p.m., Armand Mathew wrote:
On Feb. 24, 2011, 6:28 p.m., Armand Mathew wrote:
Dear Trey,
Please know that I communicate with you now with respect for you, in total honesty, absolutely without any hostility.
Please know that I communicate with you now with respect for you, in total honesty, absolutely without any hostility.
I come with two heartfelt petitions and one straightforward statement.
Petition #1: Please be less disingenuous, more honest with the community. You have said publicly and on one occasion privately to me that you did not, do not want the end of the partnership. Your actions to date contradict that.
Petition #2: For the sake of our students and so that they do not become your victims rather than your beneficiaries, please rescind your vote to separate. 
The straightforward statement: If you do not rescind your vote, I will spend every last ounce of my energy organizing this community against you and your career as a lawyer in Brownsville. This is not a threat, Trey. It is simply an honest statement of what I intend to do.
For me it's a matter of fidelity to the Lord and to the Gospel and a matter of justice for our students. "Seek ye first the kingdom and its justice." Not 2nd nor 7th nor 11th, but first. And actions to the contrary have consequences.
To one and all who might feel my stance vis-v-vis you is unChristian, I simply refer them to the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 23. The Lord was not inviting those folks to beer and nachos. He was angry, with righteous anger, the kind of anger the Scripture has reference to when it states: "Be angry and sin not."
I am angry over your vote to separate, righteously I truly believe, as angry as I have ever been in my lifetime.
It grieves me, pains me, disheartens me, makes me extremely angry that our precious young people, our greatest treasure, our hope for a better future, have been betrayed by the very people whose serious obligation it is to seek, serve and sustain the students' best interests. Peace.
Armand Mathew, OMI
Mr. Mathew: I do not take threats lightly. Thanks for doing me the favor of putting this in writing.
Trey
There are several questions that come to mind. The email was sent from UTB's Center for Civic Engagement, a university facility. It was sent by a priest to a democratically elected official threatening personal and professional destruction unless he votes the way the priest dictates. Is this appropriate use of public funds and facilities?
And what about the separation of church and state? Mathews was the director of the center at one time and was paid by UTB (Garcia) a hefty $52,000 salary. What are his loyalties? Who's paying him now to do Garcia's dirty work?
11 comments:
if this statement/email is legit then Mathew is the one going down !!!!!!!!!!!!
He does not serve this community he serves a special interest group. His Kids voting just a way to control a segment of votes for his special interest.
Amazing. I am astounded that Father Armand Matthew, a man I admire for his human sympathy, has attached himself in such a way to Juliet's chariot. He takes sides with the likes of Dr. Bobby Robles, who attacked other members of the TSC board and tried to make their political philosophy a tool for his side's view....but he gave no details as to why we should support his view...just that one of his opponents might be Republican. I am disappointed that Father Armand has aligned himself with such hypocrites...and that he is willing to give up his good name to tear down someone with different views...now that is hypocritical. He was only one of several priests who spoke in favor of Juliet and Dr. Robles at the open TSC meeting. I believe that priests who engage in politics should have their tax-exempt status withdrawn...as a shephard, they are speaking for their flock...so cut off the tax exemption and they will be less likely to soil themselves with secular problems and issues. Juliet and her "Committee" have resorted to using men like Father Armand and other leaders to persuade the public...without telling the public the real details of this "deal". And I am sure that after this meeting at UTB and all the hypocracy that we witnessed, that "Jesus wept".
Why does anyone admire this priest? This priest is as annoying as he is a bully.
Father Matthew appears to be a dye hard LIBERAL/PROGRESSIVE SOCIAL JUSTICE kinda guy!!!!! Probably a "closet" SOCIALIST/COMMUNIST!!!!!! Just like julieta garcia!!!!!!
This directly to father Matthew:
Just who the hell do you think you are?? You are attacking the entire community How dare you THREAT our Trustee? If you so much lift a finger against ANY of the four Trustees, this entire community will go after you..you will be responsible for anything that may happen from now on, since the threat letter was written by you.
What an stupid thing to do, but then again I think you are willing to die for Julieta...are you?? has she brainwashed you to that point? How sooo sad!!! And I thought you were smarted than that!!
As angry as ever in his life! More angry then war? Angrier then murder? Angier then when his fellow priests sexually abuse children? This man has apparently led a very sheltered life. What's going on with the college is a fairly big deal but no one is going to die over it. Father, get mad over something that really matters.
Mescalero
Matthew must resign--from the church and from any position he holds at the college. He has disgraced Brownsville. I SAY "GO TREY!". YOU AND THE OTHER THREE TRUSTEES DID WHAT YOU KNOW IS RIGHT. WE RESPECT THAT. WE ADMIRE THAT. YOU DESERVE TO BE SUPPORTED. I SUPPORT YOU. ALL OF US NEED TO VOICE OUR SUPPORT FOR YOU, MS. GARZA, MR. TORRES AND MR. RENDON LOUDLY, PUBLICLY, AND OFTEN. AND--THANK YOU!
we support you trey, adela, rene and kiko.
YOU GO TREY AGUAS
THESE ORGANIZED PROTEST HMM I SEEM TO RECALL RAHM EMANUEL FAMOUSLY SAY "DON'T LET A CRISIS GO TO WASTE," SOOO OUR BRILLIANT EVITA julieta garcia IS PRETENDING TO BE A "COMMUNITY ORGANIZER" AND AGITATED THE USEFUL IDIOTS/ASTRO TURFF PROTESTORS!!!!
TREY, ADELA KIKO & MR TORRES I HIGHLY RECOMMEND U ALL READ "RADICAL RULES BY SAL ALINSKY-YOU KNOW THE EXTREMIST MARXIST, (OH BTW, HE IS ALSO OBAMA'S MENTOR), CAUSE THAT'S HER PLAY BOOK AND KNOWING WHERE'S SHE COMING FROM WILL ARM YOU WITH AMMUNITION.
THE TRUTH WILL PREVAIL.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL
Our Legislators are not listening to your voice. They claim they only hear Unification voice. Please let them know.
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