What a mess the Republican Party of New Mexico has on its hands.

As I write this, Fernando C. de Baca is still clinging to his seat as Bernalillo County Republican Party Chairman. C de Baca gave New Mexicans an international black eye during Barack Obama’s visit to the state one week ago when he told the BBC  — not once, but twice — that Hispanics resented Blacks and would not vote for a black president. 

“The truth is that Hispanics came here as conquerors. African-Americans came here as slaves,” he told the BBC.  “Hispanics consider themselves above blacks. They won’t vote for a black president.”

Since then, C. de Baca has stubbornly resisted requests to step down from both Democrats and Republicans, including senior U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici and state Republican Party Chairman Allen Weh.

Now comes the most recent development in this embarrassing, irritating saga:  Today, a number of members of the black community in Albuquerque plan to gather at the Macedonia Baptist Church to call for C de Baca to resign. The group, led by Macedonia’s Rev. Darnell Smith, is a coalition of people from statewide religious, political and social justice groups.

I respect this group’s effort and I hope it spells the end of C. de Baca’s term,  but not entirely for the reason you might think.
 
As a black New Mexican, am I offended at C. de Baca’s clumsy characterization of black/Hispanic relations? Yep.

But am I shocked that some people still hold such archaic, divisive, uninformed views? Sadly, no.

When I heard of C. de Baca’s remark, I wasn’t so much shocked at its blithe racism as I was amazed that someone in his position would say something so stupid to someone he had to know was going to spread it all over the world.

Don’t get me wrong — I cherish the First Amendment. I didn’t question his RIGHT to say it…but why on earth would he?

And then I just sat back and watched, because I think what happens after an ugly comment escapes into mixed company is infinitely more fascinating and revealing than the actual utterance of the words.

After his comments became public, C. de Baca tried to say the reporter had taken them out of context. He was only talking about the past, he said. The BBC reporter stood by his story. Later, an audiotape of C. de Baca talking to another BBC reporter surfaced and showed C. de Baca clearly and emphatically making similar points and casting them in the present. 

As word spread of his comments, calls came from both the Democratic Party and his own Republican Party for him to resign. And for a while there, it looked like he would step down, like so, so many others who’ve been caught sharing views in public that they should have kept private – or better yet, not had at all.

But then some in his party came out swinging. The party’s county executive board voted to support him. His most vocal supporter, party county executive board member Doug Antoon, tried to spin the BBC as a liberal media outlet that willingly distorted C. de Baca’s comments. That argument, so beloved by Republicans this election season, sank like a stone when tossed at the venerable BBC and was entirely shot down by the audiotape.

Last I heard from C de Baca, he was telling a local conservative talk radio show that he will not resign unless the group that voted him in – the central party commitee – decides to vote him out.

It’s a big, fat, fascinating Republican mess.

But I’m still not outraged. I’m sorry. I’ve seen it happen so many times; I’ve heard so many things I’m not supposed to hear….I just don’t get shocked anymore.

But I do know I just want this particular chapter to be over, today.  There is too much actual news happening right now – most of it epically, historically bad –  for this ludicrous story to keep hogging the headlines.