I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
A BBC reporter tooling through the state fair Thursday — the same day that Democrat Barack Obama was in New Mexico — was asking Hispanics their views on Barack Obama’s presidential bid. Reporter Jon Kelly talked first to a young graduate student who said he was going to vote for Obama.
Then Kelly stumbled upon Fernando C de Baca, chairman of the Bernalillo County Republicans. According to Kelly, C de Baca said Hispanics were a naturally conservative group.
Then C de Baca offered Kelly a blunt assessment on why Hispanics wouldn’t vote for Obama.
The reporter, John Kelly, quotes C de Baca as saying:
“The truth is that Hispanics came here as conquerors,” he said. “African-Americans came here as slaves.
“Hispanics consider themselves above blacks. They won’t vote for a black president.”
Kelly, unsure of the assessment, then spoke with a University of New Mexico political scientist Gabriel Sanchez.
Sanchez had this to say:
“I doubt there are more than 10 percent of Latinos who think that way — and half of them probably won’t even go out to vote,” he said.
Gabriel stressed that Hispanics were not a homogenous group. Mexicans in the southwest, Puerto Ricans in the northeast and traditionally Republican Cubans in Florida did not behave identically, he said.
“But in this election, I think Latinos are going to behave just like other Americans and vote with their pocket books.
“Obama has poured millions of dollars into reaching out to them. If he succeeds, then he wins the election.”
