New Mexico: America’s Third World Country

If you thought California was the epitome of leftist extremism, think again. Welcome to New Mexico, where the progressive agenda has turned the state into a third-world country within America’s borders. From policies promoting critical race theory to the hiring of far-left equity consultants, New Mexico is as foreign as its namesake.

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Shortly after his election in 2017, Albuquerque Democratic Mayor Tim Keller promised to overhaul the government with antiracist ideals. “From Day One of our administration, we knew that inequity was growing and that we would have to change the culture,” Keller said. “When has learning and growing ever been comfortable?”

To implement this vision, Keller established the Office of Equity and Inclusion (OEI) in March 2018. This office created trainings on critical race theory (CRT), making some employees feel uncomfortable along the way. According to the OEI director, discomfort was a necessary part of the process.

One of the equity consultants hired was Zamil Salhab from RACED Consulting, a figure with extreme views. Salhab, a “genderqueer first-generation American and Post 9-11 veteran,” believes the U.S. military is the “home of White supremacy.” According to the RACED Consulting website, Salhab’s experiences and identity fuel his far-left perspectives.

“Being first generation and being black, being queer. And then to go into what I believe is the home of White supremacy and patriarchy, the military. Little did I realize like what damage… I was doing to myself and what I’d have to go through in order to deconstruct myself after getting out of the service,” Salhab said in June 2020. His comments reflect a deep-seated belief in the systemic racism and patriarchy within American institutions.

The Office of Equity and Inclusion contracted RACED Consulting to conduct CRT trainings, focusing on topics like “white fragility,” “De-Centering Whiteness,” “Interrupting White Supremacy,” and “Interrupting Whiteness.” These trainings were mandatory for low-level employees, though department directors and city leadership were largely absent. “The said process of deconstructing white supremacy behaviors is both external and internal. Visibly absent from the 2021 RACED sessions were department directors and city leadership,” the consulting section in the report stated. This absence highlights a disconnect between the administration’s goals and its upper management’s engagement.

The initiative also faced resistance. According to Michelle Melendez, director of the OEI, some city employees were uncomfortable with Keller’s racial agenda. “We also see a small but vocal resistance to addressing racism,” she noted. Despite this resistance, the administration pushed forward with its “Culture Change Initiative,” aiming to embed anti-racist practices throughout the city’s government.

As part of the culture change effort, each department was assigned a DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) staffer who reported on and gave an “equity assessment.” These liaisons underwent over ten months of training to prepare for their roles. “We all realized in our first year of working with equity liaisons that shifting the culture of institutions is extremely challenging,” the report stated. Departments like animal welfare, environmental health, transit, and the police department developed their own “racial equity action plans” to align with the city’s broader goals.

New Mexico’s approach to governance, particularly in Albuquerque, exemplifies the far-left policies that have taken root in parts of the United States. The state’s focus on CRT and equity training mirrors trends seen in other progressive areas but with an intensity that sets it apart. Before Keller’s election, conversations about race and racism were rare within the government. Now, such discussions are mandatory, with the aim of fostering a more inclusive and equitable city. This shift has led to significant discomfort among employees, raising questions about the balance between necessary change and forced compliance.

The transformation is not limited to city government. The military has also been a target of this ideological shift. In a related instance, a Space Force commander opened up about losing his pension for criticizing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within the military. He described feeling “betrayed” by an institution he served faithfully. This incident underscores a broader trend where dissenting voices within traditionally apolitical institutions are being silenced under the guise of promoting equity and inclusion.

New Mexico’s radical policies and the cultural shift within its government make it feel like a foreign land within America. The state’s commitment to critical race theory and the hiring of far-left consultants illustrate a broader trend of progressive overreach. If you thought California was bad, welcome to the third-world country of New Mexico. In this transformed landscape, the challenges of balancing progress with practicality are evident. The state’s journey highlights the complexities of implementing radical change and the potential pitfalls of an uncompromising approach to equity and inclusion. As New Mexico navigates these turbulent waters, the rest of the country watches, wondering if this is a preview of what’s to come nationwide.