Monday, August 08, 2022

City That Celebrates Diversity Reels From Muslim Murders; National And Local Leaders Decry Apparent Hate Crimes, Plus: Political Overtones To Tragedy In Guv Race

Shock and disbelief enveloped Albuquerque as it grappled with the fact that a city with a reputation for welcoming and embracing immigrants from around the world and that celebrates ethnic and cultural diversity like few others has given rise to a possible serial killer or killers targeting Muslims. 

As the weekend closed the death toll climbed to four men, arousing panic and fear among ABQ Muslims and generating outrage in the city, state, nation and world as word of the murders rippled across the globe.  

The President:

I am angered and saddened by the horrific killings of four Muslim men in Albuquerque. While we await a full investigation, my prayers are with the victims’ families, and my Administration stands strongly with the Muslim community. These hateful attacks have no place in America.

The Vice-President:

I am deeply disturbed by the killings of four Muslim men in Albuquerque. As law enforcement continues to investigate these heinous attacks, we remain clear that we stand with the Muslim community in New Mexico and around our country. Hate has no place in America. 

Gov. Lujan Grisham:

The targeted killings of Muslim residents of Albuquerque is deeply angering and wholly intolerable. I am sending additional State Police officers to Albuquerque to work in close coordination with APD and the FBI to bring the killer or killers to justice – and they WILL be found. I am incredibly angry about this situation. We will provide justice to the families who have lost everything. My Administration stands strongly with the Muslim community.

ABQ Mayor Keller:

Albuquerque’s commitment to supporting our Muslim community cannot be broken. We remember each of the victims and the family, friends, and community who knew and loved them. We are outraged by these attacks and will not relent in our pursuit of justice for those we have lost.

Ahmed Assed, President of the Islamic Center of New Mexico:

This is not the New Mexico I grew up in and love and cherish. 

Assed's comments hit hard. Here's our take: 

Albuquerque has little resemblance to the city that once was. The never-ending drug epidemic curated by the cartels; the record setting homicides, the constant business burglaries; the recent edification of the drug culture at the Convention Center where TV drug dealers are immortalized in statues; the tolerance of the gangsta culture epitomized by the nauseating nickname of "Burque" and now an international black eye as a still unknown lunatic (or lunatics) who may be targeting Muslims. 

Drugs and violence have steadily destroyed much of the soul of the city that once was, but solace could still be had by rejoicing in our collective tolerance for one another. Now that's being ripped away from us. 

Reclaiming the city of the past is not possible. We are now fighting for a tie with an evil with no boundaries and that lives openly among us. 

THE POLITICS 

To everything there is a season and to every news development in an election year there are political implications. 

As of Sunday night, GOP Guv nominee Mark Ronchetti was noticeably silent on the biggest story of the year and of this campaign. 

He did take time to decry the drunk driver who drove through a crowd of parade spectators at the Gallup Intertribal Ceremonial but has had nothing to say about the possible targeting and murdering of innocent Muslims on the streets of the state's largest city, even as the world recoils over the tragedy.

For a candidate who only last week defended his crime fighting prowess when MLG erroneously charged him with wanting to defund the police, his silence was noteworthy.

There is a large strain of Christian nationalism among today's Republicans who mistrust Muslims. Was Ronchetti reckoning with that when he refrained from commenting? Or will he wait and use the murders as a political issue against MLG down the road. Either way it's walking on thin ice. 

POSTSCRIPT

After we published Monday, Ronchetti tweeted this:

Crime continues to be out of control and now there appears to be a serial killer in ABQ. Police are looking for the vehicle above in connection with the murders of four men from our Muslim Community. Please call 505-843-Stop or go to http://CrimeStoppersNM.org, if you have any info.

REMEMBERING 

Reader Michael Sage writes of the recent passing of longtime Democratic consultant and lobbyist Mark Fleisher:

Joe, I attended the Annual Luncheon of the Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments in Gallup. Marty Chavez, former Albuquerque Mayor, served as guest speaker. Among those in attendance were the Mayor of Gallup and Rep. Patricia Lundstrom.

While the lunch was to celebrate COG's 50 years of service, the topic of conversation was the passing of Mark Fleisher. Mark was a true friend and advocate for Northwest New Mexico including Gallup. The recent legislative successes such as increased funding for the Gallup McKinley School District by way of the Yazzie-Martinez lawsuit and helping secure funding to bring commercial air passenger service back to Gallup were due in large part to Mark's tireless work.

The luncheon gave thunderous applause in recognition of Mark, an applause so loud, it rivaled the loudest NM monsoon lightning strike. Mark will be truly missed by his friends in Northwest New Mexico.

This is the home of New Mexico Politics. 

E-mail your news and comments. (newsguy@yahoo.com)

Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here.  

(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2022
Posted by: Joe Monahan / Monday, August 08, 2022



website design by limwebdesign