'I don't use race cards': New Mexico community organizer won't apologize for Maxine Waters orangutan Facebook post

A community organizer in Sante Fe, NM "may have damaged her movement's first steps by sharing a racist image online," The New Mexican reports.

"Gloria Mendoza incited some outrage on social media by sending a message on Facebook to one of her critics that showed a photograph of Democratic U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters of California conjoined with an image of an orangutan making a similar open-mouthed facial expression and wearing a wig made to look like Waters’ hair," The New Mexican explained. "With it, Mendoza likened Waters, a black congresswoman and critic of President Donald Trump, to a monkey."

"I don't use race cards," Mendoza told The New Mexican.

"Sorry if you're offended by it," Mendoza added. "But if they get nasty with me, I'll get nasty with them."

Many in Santa Fe were shocked.

"It's indefensible, honestly," said Valerie Kennedy, who was the recipient of the racist image. “I don’t want people running for office or trying to influence government to be promoting a racist agenda — and under the guise of, ‘Oh, we’re just trying to make Santa Fe better,’ when clearly that’s not what’s going on here, certainly not with Gloria Mendoza.”

“What makes me sad is that Mendoza is a part of a minority group that has been discriminated against,” wrote Hortencia Benavidez. “She’s a Hispanic woman and should know better.”