Mailbag: Groans, ‘shameful disrespect' by Huntington Beach City Council causing public harm
I am simply amazed that the Huntington Beach City Council continues to demand that they be treated with respect and reverence by the public. Mayor Pat Burns has repeatedly responded to public comments with profanity, groans and illegal admonitions intending to intimidate and stifle public input. Public comment time has been constrained unreasonably to one minute, with sign ups for public comments cut off 30 minutes before the meetings. Invocations — stated on agendas to be not supportive of any particular religion — are always given 'in Jesus name,' ignoring the thousands of residents who are not of a Christian faith.
Most egregiously, all seven council members have in the past two years demeaned, degraded and defamed the city's librarians with false allegations that they are pedophiles and groomers, when in fact, not one incidence of such behavior has ever been established. Several senior librarians have left Huntington Beach employment, escaping further abuse, and being welcomed by neighboring cities. The public has suffered considerably from the resulting lack of public service.
The above are merely examples of the shameful disrespect regularly shown by the Huntington Beach City Council toward city residents and employees. How dare they demand our respect.
Linda Sapiro MoonHuntington Beach
Huntington Beach voters have spoken, and it wasn't even close. Measures A & B passed by a 2:1 margin.
This result was not a surprise. The Huntington Beach Public Libraries are a cherished local institution, while the idea of political appointees with the power to ban books and corporate outsourcing of public services are broadly rejected by most communities across America.
Yet for months, the will of H.B. residents was ignored. It took a grassroots petition drive, a costly special election and a landslide result to finally force the City Council to face reality. That reality check came with a steep price of nearly $1 million, and this is money the city can't afford amid looming budget shortfalls.
Unfortunately, this wasn't a one-time thing. Since assuming the majority in December 2022, this City Council has ended limits on political contribution, needlessly changed our city charter, disbanded numerous resident-led commissions/boards, gutted H.B.'s 1996 Declaration of Policy on Human Dignity, eliminated resident choice regarding electricity, sidelined the Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council and supported an endless array of pointless lawsuits while failing to fight a frivolous lawsuit that ended in a multi-million dollar giveaway of public funds to a political ally.
This isn't governance but rather reckless, ideologically driven mismanagement.
The overwhelming passage of Measures A and B should serve as a wake-up call — not just for this City Council, but for all H.B. residents. Huntington Beach deserves competent, accountable leadership. It is well past time to turn the page on extremism and restore common sense to our local government.
Steve ShepherdHuntington Beach
It's been a rough month so far for MAGA nation in Huntington Beach, a kind of a June swoon. The right-wing City Council spent over a million dollars on a special election to thwart two community led initiatives (Measures A and B) to protect our public library system and were rewarded by a sound thumping at the ballot box. This, from a city suffering a significant budget deficit which the City Council helped create through mismanagement and catering to special interests.
The 'No Kings' protest rally in Huntington Beach was very successful, much to the chagrin of the MAGAs who also saw their icon, Donald Trump, embarrassed at his birthday bash and military parade on Flag Day. It fizzled while coastal protest rallies in Orange County sizzled.
The mayor of Huntington Beach, Pat Burns, was slapped down by the ACLU for his rough handling of residents in public comments at City Council meetings, a mini-'No Kings' moment. The entire City Council has been lambasted for its lack of leadership and failure to represent the community in its decision-making. No graduation ceremony for this lot!
A letter in the Los Angeles Times stated that residents in Surf City were 'mortified' at being identified with the partisan extremists who have made our town a 'Republican stronghold.' All in all, a poor start to the summer for MAGA nation here.
Tim GeddesHuntington Beach
Andrew Turner's coverage of last Saturday's 'No Kings' protests in Laguna was lively and spot on! However, he sold Newport Beach's turn out short. It was not 'hundreds more' that gathered on both sides of the street. NBPD estimated 'several thousand' at PCH and MacArthur to protest Trump and his cruel immigration round ups.
Maybe this MAGA support is eroding with the prospect of having to plant their own 'Victory Gardens' and wash their own Maseratis and homes once the hard-working immigrants have all been rounded up and sent packing. Hope so!
Melissa Lawler McLeodLaguna Beach
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Editorial: Mayor Brandon Johnson should not veto snap curfews
On Wednesday, Chicago's City Council passed by a vote of 27-22 an ordinance authorizing so-called 'snap curfews,' meaning that Chicago police will have the authority to get teenagers off the streets if they sense trouble is brewing. In essence, police Superintendent Larry Snelling would have the power to impose curfews in specific public areas within Chicago where large, unpermitted teen gatherings are beginning, or expected soon to form. The idea is that police officers would be able to tell those already assembled that they have 30 minutes either to go home or take a walk with just a couple of friends elsewhere. Mayor Brandon Johnson blasted the ordinance approved by a clear majority of aldermen and said he planned to issue a rare mayoral veto (the first since 2006, the Richard M. Daley era) in coming days. He should rethink that idea. We're aware of arguments against giving the police this power, especially given our long-standing interest in guarding civil liberties. We've been concerned about a couple of kids being inside a movie theater, for example, only to walk out onto the street without knowing about any curfew and then finding themselves in conflict with the police. We're also of the view that law-abiding teens must be welcomed downtown and that there is nothing illegal in gathering with friends on a warm summer's night, shooting the breeze. That's why we were against making the existing 10 p.m. curfew for Under 17s any earlier, and why we applaud Jahmal Cole, founder and CEO of 'My Block, My Hood, My City,' who is planning to bring over 1,500 teens, primarily from the South and West sides, into the business and cultural districts of downtown Chicago on July 19 for what he calls 'a day of exploration, belonging and new opportunities.' This will be the third year the nonprofit organization also known as M3 will have chaperoned an initiative powered by donors and volunteers; we hear Cole expects to have more participants than ever this year. The plan is both to make these teens feel like they belong downtown, as they should, and also to start to shift some negative perceptions among downtown business owners and workers. We hope everyone has a great time together. But there is often a tradeoff between civil liberties and crime prevention and, where minors are concerned, protection must come first. If it is handled right, this new police power might actually keep kids safer by pre-empting any trouble before it happens. And to think that there is no danger of such trouble when teens gather en masse downtown is to put your head in the sand when it comes to the lessons of recent history, especially as hot summer nights are upon us. Johnson claimed that the ordinance, introduced by Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd), 'is counterproductive to the progress that we have made in reducing crime and violence in our city.' With all due respect, we don't see the merit of that argument. It should be seen as a tool. And let's remember that incidents of violent crime don't just affect tourists or the business district — they're usually worse for the kids caught up in any melee. No parent or grandparent wants a teen to get stuck around a group of hot-headed peers who might encourage them to do things they later have cause to regret and that impairs the progress of their promising young lives. Such scenarios typically terrify a teenager's loved ones. Perhaps most importantly here, the city's aldermen, many of whom represent the impacted families and know their communities very well, are telling the mayor loud and clear that they want this protection, not just for folks downtown but for the kids themselves. And the vote would suggest that these aldermen of the majority, such as Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd), trust Snelling to guard against any problems, which will mean using the ordinance very sparingly, offering as much advance notice as possible and focusing on de-escalation. Snelling already has said in several interviews that he will commit to that. Good. And if no snap curfew is ever needed this summer, all the better. Still, whatever his ideological misgivings or sense of being personally affronted, the mayor would be wise to listen to the City Council and add this ordinance to the police's toolbox for keeping everyone safe. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@
12 hours ago
Court blocks Louisiana law requiring schools to post Ten Commandments in classrooms
NEW ORLEANS -- A panel of three federal appellate judges has ruled that a Louisiana law requiring the Ten Commandments to be posted in each of the state's public school classrooms is unconstitutional. The ruling Friday marked a major win for civil liberties groups who say the mandate violates the separation of church and state, and that the poster-sized displays would isolate students — especially those who are not Christian. The mandate has been touted by Republicans, including President Donald Trump, and marks one of the latest pushes by conservatives to incorporate religion into classrooms. Backers of the law argue the Ten Commandments belong in classrooms because they are historical and part of the foundation of U.S. law. The plaintiffs' attorneys and Louisiana disagreed on whether the appeals court's decision applied to every public school district in the state or only the districts party to the lawsuit. 'All school districts in the state are bound to comply with the U.S. Constitution,' said Liz Hayes, a spokesperson for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which served as co-counsel for the plaintiffs. The appeals court's rulings 'interpret the law for all of Louisiana,' Hayes added. "Thus, all school districts must abide by this decision and should not post the Ten Commandments in their classrooms.' Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said she disagreed and believed the ruling only applied to school districts in the five parishes that were party to the lawsuit and that she would seek to appeal the ruling. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' order stems from a lawsuit filed last year by parents of Louisiana school children from various religious backgrounds, who said the law violates First Amendment language guaranteeing religious liberty and forbidding government establishment of religion. The mandate was signed into law last June by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry. The court's ruling backs an order issued last fall by U.S. District Judge John deGravelles, who declared the mandate unconstitutional and ordered state education officials not to take steps to enforce it and to notify all local school boards in the state of his decision. Law experts have long said they expect the Louisiana case to make its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, testing the conservative court on the issue of religion and government. In 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a similar Kentucky law violated the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which says Congress can 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion.' The high court found that the law had no secular purpose but served a plainly religious purpose. In 2005, the Supreme Court held that such displays in a pair of Kentucky courthouses violated the Constitution. At the same time, the court upheld a Ten Commandments marker on the grounds of the Texas state Capitol in Austin.
American Press
12 hours ago
- American Press
Court blocks Louisiana law requiring schools to post Ten Commandments in classrooms
Gov. Jeff Landry on Wednesday signed a bill mandating the displays of the 10 Commandments in all Louisiana public schools. (Crystal Stevenson / American Press) A panel of three federal appellate judges has ruled that a Louisiana law requiring the Ten Commandments to be posted in each of the state's public school classrooms is unconstitutional. The ruling Friday marked a major win for civil liberties groups who say the mandate violates the separation of church and state, and that the poster-sized displays would isolate students — especially those who are not Christian. The mandate has been touted by Republicans, including President Donald Trump, and marks one of the latest pushes by conservatives to incorporate religion into classrooms. Backers of the law argue the Ten Commandments belong in classrooms because they are historical and part of the foundation of U.S. law. The plaintiffs' attorneys and Louisiana disagreed on whether the appeals court's decision applied to every public school district in the state or only the districts party to the lawsuit. 'All school districts in the state are bound to comply with the U.S. Constitution,' said Liz Hayes, a spokesperson for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which served as co-counsel for the plaintiffs. The appeals court's rulings 'interpret the law for all of Louisiana,' Hayes added. 'Thus, all school districts must abide by this decision and should not post the Ten Commandments in their classrooms.' Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said she disagreed and believed the ruling only applied to school districts in the five parishes that were party to the lawsuit and that she would seek to appeal the ruling. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' order stems from a lawsuit filed last year by parents of Louisiana school children from various religious backgrounds, who said the law violates First Amendment language guaranteeing religious liberty and forbidding government establishment of religion. The mandate was signed into law last June by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry. The court's ruling backs an order issued last fall by U.S. District Judge John deGravelles, who declared the mandate unconstitutional and ordered state education officials not to take steps to enforce it and to notify all local school boards in the state of his decision. Law experts have long said they expect the Louisiana case to make its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, testing the conservative court on the issue of religion and government. In 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a similar Kentucky law violated the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which says Congress can 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion.' The high court found that the law had no secular purpose but served a plainly religious purpose. In 2005, the Supreme Court held that such displays in a pair of Kentucky courthouses violated the Constitution. At the same time, the court upheld a Ten Commandments marker on the grounds of the Texas state Capitol in Austin.
