Still feeling the heat from searing comment

The Daily Pilot has been less than objective in its reporting of the

Nichols fiasco. Its incendiary “Mexicans on the beach” article

sparked the conflagration, and since then, the paper’s reporters have

shown consistent anti-Nichols bias. The Pilot’s report on public

comments at the July 8, 2003, council meeting depicted only two

points of view: racism and anti-racism. That is not balanced

reporting.

I spoke at that meeting and heard every other speaker. While there

were extremists on both sides, there were many others besides myself

who called for an end to the hysteria, opposed a draconian resolution

that would have removed or neutralized Mr. Nichols and appealed to

the City Council to let the community express its opinion at the next

election rather than encouraging a recall petition -- which would be

costly, debilitating, and most probably unsuccessful. I did not read

of such moderate views in the Pilot, which balanced reporting would

not have overlooked.

Finally, your editorial on July 14 fell into line with the

reporting. It is totally incorrect to say that Mr. Nichols accused

the council, the Daily Pilot and the Fire Department of a conspiracy.

He never used that word; it was Mayor Steve Bromberg’s. Mr. Nichols

repudiated the word. But what he meant was clear. Sharks do not

conspire when they smell blood. They just know what to do.

Taking Bromberg’s words and putting them in the mouth of Mr.

Nichol’s goes beyond unprofessional reporting. It sounds to me like,

well, a conspiracy.

TOM MOULSON

Corona del Mar

A surplus of verbiage has resulted from Councilman Dick Nichol’s

comments regarding the use of Corona del Mar state beach by the

Mexican community. However, little attention has been devoted to his

vote to abstain from the decision to proceed with plans to make

capital improvements to the beach. No reason was given for this vote.

The 500 foot radius restriction does not apply in this case, as it

did with the Port Theatre. Qualities that should be possessed by an

elected representative are leadership and vision. Sadly, Nichols

lacks both, and on this basis alone he should resign his position on

the City Council.

RUSSELL HOWELL

Corona del Mar

Watching the sad debacle at the council Tuesday night, I was

struck by the incredible arrogance of councilman Gary Adams. He was

not troubled by the comments of Councilman Dick Nichols per se, but

rather intimated that Nichols was simply ignorant and supported that

assumption by noting that Nichols didn’t grasp concepts the way he

and his cronies did.

This from a councilman whose repertoire includes demeaning and

derogatory comments to speakers who dare approach the dais to address

the council and question their actions? Adams has repeatedly made

remarks about speakers’ “brains being fried,” being “ignorant,”

senile or disingenuous.

Nichols’ comments are regrettable, however, the continual dressing

down of speakers at the dais by Adams, and at times Mayor Steve

Bromberg, are unacceptable. The result of their condescending and

abusive behavior is to chill freedom of speech and the citizen’s

inalienable right to address their representative government.

Adams’ apologizing to the city for Nichols’ comments is a joke. He

needs to only look within himself to see real intolerance.

MICHELLE TRAIL

Newport Beach

Cyndie Borcoman’s letter in the Pilot sounds pretty intolerant to

me. In fact, I could feel the hate dripping off the page. I also

found it interesting that Borcoman whined that many of the supporters

of Dick Nichols were, in Borcoman’s view, not from Newport Beach.

Can it be that Borcoman wants to keep people out of Newport Beach

who don’t agree with her liberal world view? Perhaps she wants to

keep Americans off the grass near the beaches? Borcoman should also

look up the word bigot before she throws it around, because some of

her views sound bigoted.

Borcoman also doesn’t seem to understand that “free speech” in the

United States means that people have a right to say more than “I love

mom and apple pie,” even if Borcoman and her ilk don’t like it.

M.H. MILLARD

Costa Mesa

Councilman Dick Nichols is an embarrassment to our community, and

yes, I agree with the actions that the City Council took. Too bad

they couldn’t do it even stronger.

DOROTHY LESHNER

Newport Beach