Mailbag: A power-hungry agenda threatens Surf City

We, the citizens of Huntington Beach, must disempower the reactionary majority of the City Council by defeating them in elections and voting against their self-serving ballot proposals. Moreover, Mayor Pro Tem Gracie Van Der Mark‘s proposal that professionally trained librarians be superseded by a council-appointed library review board (no requirement for appointment specified) is further evidence of the ignorant and power-hungry agenda of misleadership under this right-wing municipal cartel. Fellow citizens, the future of Surf City is in our hands. End the reign of these town tyrants as soon as possible.

Ben Miles
Huntington Beach

The Huntington Beach City Council majority has had just about enough of public participation at City Council meetings. The Oct. 17 meeting had 128 speakers and received 547 emails.

So, the council came up with a plan that involved voting on the climate issue this past week. But this was not a regular City Council meeting. Rather, they scheduled it for Monday, Oct. 23 with a total of 14 people attending and speaking.

This council then voted 4-3 to withdraw from the OCPA. This reflects that Huntington Beach does not want to continue to be part of the effort to curb greenhouse gas emissions, a major issue of climate change.

What is going on in our city?

Flossie Horgan
Huntington Beach

In May, the Huntington Beach City Council majority decided to remove custody of the council meetings’ invocation from the Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council and award it to Mayor Tony Strickland as his prerogative selection. Thumbing his nose at diversity, Mayor Strickland has stuck with our police and fire chaplains, both Christian, since then in possible violation of the 1st Amendment. At its Oct. 17 meeting, the City Council passed a resolution supporting Israel and condemning Hamas for the brutal attack on Oct. 7. At a following special council meeting on Oct. 23, I suggested during public comments that the council break this cycle and have a representative from one of the two faiths mentioned in the resolution present the invocation at the following council meeting on Nov. 7 if only to promote peace and restraint in light of possible future conflict. At the Mayor’s Town Hall on Oct. 24, I reminded Mayor Strickland of the suggestion, and he thought it might be a good idea. He asked me if I had a rabbi in mind to do it. I deferred to an attendee who was with me and much more knowledgeable with the Interfaith Council. He made a recommendation, selecting someone different than Rabbi Stephen Einstein, a co-founder of the Interfaith Council, whose prayer in December last year had been deemed political by the council majority. Various civic and community leaders thought the suggestion was a good idea and a fitting opportunity to return diversity and purpose to the council invocation in light of the recent resolution. Mayor Strickland and the council majority have been criticized all year for ignoring the will of the community on various topics. As his mayoral year winds down, it is speculated that Strickland has the opportunity to put his money where his mouth is regarding his support resolution on Israel. To do otherwise would have his resolution ring hollow.

Tim Geddes
Huntington Beach

Seeking equity in Orange County

“Where conversation is not present, justice cannot arise.”

Parting words from Poet Ali at the 2023 Orange County Grantmakers Summit held Oct. 5 at Orange Coast College remind us that equity is not possible without meaningful dialogue. The annual event provided a space for more than 400 philanthropists and nonprofit leaders to engage in conversations about what equity looks like in practice across Orange County, an ever-changing landscape historically home to diverse communities.

Of the many ideas explored in breakout sessions — from finding humanity in AI to trust-based philanthropy that invests in leaders and their vision — the concept of ethical storytelling resonated deeply in a conversation about grounding organizational narratives in race, equity and social justice.

Words matter. And for many nonprofits, stories are a critical currency. In this insightful session, a dialogue was had about how the ways in which we talk, teach and practice storytelling can uphold harmful systems of oppression. The interactive learning environment offered an opportunity to deconstruct the narratives of marginalized or underrepresented groups and come from a place of truth and positivity that empowers the subjects rather than sensationalizes trauma.

The kind of thoughtful, actionable discourse that emerged from this year’s summit cannot be a once-a-year occasion. To advance equity, racist and oppressive systems must be changed, historically oppressed communities must be heard, and they must find liberation and autonomy. That begins with continuing these important conversations and putting words into action.

To that end, Orange County Grantmakers convenes year-round with monthly workshops, briefings, and roundtables that range from deconstructing media stereotypes surrounding Arab and South Asian communities (held Oct 24) to equity in health (Dec. 6). Each event is centered on encouraging meaningful dialogue that can inform strategies to move us forward in our journey to a more equitable Orange County.

Taryn Palumbo
Huntington Beach