To the editor: Thanks to The Times for its coverage of Huntington Beach's non-inclusive measures. And thanks to activist Kanan Durham for continuing to fight for LGBTQ+ people in that city; He is brave and I wish him good luck.
There's a lot to see in Huntington Beach, much of it painful to look at: far-right MAGA extremists waving American flags while pontificating to drivers and pedestrians; the endless giant trucks with blanket-sized Stars and Stripes banners roaring down the main streets; and the occasional neo-Nazi with flags making hand signals out the window of his car.
How have these people usurped the American flag?
Since Huntington Beach has banned the flying of the Pride flag outside of government buildings, it is time for us in the Orange County LGBTQ+ community to take back our American flag. I'm tired of wincing every time I see someone wielding or carrying the American flag, wondering but not wanting to know what they're really trying to say.
Charlotte Garcia, Seal Beach
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To the editor: The LGBTQ+ community is not the only group suffering from the election of a right-wing majority to the Huntington Beach City Council. That majority, with the support of the city attorney, is following the GOP's national script by banning books, attempting to privatize libraries, and appointing a citizens' group to review library books.
They maintain that they do it to protect children. If they were so interested in protecting children, they would support gun legislation.
They are also making it harder to vote by enacting an ordinance requiring identification.
Once the community realizes that this conservative narrative affects their property values, they will become more involved.
Richard C. Armendariz, Huntington Beach
