A Huntington Beach city panel voted unanimously to approve a new $7,000 bronze plaque commemorating the public library's 50th anniversary, but its design — spelling out "MAGA" in an acrostic — has ignited a fierce debate over political messaging in public spaces, the Daily Mail reported.
Huntington Beach, a Republican stronghold in Southern California, is embroiled in controversy over a planned bronze plaque at the city's public library. Approved in a 6-0 vote by a city panel on Tuesday night, the placard features the words "Magical, Alluring, Galvanizing, Adventurous" in a vertical format, spelling out "MAGA," a slogan widely associated with President Donald Trump and his supporters.
The decision has deeply divided the city of roughly 200,000 people, with opponents calling it political propaganda and supporters defending it as a fitting tribute to the town's Republican leanings.
The city council, which is entirely conservative and led by Mayor Pat Burns, faced an outpouring of opposition at the meeting.
According to reports, 40 residents spoke against the plaque, with many booing as the panel approved the design, while only six spoke in favor. More than 300 emails were also sent to the commission questioning the use of the political slogan, according to Daily Pilot.
Barbara Richardson, a resident, said she initially believed the plaque design was a joke. "It turned out, the joke was on me because this plaque really is the real design," she told the Los Angeles Times. "From far away, it looks like the plaque is celebrating 50 years of MAGA, as the word is dead center in the middle of the plaque. This is where one's eye is drawn — to a political slogan."
Former city council member Natalie Moser condemned the plaque as political propaganda.
"Libraries are spaces for knowledge, community, and inclusion," Moser said. "They are not tools for political messaging. History warns us about what happens when public spaces are manipulated for political purposes."
Private donations will cover the plaque's $7,000 cost. Huntington Beach Deputy City Manager Jennifer Carey said the design resulted from input from multiple city officials.
"The plaque's design was a collaborative effort, incorporating input from various City Council members and the community," Carey told the Los Angeles Times.
Austin Edsell, chairman of the Community and Library Services Committee and a past president of the Orange County Young Republicans, was one of the few city officials to endorse the plaque publicly.
"It's a great library," Edsell said. "Honoring it and celebrating it in this way, I think it's very fitting for us."
The decision is the latest in a series of controversial moves by Huntington Beach's conservative leadership. The city previously made headlines for banning pride flags on government property and declaring itself a "non-sanctuary" city.
Despite the backlash, city officials have not indicated any plans to reconsider the plaque's approval.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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