Former NFL punter Chris Kruwe made national headlines more than a decade ago for vocal support for same-sex marriage while playing for the Minnesota Vikings.
This week, people from Orange County came close to their homes and attracted attention when they opposed the acrostic plaques of “Maga” located outside the Huntington Beach Central Library to celebrate their 50th anniversary. – Democracy and most importantly… explicitly the Nazi movement. ”
“You might have replaced the Swastika with a red hat, but that’s what it is,” Kruwe, 43, told the council at Tuesday’s meeting. The room erupted with applause.
He then immediately took several steps towards the council day surrounded by police officers, saying that it was an act of “peaceful civil disobedience.” His plan was to stand close to Days until he was removed, he said. The move is a misdemeanor quote that would land him in a city prison and disturb the council, Kruwe told the Times in an interview Thursday.
“I’m responsible for stepping up and doing something,” said a 15-year-old Huntington Beach resident. “It’s something I want to see from other people who enjoy their positions of privilege and power… They take this example and say, “What do you know? I can do that too.” I can help protect the oppressed, because I should not be in the oppressed to fight for myself. ”
The bronze plaque, unanimously approved by the city council later in the meeting, places the words “magic, charming, galvanized, adventurous” vertically in the center. Together, the word forms the acronym for “Maga” for “Make American Great Again,” which was used by President Trump and his supporters.
City Council member Grace Van Der Mark said he was pretty scared for a few seconds as Cruwe walked over to the platform in front of Days and turned around and placed his hands behind his back.
“He wanted five minutes of fame, and that’s what he got,” she said.
The plaque is the latest debate in a city that has frequently placed emphasis on the frequent, divisive national issues in the past few years by conservative leaders. Longtime residents, with many who are politically different from council majority, complain that the topics covered by the body are far from local concerns and instead increase polarization within the city. It’s there.
“The council is not really interested in listening to the community,” Kruwe said. “They just want to do everything they can to build their visibility and power, hoping to move higher into Trump’s trajectory. And that’s how the city government should work. there is no.”
Over the past two years, Huntington Beach has blocked the rainbow flag from flying city hall every spring to celebrate pridemon, creating a review panel to screen children’s books at the Municipal Library, and has passed local means I presented it. Voters who allow staff to request voter identification by voting.
Last month, the council voted to make Huntington Beach an “non-district city” for illegal immigrants.
“What we’re seeing in Huntington Beach is a microcosm of what’s going on nationwide,” Kruwe told The Times. “This is what happens when the Magazine gains power.”
Councillor Chad Williams defended the acronym in an Instagram post about Kluwe’s arrest, saying that the word “makes America great again” has “very unique and obvious meaning.” I stated.
“The meaning of these words does not entail people’s imagination. Those who pour their personal and imaginary meaning into objective words will be in the imaginary world where the rest of our adults are not active. I live there,” he writes. “The irony is that those who tend to struggle to understand this are the same people who struggle to define it. [the] “What is a woman?” means
Kanan Durham, executive director of Pride at the Pier, said he sincerely said Kluwe, a nonprofit formed to push back what organizers say is a growing community hatred, “How do you think you’re doing?” “It’s a great example for this.” You can use your privileges to support marginalized communities. ”
“As a trans person, being arrested for me is much more complicated for Chris,” Durham said. “I can’t even openly get mad at Day. I can be despicable. I can build up passion, but when I get mad I’ll be amortized.”
He was handcuffed and Kruwe said he really didn’t want to be there. According to a video posted on social media, he smiled as three policemen kicked him out of the room amid screams and cheers from the crowd.
“I wanted it to be very clear to the council, but in a normal city council where this should not happen, it shouldn’t happen,” Kruwe said. “City council meetings should be boring. We should discuss which streets will be paved next. But they hijacked it for their own personal interest, so we As citizens… we have to let them know that this is not appropriate.”
Daily Pilot Staff Writer Matt Szabo contributed to this report.
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