Where’s Nichols?

Gee, what a surprise. Dick Nichols doesn’t show up for the council

meeting. Got a note from his doctor? What’s next? The dog ate his

homework? His wife writes the Daily Pilot to defend her hubby. How

cute. Hey, Mr. Nichols, you were elected to stand out in front and

represent the City of Newport Beach. Stop hiding behind your wife’s

skirt and face the music. No one caused this mess other than you.

JOHN LARSON

Newport Beach

There is no problem if you criticize white folks. But, if you say

anything against blacks, Jews, Latinos or Native Americans, you will

be severely reprimanded. Nichols is outspoken, so he must either

decide to become a politician or get out.

STAN LOVE

Newport Beach

Ironic that so often those who are open and verbal about their

various racial prejudices are less harmful to the racial minority in

question than the closet bigots who spread their racial manure from

the shadows.

GARY DRIES

Costa Mesa

Nichols’ statements were absolutely true, they weren’t racist, nor

any attempt to be racist at all. The truth of the matter is that he

is right. And the Mexican people that are down there usually do take

over the grass areas. And if the Mayor Steve Bromberg doesn’t like

that, let the truth be told. Maybe he should resign if none of his

colleagues can make comments. I know he is in the public’s eye, but

it is not a racist statement, it is a true fact. So maybe the mayor

should resign. That would be a good idea.

JOHN CHARGIN

Corona del Mar

Dick Nichols needs to understand that the right thing in

government is to resign. It is not up to his feelings or his opinions

about what he said, but rather, the society that he lives with. And

we don’t tolerate those kinds of beliefs and those kind of racist

statements in this day and age. And America has always been a strong

country because we welcome people from all nations on earth. And

we’ve always believed in the individual. These American values are

true values and family values and they should be the values that are

reflected in all of our public leaders. I have the right to distance

myself from Dick Nichols and his statements. I urge the council and

the citizens of Newport Beach to do the same.

FRED REWLINS

Newport Beach

It is my opinion that Dick Nichols should resign as a councilman.

He has become a total embarrassment to his constituents. I have a

further question for him. One of my daughter-in-law’s parents were

born in Mexico. So I assume in Nichol’s opinion, that makes for a

Mexican. I want to know if it is OK with Nichols if I invite her over

to my home, just as long as I don’t let her go to the beach.

TOM LUMSDON

Corona del Mar

Why would Latino people not be allowed to spend the day on the

Corona del Mar bluffs with their children and friends enjoying the

beauty for which we’ve all been graced?

I invite Councilman Nichols and others to join me in learning from

a culture of many loving and hard-working people of faith and

courage.

Would I give up my comfort to help others by bringing them into my

already crowded home so that they could begin a better life? Would I

walk to night classes to learn a foreign language after a day of hard

labor and low wages? Do I understand the humiliation they may feel by

the work we give them and then tell them to stay off our beach?

Yes, gangs are a problem, so I would hope the parents of all races

across Newport-Mesa would unite to help our children and teens handle

the temptations that face them at every turn -- whether the “gang”

hangs out in a beautiful home in Corona del Mar or an alley in

Westside Costa Mesa.

Many Latinos traveled here in dangerous conditions to raise their

families where they can be educated and given opportunities they

themselves could never experience under a corrupt and unjust

government.

My hope is that many of our Latinos enjoy lives the generations

before them could not. I hope their children return as professional

people with integrity and accountability, giving back to the

community in spite of the bigotry of some, and because of the

kindness, generosity and love of others.

I hope that in the process they do not become what you’ve become

Councilman Nichols.

C. VOSSELLER

Costa Mesa