Ex-NFL Player Chris Kluwe Explains Arrest Over Huntington Beach MAGA Plaque
A Vocal Critic of MAGA Ideology
Former NFL punter Chris Kluwe made national headlines more than a decade ago for his vocal support of same-sex marriage while playing for the Minnesota Vikings.
This week, the Orange County native garnered attention closer to home when he railed against a “MAGA” acrostic plaque that’s set to be placed outside the Huntington Beach Central Library in celebration of its 50th anniversary, saying the ideology is “profoundly corrupt, unmistakably anti-democracy and most importantly…explicitly a Nazi movement.”
A Display of “Peaceful Civil Disobedience”
You may have replaced a swastika with a red hat, but that is what it is,” Kluwe, 43, told the council during Tuesday’s meeting. The chambers erupted in applause.
Then, in what Kluwe said was an act of “peaceful civil disobedience,” he took a few steps toward the council dais where he was immediately surrounded by police officers. His plan was to stand near the dais until he was removed, he said. The move landed him in city jail with a misdemeanor citation for disturbing an assembly, Kluwe told The Times in an interview Thursday.
A Call to Action
I have the responsibility to step up and do something,” the 15-year Huntington Beach resident said. “That’s what I also hope to see from other people who enjoy that position of privilege and power … that they take this example and say, ‘You know what? I can do that too. I can help protect the oppressed.’ Because it shouldn’t be on the people who are being oppressed to fight by themselves.”
The Controversial Plaque
The bronze plaque, unanimously approved by the city council later in the meeting, has the words “Magical, Alluring, Galvanizing, Adventurous” placed vertically in the center. Together, the words form the “MAGA” acronym for “Make American Great Again” used by President Trump and his supporters.
A Divided Community
The plaque is the latest controversy in a city whose conservative leaders have frequently weighed in on divisive national issues the past several years. Some longtime residents, many of whom differ politically from the council majority, have complained that the topics taken up by the body stray too far from critical local concerns and have instead heightened polarization within the city.
Kluwe’s Criticism
The council really isn’t interested in listening to the community,” Kluwe said. “They just want to do whatever they can to build up their own visibility and power in the hopes of moving higher into Trump’s orbit. And that’s not how city government should work.”
A Call to Action
What you’re seeing in Huntington Beach is a microcosm of what’s happening nationally,” Kluwe told The Times. “This is what happens when MAGA gets power.”
Conclusion
The controversy surrounding the MAGA plaque in Huntington Beach highlights the deep divisions within the community, with some residents supporting the ideology and others, like Chris Kluwe, speaking out against it. As the city moves forward, it remains to be seen whether the plaque will be a symbol of unity or division.
FAQs
Q: What is the purpose of the MAGA plaque?
A: The plaque is intended to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Huntington Beach Central Library, but its use of the MAGA acronym has been criticized by some as promoting a divisive and discriminatory ideology.
Q: What is the city’s response to the controversy?
A: The city council has defended the use of the MAGA acronym, with one council member saying that the words have a “very inherent and plain meaning” and are not up for interpretation.
Q: What is Chris Kluwe’s stance on the issue?
A: Kluwe has spoken out against the use of the MAGA acronym, calling it “profoundly corrupt, unmistakably anti-democracy and most importantly…explicitly a Nazi movement.” He has also called for the city council to listen to the community and avoid using the plaque as a symbol of division.
