Mailbag: It’s time to speak up and use your voice

In recent weeks, I’ve watched demonstrations rise across Southern California against those who support dictatorship and use power to silence dissent — from Russian propagandists to local officials who enable injustice. These protests matter. They remind us that democracy is fragile — and that we must use our voices to defend it.

I moved to California with my son three weeks before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

I believed I had reached a place of safety. But soon, I encountered something disturbingly familiar: silence in the face of abuse.

Like many immigrants, I came with hope, honesty, and vulnerability — only to see those qualities met with manipulation, disinformation and isolation. People who called me “family” behind closed doors violated my dignity. Abuse here wasn’t hidden — it was normalized.

I have lived under the shadows of dictatorship. I lost my family at age 10 when the Soviet Union collapsed, and I later survived institutional and domestic abuse in the U.K.

I know how dangerous silence is. That is why today, I am raising my voice.

The normalization of harm, whether in personal relationships or public discourse, always serves those in power. And when communities turn a blind eye or excuse abusive behavior as “just the way things are,” they protect the abusers — not the vulnerable.

To my neighbors in coastal Orange County: I urge you to speak out. Don’t dismiss the warning signs. Abuse of power thrives in places where people are taught to stay quiet, to “keep the peace,” or to “look the other way.” Don’t.

Vulnerability is not weakness. It’s where courage begins. It’s the first step in breaking cycles of harm. If you see injustice — whether in a home, school or public institution — don’t protect the silence. Use your voice. Show up. Speak up.

Because when we speak, we don’t just protect ourselves — we protect each other.

Nadiia Hardy
Laguna Beach

You can fight City Hall, after all

On June 10, Huntington Beach residents demonstrated that, not only can you fight City Hall, you can fight City Hall and win. Back in 2023, the City Council rejected the pleas from hundreds of residents to reconsider their book ordinance. As a result, committed volunteers joined forces to gather signatures, write postcards, knock on doors and attend marches and rallies. Last year, when the council issued an request for proposal (RFP) to outsource library management, volunteers worked together to create another petition that would require voter approval before the council could take such action.

It was a combined effort from the public that took long hours and dedication, but it was a battle worth fighting. This was something the City Council did not and does not understand. They were willing to take a million dollar gamble that residents would not show up and vote.

They grossly underestimated how much the public appreciates our library and its staff. The support for our library was overwhelming, as is evident in the voting results. People rebel against book restrictions. They don’t want a politically-appointed committee deciding what books their families can and cannot read. People don’t want their libraries run by a private for-profit company.

Hopefully this will serve as a lesson to other cities considering similar agendas; residents value their libraries and reject censorship. Learn from us. Instead of the MAGA library plaque the H.B. City Council wants to install, may I suggest a “ Don’t Tread On Our Library” flag instead?

Barbara Richardson
Huntington Beach