Immigration issue needs practicality

Geoff West

Recently, former Newport-Mesa Unified School District Trustee and

current Costa Mesa Parks and Recreation Commissioner Wendy Leece

wrote a commentary addressing Newport Beach Councilman Dick Nichols’

most controversial comment about “Mexicans” at Corona Del Mar State

Beach (“Did Nichols’ opponents make too much noise?” Tuesday). Her

commentary was yet another log on the fire -- one that has burned far

brighter on the pages of this newspaper than any other in this

reader’s memory.

Leece has a special familiarity with taking controversial

positions, so it is not surprising that she takes a position

defending Nichols’ right to offer what appears to be bigoted

comments. As a Westside Costa Mesa resident, she has a front row seat

on the “unprecedented immigrant explosion” she mentions in her piece.

It’s unlikely that you could find many long-term residents of the

Newport-Mesa area who would disagree that the immigrant influx has

caused changes in all our lives. As Quintin J. Reich described so

eloquently in his commentary this week, cultural differences can be

difficult to deal with (“A slice of American heaven,” Thursday). He

is not the first person I’ve heard recently complain about having to

extract dirty diapers and beer bottles from their yards -- gifts from

uncaring and unthinking “guests” in their community. In fact, this is

not a new issue -- we have friends who moved from their home in

Corona del Mar two decades ago for that very reason.

As unpleasant as all this is, and as accurate as these

descriptions may be, they all miss the point when it comes to

Nichols’ recent blunders. It’s OK for him to think what he thinks.

It’s even OK if he discusses it with his cronies, many of whom

obviously share his viewpoint. However, it’s an entirely different

story when he uses his position of power as a Newport Beach

councilman to broadcast his intolerant views -- even if he doesn’t

realize they are intolerant. He is entitled to his viewpoint, and the

Constitution guarantees him the right to express it. It does not

shield him from the consequences, though. He can express views that

mark him as an insensitive, narrow-minded bigot if he chooses, but he

can’t complain when he is subsequently identified as such.

Nichols has become a pretty pathetic caricature in recent weeks.

He appears to be a man standing in quicksand. The more he struggles,

the deeper he sinks. Nichols has talked himself waist-deep in the

quagmire and sinks deeper with each word he speaks. He may, if fact,

be beyond the point of no return.

No one will argue with Leece’s right to defend Nichols and his

perceptions. Her empathy for him is understandable. She needs to

realize, though, that their battle will not be easily won as long as

the federal government chooses to virtually ignore the immigrant

situation.

In the meantime, the immigrants are here, the cultural differences

exist and we need to work together to develop practical solutions for

the integration of this huge and growing segment of our population.

* GEOFF WEST is a resident of Costa Mesa.