NEW VERSION of plaque to be installed at Huntington Beach Central Library.

By Jim Tortolano/Orange County Tribune

A modified version of the controversial “MAGA” plaque noting the 50th anniversary of the opening of the city’s Central Library was approved unanimously on Tuesday night by the Huntington Beach City Council.

It was proposed by Councilman Chad Williams, and included some artistic changes from the original including a larger eagle and other modifications, but the most significant had to do with the content.

“Some people seem to have trouble understanding words,” he said, referring to the slogan of “Magical Alluring Galvanizing Adventurous.”

But then said that maybe it wasn’t the words. “The problem is, who said it,” Williams said. He suggested that some people suffered from “Donald Trump Derangement Syndrome” and therefore reacted negatively to anything the president said.

On the revised plaque – below the MAGA, arranged now on a line – are words and phrases he said were taken from comments from former presidents Ronald Reagan, Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

During the public comments session earlier in the meeting most of the people speaking were in opposition to the plaque, arguing it was too “political” or “partisan.” One tense moment involved a speaker who – after criticizing the plaque – announced he was going to do “peaceful resistance” and started to walk toward the council before he was intercepted by police officers.