With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Los Angeles City Council bans use of N-word, C-word in meetings
The L.A. City Council has voted to ban use of the N-word and C-word during meetings.
(
Tom-Kichi/Getty Images
/
iStockphoto
)
Topline:
The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday voted to ban use of the N-word and the C-word during meetings in response to a recent increase in abusive or offensive language from a handful of people who regularly address the council.
The rule: Under the ordinance, people who repeatedly use the words will be subject to removal from council chambers or committee meetings and possibly banned from future meetings.
The backstory: City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, who is Black, said since the first election of President Donald Trump in 2016, public comment by a few people has devolved into “rank, cantankerous, and rude and demeaning and insulting” language. He said use of vulgar language has put a chill on civic participation because people don’t want to come to meetings.
Sponsored message
Listen
0:40
Los Angeles City Council bans use of N-word, C-word in meetings
“We believe these words add no additional value to any statement that any petitioner might make to the council and that they are always and universally designed to demean individuals,” said Harris-Dawson, who authored the proposal.
First Amendment concerns: Past efforts to curb offensive behavior have failed. The city was forced to settle a lawsuit filed by a Black man who was thrown out of a meeting for wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood and a T-shirt with the N-word on it. Harris-Dawson said he believes the new rule on speech will hold up in court because it's limited in scope and the consequences are clearly articulated.
What's next: One man who is a regular speaker at City Council meetings used the N-word Wednesday as he promised to file a First Amendment lawsuit against the city challenging the new rule.
At LAist, we focus on what matters to our community: clear, fair, and transparent reporting that helps you make decisions with confidence and keeps powerful institutions accountable.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
