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Council adopts resolution condemning hateful rhetoric, urging civility in public leadership
Summary
The council unanimously adopted Resolution 18-25, a largely symbolic statement condemning hateful rhetoric and encouraging civility among public officials and appointees. Supporters said the measure was intended to set a local example amid national partisan hostility; critics sought sharper definitions to avoid vagueness.
The Muncie City Common Council adopted Resolution 18-25 recognizing the importance of civility in public discourse, condemning hateful rhetoric, and encouraging council members to consider civility when making appointments. The measure is symbolic and contains definitions that identify hateful rhetoric as speech that expresses hate or encourages violence toward groups based on characteristics such as race, religion, gender or sexual orientation.
Public speaker J. R. Jamieson, an author and local resident, urged the council to be a “beacon of hope” and model restraint and decency; several council members expressed support for the spirit of the resolution while at least one member cautioned that terms like “divisive” or “hateful” can be vague and risk subjective enforcement.
Council members clarified the resolution carries no enforcement mechanism and is largely a public commitment by the council to condemn targeted hateful speech and to consider civility when evaluating appointees or leaders. The resolution passed on a voice vote.
