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Residents, former councilor urge South Bend to keep Pledge of Allegiance in meetings
Summary
Dozens of residents urged the newly seated council to keep the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of meetings, while others said participation should remain optional; a former councilor recommended a city ordinance to require it. The exchange produced a large public turnout but no ordinance vote tonight.
A lively public-comment period at the first meeting of the newly seated South Bend City Council centered on whether the Pledge of Allegiance should remain part of council meetings.
Jerry Dolman, a former city councilor speaking as a resident, told the council: "I'm here to state that as a citizen of South Bend and a former city councilor, I'm adamantly against this proposal." He urged the council to reinstate the pledge and recommended a city ordinance requiring it at city-related meetings.
Other residents expressed a range of views. Carla Weber framed the pledge as aspirational rather than absolute, arguing it "has always been spoken during times of imperfection, during struggle, reform, and change because it represents who we aspire to be, not who we claim to be." Kate O'Neil said she would not salute the flag because of personal and tribal history, illustrating the range of community perspectives.
Council members and staff repeatedly noted that reciting the pledge is not legally required and emphasized that participation can be optional for individuals. The council did not adopt a new ordinance tonight; several speakers asked for transparency about who proposed removing the pledge from the opening order and why, and the council said it would follow up on questions raised during public comment.
Why it matters: The debate touched on questions of civic ritual, respect for veterans and historical grievances, and the limits of local authority. While several speakers urged a formal rule restoring the pledge, the council handled the matter through discussion and public input rather than immediate policy change.
