The Los Angeles City Council has faced extreme verbal abuse over the past decade, including racial slurs and offensive comments, contributing to a toxic atmosphere that deters civic participation. In response, Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson and six colleagues propose banning the N-word and C-word from meetings, enabling the removal or banning of offenders. Harris-Dawson emphasizes that the use of such derogatory language has no political value and creates a chilling effect on the public's willingness to attend meetings. The proposal may expand to include additional offensive terms as discussions progress.
Harris-Dawson noted, 'It is language that, anywhere outside this building where there aren't four armed guards, would get you hurt if you said these things in public.'
Attempting to curb abuse, Harris-Dawson stated, 'the frequent use of those words during public comment has put a chill on civic participation.'
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