South Bend Equality

Helpful information for those attending Common Council Meetings

in support of GLBT Rights

Your presence at Common Council meetings, especially if you are wearing a SBE button, will show the Common Council that many people are in favor of civil rights for GLBT individuals.  Just being there does make a difference!  If you need a button, ask any SBE member.  We try to make sure we have extras on hand to give to our supporters.

You don’t have to speak to be supportive, but if you want to make a statement, do!  For those not familiar with the procedures of the Common Council, we offer the following information:

No observers can speak until a part of the meeting called Privilege of The Floor, which is at the end of the meeting, after all other business has been finished.  (Usually not until after 8:00 or so, meeting lengths vary due to the agenda) .  Privilege of the floor is a time that anyone is allowed to speak on any topic not on the agenda.

If you want to speak, you will be given a limit of three minutes, and you will be timed.  Please respect the Council members and adhere to the time limit.

Those who want to speak may form a line on the far side of the room or wait in your seat.  There is a  time limit for the Privilege of the Floor section of the meeting.   A total of 30 minutes is all that is allowed.  If there's a big crowd, being closer to the podium is advantageous in making sure your voice is heard.

In order to speak you must begin by stating your name and address for the record.  If you live outside of South Bend, but work or conduct other business in South Bend, please mention that. This makes it clear that you do invest in South Bend despite a residence outside of the city. 

If there is a large number of people wishing to speak, they sometimes ask people to also sign in.

What should I say to support GLBT rights?

First, and foremost, no matter what others say or do, stay calm and be respectful.  We realize this issue sometimes evokes strong emotions but speaking in a tone that conveys hostility or disrespect only hurts us.  We always strive to take the high road regardless of the actions of others. 

SBE’s goal is to make Common Council members aware that Discrimination and Harassment are common problems faced by the GLBT community in South Bend.

Tell a personal experience of discrimination, thank the Common Council for caring about GLBTQ people, ask them for a remedy for the problem, say what you want the community of South Bend to be like.

Focus your comments on South Bend.

Please talk about the issue simply as one of fairness and good business, because that's what it is. 

Please avoid talking about the issue from a religious perspective.  There are a wide variety of opinions from religious perspective and most people hold very strongly to theirs.  Discussing the religious aspect only invites controversy and offense.  Most importantly, SBE fully supports the separation of church and state.  In our experience, it is most helpful to focus on the issues of economics and fairness while, at the same time, respecting the religious beliefs of others .

Please also avoid addressing issues that are totally unrelated to the issue at hand.  Many are trying to tie our efforts into battles over same sex marriage and other unrelated issues.   We all have our own personal opinions on other LGBT issues but allowing ourselves to bring those issues into this forum is, again, counterproductive.  South Bend Equality is working to amend South Bend's current nondiscrimination ordinance to include sexual orientation and gender identity. Nothing more and nothing less.

If you stay after the meeting there may be opportunities to speak with Council Members afterward.

It is acceptable to leave at any time during a Council meeting but we ask that you please stay until the meeting is adjourned if at all possible.

Come back on other Mondays.   Common Council Meetings are the 2nd and 4th Mondays at 7 pm each month.  We need to keep reminding the Common Council that we care.

Please consider attending South Bend Equality meetings. Meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Mondays, 6:30 at the Universal Unitarian Church, South Bend.