Opinion: BE BETTER! South Bend's Common Council and Public Officials Blocking Emails from Journalists and Citizens! Also Not Reading Real Letters
- Rexroth E.F. Washington
- Jul 25
- 2 min read
Opinion: BE BETTER! South Bend's Common Council and Public Officials Blocking Emails from Journalists and Citizens! Also Not Reading Real Letters
by Rexroth E.F. Washington - July 25th, 2025
Redress South Bend recently tried to email the South Bend Common Council and other public officials, only to have the emails bounce or be returned without delivery.
In investigating this story, we reached out to the City Clerk's Office to see what their official policy was on blocking citizen and media emails to city accounts, and have not received a response as of the time of going to press with this story.
In reaching out to citizens who claimed to have their emails blocked, we learned that, without warning, citizens had their emails blocked, which was particularly vexing to one citizen who had mailed physical letters to Common Council members and later tried dropping off individual letters to council members. Council staff members took the letters and said they would likely go unread, as 'the council members usually just throw the letters away.'
In an era when we're demanding more transparency from the highest levels of governance, it seems that we should also insist on transparency here at home.
Are the Common Council members aware that the City Clerk's office or others in government are banning emails from media outlets and citizens? If so, what threshold and policy must be crossed, and where can citizens find such a stated email policy for writing Common Council members?
Our local politicians, from both parties, must work to do better and be better. We desperately need their leadership, but instead, they continue to hide from the public.
If the Common Council is concerned about personal lawsuits, let's offer them some qualified immunity so that they can speak to citizens and be more transparent. However, if the Council refuses to listen to its constituents, we have a different problem altogether.
In an era where many Council members are elected with fewer than 1,000 votes, it would seem that those paying attention or reaching out on particular issues may be in desperate need of being heard. All citizens in our community deserve to be heard by their government whether or not public officials like what they have to say or not, it is the fundamental right of the people to speak to their government and by blocking emails and or throwing away physical letters that do not contain threats or abuses, but honest and sincere pleas, our Common Council makes a mockery of the system, and openly mocks us as citizens.
