El Cerrito Keeps Pledge But Adds 'Moment of Silence' Option

The El Cerrito City Council Tuesday night rebuffed a proposal to eliminate the Pledge of Allegiance but agreed to add a "moment of silence" as an alternative for those who do not want to recite the pledge.

On the council agenda was a resolution from Councilman Mark Friedman that would have eliminated the pledge. Friedman told Patch he wanted the council to consider whether to eliminate or modify the recitation of the pledge "to reflect how dramatically our nation and world has changed" since the pledge was drafted in 1892 and last revised in 1954.

On a unanimous vote, the five-member council agreed to amend its meeting rules to offer a moment of silence as an alternative to those who do not want to say the pledge. 

The council's official order of business was changed to say "Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag or observe a moment of silence," according to City Clerk Cheryl Morse.

Friedman told Patch after the meeting that the change means that the council member designated to conduct that step in the order of business will offer two alternatives.

"Both options will be offered so the councilmember will say: please join me in reciting the pledge of allegiance or a moment of silence," he said via email.

A Patch article about his proposal and a reader poll on the issue each drew more than 30 reader comments with opinions more or less divided. As of 10:30 p.m. Tuesday night, the poll showed 16 votes in favor of dropping the pledge and 17 votes against dropping it.

Friedman noted that one member of the public spoke on the issue at the council meeting. Al Miller spoke in favor of "discontinuing recitation of the pledge," Friedman said.