Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Gun ownership

[Robert Heinich (robert]

This can be a contentious issue.

We have a policy (actually it is in the covenants/bylaws) which bans operative 
firearms.  Eight years ago, the process of re-examining the policy was started 
by some prospective members who owned guns and wanted to see whether we would 
change our policy to allow them to join.

Gun policy raises core value issues with people in different ways.  Most of the 
Northeasterners in our group were anti-gun primarily because they felt that any 
gun in the community would undermine their security.  The Southerners and 
Westerners framed the issue a different way - they didn't want anyone (except 
the law)  telling them what they could do inside their own homes.  
Midwesterners varied.

The issue was dropped because the prospective members who raised it decided not 
to participate (they didn't feel welcomed) and a member had expressed her 
intent to block consensus. 

And ... oh joy ... we will revisit this issue again as we have new neighbors 
who do revolutionary war reenactments and have weapons from that period.  They 
would like us to revisit this policy.  (The weapons are now stored with one of 
the grandparents.)

Issues like this are what one member coined 'community crack'.  There is no 
right answer, bridging differences is next to impossible and has the community 
focusing on what separates us rather than what can bring us together.

Avoid the issue if you can.

-Robert Heinich
 Eno Commons Cohousing
 Durham, NC
 where the NYTimes today has an article on our area with photos of our 
 members, http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/04/27/travel/escapes/27kids.html


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "RC Cross" <crosscuts [at] att.net>
To: <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2007 10:26 PM
Subject: [C-L]_ Gun ownership


> Eugene Downtown Cohousing has selected a contractor and hopes to break ground 
> in July.  Discussions continue and I have a request for comments and 
> information about how established communities have dealt with the question of 
> gun ownership.  Have guns been banned completely?  How are police officers, 
> reserve officers and permits to carry dealt with?  What storage rules can be 
> required and how are they enforced?  Any other suggestions gleaned from 
> experience?
> 
> Many Thanks, R.C. Cross   Eugene Downtown CoHousing