Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: Re: Racism

[racheli (racheli]

>From Racheli
Tucson

>[Sheila] But I think this list has just proved that people with certain
>opinions *will* encounter roadblocks to equal access to housing--at least
>to cohousing. Cohousing groups admit freely to a variety of strategies,
>both legal and illegal, for keeping out people who don't match a list of
>criteria ("values" or "core values").

I can't speak for other groups, but in our case, we've tried to make sure
people saw our major documents (including mission statement and goals). 
Then they could decide for themselves whether
they'd fit.
The idea that a community shouldn't be allowed to share commonality (of
values, for example)- because it's, somehow, "exclusive", sounds false to
me.  IMO a certain level commonality is necessary in order to be able to
work together.  For example: people who reject the idea that cooperation
is a good way to work with other people might prove a serious road-block
in the decision making process.
I also don't happen to believe that allowing for the fact that people have
a right to differences, political and otherwise, entails that we should
feel comfortable having all varieties in our immediate neighborhood.
Having said that, I do believe that how people behave in everyday life is
often quite different (and often inconsisten with) from their  stated
politics:  Some people with "impecable" politics (including  beliefs in
power sharing etc.) might in reality prove to be control  freaks.  And
people who are "fundamentalists" or whatever in terms  of their religion
might prove to be nice and cooperative.
I thought that what Lynn suggested was right on target: Cohousing
communities should strive to give good/accurate information about who they
are, and then let people decide for themselves.  (In  smaller and more
intimate intentional communities I feel it's justified to have stricter
standards).

>The cohousing idea cannot become a mainstream choice in our country as
>long as it is treated as a refuge for the people who know best how to
>live, and as long as those people protect their refuge by keeping out
>people who are different from themselves. More importantly, we ought not
>to repeat the old error of provincialism, even if this time it is
>provincialism of a superior kind.

I don't feel that I know "best" how to live, and I think it's unfair to
generalize that way.  I might know what suits *me* best, and would like to
live with/near people who share some of the same perceptions and attitudes
regarding, for example: how to make decisions; how to resolve conflict,
etc.  This doesn't necessarily mean I'm feeling superior towards people
who make other choices.  I agree with the idea that certain types of
differences should be welcome, because too much homogeneity is detrimental
to personal growth.  (For me, the Israeli kibbutz is a classic example of
a community-type where there was great pressure to create uniformity, with
truly negative results). 

R.
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racheli [at] sonoracohousing.com
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