Cohousing-L Mailing List: The "ideology thing" an educational journey

[kkudia (kkudia]

I think individually we all need to be true to our convictions as Ann wrote 
of hers' but on a National level, there are vast differences in our 
membership, not everyone has the same convictions...hence the Mission of an 
organization gives focus and clarity and allows for our diversity.  At times 
we are in the position of choosing the lesser of evils as uncomfortable that 
may be, it may be our only choice.  Sad but true. This issue has been hard 
on our leadership as Craig wrote and as Zev wrote distracting. I think 
donating to our National Organization is a thoughtful option. I must confess 
the Union efforts not to understand CoHo dilemma and work with the 
leadership, undermined my respect for them. I think we have an moral 
imperative to challenge injustice wherever we encounter but how?... perhaps 
best left up to the individuals, and individual CoHo Communities, unless 
there is some mechanism to arrive at a national CoHo consensus.

I am from a working class family; father and mother not union...but 
step-father and others are, except for one cousin who joined the family 
through marriage and brought the management perspective. You can imagine 
some lively discussions. I owe my father and mother's hard work to allow me 
to further my education and become a professional. They were the first in 
the family to build their own home (he was a carpenter), so housing issue is 
of great importance to me. It radically changed our lives. I think we need 
to pick our battles and focus our resources on Cohousing and let individuals 
and individual CoHousing Communities take up the various causes that impact 
who there are and where they live. My thanks for the leadership who tried to 
work with the Unions on this issue. I was sad to see the Union's response.

My step father (union man drove a van) worked for of all places, yes 
Sheraton Hotel. I must admit they gave an incredible benefit to all their 
employees. For a working class family to stay at any Sheraton world wide at 
a very low cost provided for many incredible family memories. My mother 
(non-union worked as printer) worked for sub par pay but received 
profit-sharing/stock in the company...to say the least...her retirement $$$ 
was incredible. All antidotal and not really pertinent to the current issue 
but touches on the boarder issues.

I come back to Zev comments and think he has perhaps outlined a top priority 
challenging CoHo: how to offer affordable housing with falling home prices 
and stunted economy. I for one, am caught in the dilemma, trying to sell and 
buy into CoHo. I have seen the value of real estate drop incredibly 
nationally.  Zev is right about Florida market. I recently saw a sign for 
2BR home for sale in the Beach area of Daytona for $58,000, that’s hard to 
compete with when money is dwindling for many.

We accept we need to be involved and we struggle to think through these 
issues with its complexity of ethical problems and wonder how best to live 
out our convictions? How can we influence for the common good? I wonder if 
it is as simple as not crossing a boycott line? Can't there be a better way? 
Is it not time for both management and unions join to work for the common 
good?...look at the unemployment rates, look at manufacture base leaving 
this country etc. Could we not find a third way that benefits management and 
unions? We listen attentively to each other and deep concerns which lie 
behind them, we help each other open our minds to alternative viewpoints and 
refuse to acquiesce in superficial polarizations... for right action often 
can be more subtle. For me it is the individual CoHo communities that make 
it realistic to diversify its concerns and actions. Only these communities 
are in living in the arena that injustice can be effectively challenged, who 
truly know what is involved.  I guess I am still at the level, that needs to 
distinguish between the individual, community and CoHousing National 
organization. Individuals are active politically, socially etc as they take 
appropriate action to challenge injustice in a variety of ways, CoHo 
communities whose members share particular moral and social concerns will 
take appropriate action both locally and nationally as they see fit. 
Certainly CoHousing National organization can take a public stand on some 
issues (but selectively)...this will depend on the consensus of the 
communities/members.

So how best to promote our values of human dignity, mutual service, mutual 
respect?  Isn't that the ultimate question in this discussion?

The alternative is stark, industrial strife ; each side seeks their own 
interests rather than the other's. It is an adversary situation born of 
suspicion and rivalry, instead of a situation of mutual service born of 
respect and trust. Confrontation between management and unions is often a 
reflection of the class divisions which continue to undermine our country's 
unity. Our two parties are mirror images of the two sides of industry, so 
that our industrial and class conflicts are perpetuated in our political 
system. Many people feel underprivileged and alienated...perhaps it is not 
better salary that motivates, so much as grievance. In my opinion, what 
confronts CoHo in this labor dispute is how CoHo can replace mutual 
suspicion by mutual service and competition by cooperation? Even in some 
measure, perhaps a public statement to the unions, management, newspapers 
etc? How to assert CoHo values in the middle of this strike? How to show our 
values in such an atmosphere of bitterness and recrimination? How to be part 
of the change from the unwholesome "them-us" confrontation? How best to 
challenge the social injustice; the excessive disparity between the high 
paid and the low paid?  Yes we look back in horror at the oppressive 
beginnings of the Industrial Revolution and we have come a long way and 
still have some way to go. Workers have a right to share in decision making 
(power) and profits on the level of justice and also expediency (increased 
productivity etc.). Every business must make a profit, but its priority 
concern needs to be the public whom the company (management, shareholders 
and workers together) exists to serve. Certainly CoHo communities is where 
class stratification and a "them-us" mentality are overcome or being 
overcome; relationships of respect and trust, across 
social/religious/poltical etc barriers.


So, I am left with the question: How can we work expectantly for greater 
respect and cooperation in every segment of human society? How can we not 
acquiesce in industrial conflicts or be pessimistic about resolving it...for 
CoHousing knows that better relations are possible as we draw upon the 
greatest resource:  humans with an inborn sense of dignity and justice.

I think I may be rambling as I try to think through these issues.

Karen
Anthony Fl

Ann, I liked your quote from Bonhoeffer:
"We are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of 
injustice, we are to drive a spoke into the wheel itself."
? Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Here's another one:
" Genuine ethical discourse is not exhausted in a single proclamation, but 
requires repetition and continuity; it requires time. Bonhoeffer

As Craig wrote:

> As you might imagine, this situation has been a significant challenge
> and distraction for some of the Coho/US leadership. We are trying to
> maintain our focus on Cohousing and the National Cohousing Conference.
> Dealing with anybody's labor issues are outside the scope of our
> mission. Our mission focus lets us make more progress in helping
> others understand and grow Cohousing.

as Zev wrote:

<Date: Tue, 31 May 2011 05:54:59 -0600
<From: Zev Paiss


<I think the situation with the upcoming conference and the hotel
strike are distractions to a much graver situation. At this moment in
history, despite the growing deep desire to create community across
our nation, the reality of economic contraction, high unemployment,
falling home prices, and a huge inventory of for sale homes, makes the
prospect of building new cohousing neighborhoods at this time
extremely challenging.

...know the equity in  their homes (if you are still a homeowner) will not 
allow them to sell
and purchase a new home in a not-yet-build cohousing community. When I
can go buy a perfectly good home in Florida for $25,000 how am I going
to convince others to pay 10 times that amount to purchase a new home?...>

As Ann wrote:

> I would not attend any meeting that was held in a place that actively 
> supported the clubbing of baby seals.  Or actively supported banning a 
> woman's right to choose.  Or supported the annihilation of Israelis or 
> Palestinians.