Sandstone Retreat: Part III

The possibility of rejection becomes a more potent threat at the same time. But they believe a relationship which includes others while maintaining one primary relationshp causes an incredibly strong bond to emerge. Thus, the individual's responsibility for creating a better relaionship becomes far greater at Sandstone than in most othe rsituations, they believe. It is up to each person to decide whether he desires to remain with one partner, as in marriage, or to have short term relationships. While the first reaction of a newcomer to the community is usually one of heightened sexual apptetite, it tends to diminsh and the individual becomes much more selective.

Less 'Sexual': "In addtion," said filmmaker Jonathan Dana, 26, who lives at Sandstoe with his wife Bunny, 25, :this place is much less 'sexual' than any city I've even lived in. There's no teasing, no exploitation and no frustration." While to some palates this might seem paradise, all is not easy in Utopia. One couple, residents for eight months is leaving. The feeling of community is that the husband, a mechanic, "related better to machines thna to people." The wife of one of the exectives, in addtion, after living in the community for a short time, became involved with another rman and left the community.

Ultimately, the members agree, the same emotions which exist in relations outside Sandstone exist inside Sandstone. "in practice," said Williamson, "we have all the differences that other people have, but as a community we are honest about it."

Those relationships tend to overlap and to become highly complicated. There are currently, among the permanent residents, two multiple relationships, one of a man and two women, the other of two men and one woman. In one case, one of the women is married. Her husband, wo also lives in Sandstone, approves of his wife's participation in the "ménage a-trois."

The state court's action ends a two-year fight for the community, which claims it has spent $10,000 on legal fees fighting the county ordinance. While commnity members say they have no opposition from sheriffs' officers or from neighbors (the nearest is two miles away), protests from the Topanga Chamber of Commerce and some local residents were lodged with the county Publlc Welfare Commission which denied them the county licence in 1970 on the grounds it was a "detrment to the public welfare." According to residents, none of their opponents ever visited Sandstone,