Board Acts On Rotary Gun Policy

The Rotary International Board of Directors voted last January to Clarify the Rotary Policy on Guns, Weapons, and Armament.  The position they took was to prohibit all Rotary clubs, districts and any other Rotary entity from transferring ownership of weapons or participate in any activity where weapons are sold, given away or raffled.  Although not a unanimous vote, the Board of Directors for the Rotary Club of Ankeny voted to authorize President Carmen Davis to execute a petition to be sent to the Rotary international Board requesting reconsideration of their policy.  The suggested change would allow the sale of weapons provided a licensed weapons dealer handles the transaction and all applicable laws are followed.   A major consideration for the authorization of this petition by the Board was the feeling the RI Board was taking a political stand on guns when it has always been a policy of Rotary to take "no position on politics".