By Andrew W. Griffin

Red Dirt Report, editor

Posted: August 5, 2009

reddirtreporter@gmail.com

OKLAHOMA CITY – Seeking more information about Saturday’s “community organizing” event at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, Red Dirt Report spoke with Tish Eason, chancellor for the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.

Eason, who seemed surprised at the question regarding the community organizing event, said she “doesn’t have a statement for this” and would only say she was aware that “a parish group is holding a meeting.”

It should be noted that Eason appeared to be allied with the liberal faction of the Catholic Church in supporting Archbishop Eusebius Beltran and Oklahoma priests that did not appreciate the passage of what they felt was an “unjust and immoral law.” Many Catholics this reporter spoke to at the time were very disappointed in Beltran's stance and the lack of leadership and the following of the rule of law as put forward by the State of Oklahoma.

Eason was quoted in the liberal National Catholic Reporter in 2007 reacting to the “pledge of resistance” against Oklahoma’s popular anti-illegal immigration legislation.

“(The archbishop and priests) felt that a public position should be taken regarding this punitive legislation,” Eason said at the time, clearly disgusted with the legislation.

Eason directed this online newspaper to speak with local event organizer James Rowan, a well-known defense attorney based in Oklahoma City. Rowan said the meeting is merely the Oklahoma Sponsoring Committee that will feature 12 Catholic parishes in the Central Oklahoma area. There will be leadership meetings, a potluck dinner and, of course, community organizing.

Asked specifically about the organizing aspect of Saturday’s meeting, Rowan scoffs at any thought that this is a negative issue.

“The Gospel compels us to be involved in charity and social justice issues,” Rowan said. “There’s nothing we’re going to do that is out of sync with Catholic social teaching.”

Open about his social activism, Rowan is the Chairman of the Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.

He added that for critics who opt to attend, “There’s nothing going on this Saturday that will … make them feel any better or feel any worse.”

Rowan wants folks to know that the meeting is non-partisan.

And for those who decide to “infiltrate” or record the meeting?

“I have no problem with people recording and participating,” he said. “Disruptors will be ejected, or … we are Christians … asked to leave.”

Asked about Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF), an ACORN-esque community organizing group active in a number of American cities and in Canada, England and Germany, Rowan said IAF is “active in several urban areas and active in Oklahoma City.”

However, Rowan was quick to add that IAF “is not officially a part of this at all.” Still, Kris Ausdenmoore, lead organizer of the Saturday event, has been involved with Oklahoma’s chapter of IAF. Information on Ausdenmoore could not be located at press time.

IAF, Rowan said, works to influence local issues. He mentioned IAF success in Los Angeles working with the City Council there in addressing “issues of foreclosure.”

Rowan downplayed any connections to Obama citizen brigades or the controversial group ACORN which was active in Oklahoma City as recently as last fall, as reported here at Red Dirt Report.

And locally, radio talk show host Mark Shannon has put the spotlight on this meeting and related events involving "community organizing." More can be found at his site, www.markshannon.com.

And at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Warr Acres, which is heavily promoting the community organizing event, the contact person, Linda Clark, said she knew some people were not happy about it, "aware of information on the radio and on the Internet" but didn't indicate that there had been an overwhelming number of callers flooding their lines one way or the other.

Again, Rowan welcomes one and all to Saturday’s meeting, even if they disagree and misunderstand what the community organizing event is all about.

“I feel sorry for them,” Rowan said of people attacking the event. “They’re wrong.”

 Copyright 2009 West Marie Media