EmpowerDC - Recipient of DC's CCHD Funds

EmpowerDC has been a regular recipient of CCHD funding from the Archdiocese of Washington.  They are an organization that claims to be for grassroots organizing for the plight of poor people.  As with many recipients of CCHD funding (and thus of Catholic donations) questionable connections abound.  Although they do have a website, I find that their Facebook page lists their mission statement, address and key players in one succinct place.  As you look down their list of campaigns on the right side, their goals all have to do with getting the DC government to spend more and more money - money that the DC government just doesn't have.  Now recall what I posted earlier about the Cloward-Piven Strategy.  You see it in play here - this is a key feature of Alinskyan organizing, whether or not the EmpowerDC folks are conscious of it.

Daniel Del Pielago, their "quality education organizer", has given workshops sponsored by DC Jobs for Justice and Washington Peace Center.  As you look to the left of the WPC webpage, you'll see some planned events - including Bank of America's Week to Pay.   We all know from the riot that "community organizers" (really labor-union types) staged on the front lawn of a Bank of America official in Chevy Chase what "payment" can entail.  I have to admit that I am somewhat intrigued about the idea of a "Sleepful Protest".  Does that means the protest is boring?   A perusal of the coalitions of DC Jobs for Justice lists not only EmpowerDC but other sordid little cabals such as: DC Democratic Socialists of America, DC Trans Coaltion, Feminism Without Borders and sundry big-labor unions.

On Empower's "grassrootsmedia" page, we see a link to DC's Independent Media Center.  Click on that.  On the left side we see "calendars and feeds".  Scroll down to "Machination.org's clippings" to see a most ominous title: Why We Must Ration Healthcare.  It is a New York Times op-ed piece, written in 2009 by Peter Singer, the notorious anti-life Princeton professor.  This is indicative of how EmpowerDC values (or doesn't value) the lives of the ill and elderly, allowing for imperious bureaucrats to determine who receives medical care.  So much for championing the disenfranchised.

EmpowerDC has another connection to another entity - one that I hope not too many of these Alinskyan organizations have.  It's so unique that I was taken aback.  If you look at Empower's Facebook page, you'll see that its street address is 1419 V Street, NW in DC.  That address is identical to that of St Augustine Catholic Church in DC.

My, my!  Doesn't this just raise a bunch of questions?

• Neither St. Augustine nor EmpowerDC are up front about their shared address on their respective websites.  Why?
• The DC real estate data base makes clear that the usage code is "religious".  How is that justified with EmpowerDC's presence?
• Do any St Augustine staff members hold positions with EmpowerDC (and vice versa, too)?
• Under St Augustine's "social committee" webpage, we see WIN, that is, Washington Interfaith Network, listed.
• Why is that the only activity listed without its own contact person?
• What is the nature of the relationship between this parish's WIN and EmpowerDC?
• For the information of this blog's readers, WIN is an affiliate of the Industrial Areas Foundation, founded by Saul Alinsky himself.

A little "aside" about St Augustine's - they have "liturgical dancers".  That's a liturgical no-no.

I mention all this because next month, the weekend of Aug 11-12, the second collection will be for "Catholic Communication and Human Development".  Yes, they're mish-mashing it again this year with another collection (Catholic Communications).  It seems that they're trying to disguise the name a bit so you won't know that this is a collection to be boycotted.  Please don't give one red cent to this collection.  Give that money to a truly deserving charity.