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Page: Profile: Notice
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Notice Specs
Acct. ID: 184078
Notice ID: 11108
Category: Action
Posted: September 28th., 2004
This Notice has been viewed 3126 times |
A First for Tulsa in More Ways Than One
Proclaimed by: Elise Wilson
Proclaimed from: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Proclamation...
Oklahoma just had its First Pagan Pride Day EVER in Tulsa, OK on 9/25/04. It almost didn’t happen because of another first, we were the first PPD to ever have an injunction filed to stop it.
At 5 PM on Thursday September 23, 2004 I was informed that an injunction had been filed to stop PPD. No one involved was served actual papers—we had NO idea what the basis was—we just knew that we had to be in court at 9:30 the next morning, the morning before the event we’d all worked so hard to bring into being. I found out this was a Christian attorney who I’d talked to the Sunday before when we were building a bridge over a creek on some private property that we had permission to use for the PPD event.
Even before this though, adversity was faced, but the dissenters were a very vocal few within the Pagan Community here in Tulsa that really just had a personal agenda with me and were going a bit far. The attacks that they presented were coordinated behind the scenes. People were told what questions to ask and when to ask them. Sad that this had to happen, but as most people are aware it happens amongst our own more than we want to admit. It seems that the ones that say they are for Peace are the ones who seem to create the most discord no matter where they go.
Back to the subject at hand though—injunction and PPD. I start calling around to some of my contacts and am told to call the Gay Pride line. I do this and an extremely nice attorney answers, (yes, they do exist and that is not an oxymoron) . At this point, it is like 5:30 and I still don’t have a clue what is going on. The guy gives me his cell phone number and says if I can find out what is up, he’ll be happy to look over the papers. But, in the meantime, I ask if I should mobilize the Pagan Community and he says yes, the more there the better. So, off I go—I hit the computer and start sending out emails asking for anyone available to be at court with me in the morning. Responses start pouring in…I am very touched by the support. My phone starts ringing off the hook, as well. The Interfaith Alliance is looking like it will show up for support. There are people both pagan and Christian offering help and support.
At 7:09 PM I am forwarded a copy of the complaint and the application for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) by the filing attorney, (how nice of him at this late hour) . However, it does not have the exhibits attached. I do call the first attorney back and forward him the papers. He calls back in an hour and says that guy does have me on a zoning violation regarding parking. I will probably lose in court and having the additional people in the courtroom may end up irritating the judge—who is known to be EXTREMELY conservative. So—off I go onto the computer and cancel all my support, except for one, for the next morning. In the meantime, in looking over the application for the injunction—the filing attorney is asking for a permanent injunction that I can never hold PPD-type activities. And also that Thorn Coyle, (my guest speaker) , and I are never allowed to hold or participate in workshops or rituals. (he said that we held ourselves out to be ‘priestesses’ [his quotes] and should not be allowed to do those things. To be honest, I’m honored to be considered at Thorn’s level even if it is all BS in this injunction)
In the meantime, I’ve contacted my Regional Coordinator for PPD and he’s forwarded all my stuff to the National Board. I start getting calls from him and others. These calls are continuing late into the evening. At 1 AM in the morning I talk to Dagonet ‘Dag’ Dewr and that is when he informs me that I am the first PPD to ever have an injunction filed against it. He wants me to call Brian Ewing in CA. Brian is expecting my call and has been looking over the paperwork already. I put him in contact with the landowner and they talk for about an hour at which time Brian calls me back—2 AM. (I’ve finally gotten to bed, but the phone is RIGHT by the bed. I’m so nervous and upset, my stomach is in knots and I’m extremely nauseous) . Based on his interpretation, my event is cancelled. I call Thorn Coyle and tell her not to get on the plane the next morning to head here. (For some strange reason, she is named in this ridiculous lawsuit, as well) . On his end Dag is organizing BIG names to help me out. Dana Eilerts, author of Pagans and the Law, Selena Fox and Jerrie Hilderbrant, Lady Liberty League and others. In the meantime, I call an alternate location where I’ve held all my fundraisers to see if it would be available for Saturday, if I can get the portion of the TRO released to be able to hold the event. He says he will check with his Board of Directors in the morning and I’m to call him when I get out of court.
I’m up at 5 AM the next morning to head into work to get a couple of things done before court at 9:30 AM. In the courtroom, our case is called, and the other side has his WHOLE law firm there, (6 attorneys) and there is just myself and the two landowners for our side. The judge asks us if we have representation and we inform him that there wasn’t time to arrange that and we were denied due process because of that and would he release the injunction. He doesn’t really agree with that, so we agree to continue. We do tell him however, that the event is already canceled for that location and this didn’t need to continue, but the judge and the other side want to continue. The attorney for the other side starts reading the complaints about the zoning violations, including one about tent size. I ask to interrupt for a moment, I tell the judge that the tent size I would have been using was 10x10—they did NOT need permits. He agrees and that is dismissed. The parking regulation though—I can not get around. It is illegal in Tulsa to park on a non-all weather surface (that is, pavement) , I’ve discovered. We were using the grassy area. The judge then asks if we will agree to the TRO, even though the event is canceled. We say No, we have a problem with the wording on the TRO. The judge asks what the problem is—we say that the first problem is that the order restricts us from holding ANY type of PPD event anywhere. The judge agrees, the TRO can ONLY apply to the land in question. He asks if there are any other problems and I say, “Yes, sir, there is. The next item restricts me from doing ANY type of workshop or ritual in Tulsa EVER. I can not believe that you would allow my right to practice my religion be infringed upon like that.” The judge looks at me for a second and says, “I’m sure that is not their intent. This applies to this location only.” He looks at the other side, “I’m sure you agree with that, correct?” The attorney who filed the complaint looks at me quickly, then at the judge. “No, Your Honor, that is not what we meant. It applies to the location only.” YES, I wanted to shout, but only gave the others on my side a triumphant glance. The other side pulls out a new TRO application that doesn’t have those restrictions and asks if we’ll sign it. We say no we won’t without being given time to read it. We are given the new copies.
The judge then asks us to work out the rest of our differences amongst ourselves and when we were done, he would come back from chambers and sign the order. After the judge leaves the room—we are given copies of the new TRO that the other side already had been prepared. I’m not sure if I want to know why there are two versions, but accept the new copy and read it. Everything that we asked for was there, no restrictions on other events or activities. Did they think we were fools? Did they think we wouldn’t show up? I don’t really know. But this new order is acceptable. We agree that we will sign it, if there is a date in the area of how long the TRO was supposed to last. So the judge is called back in and he gives us a new date of Oct 6th to come back. Once that is written in and the judge signs, we all sign it. So back we go to court again in Oct. Not sure why it’s needed, but I’ll be there.
I call Dag at National as soon as I leave the courtroom and tell him what transpired. He agreed that we could still hold the event, if my alternate location came through. I call that contact next—he says it is available and could I afford $300 for the day? I say yes, we can. He says he’ll call me back within two hours. I head home to send out an update to all the e-lists. I tell them that I’ll announce the new location soon, but they needed to know that PPD was still on and what had transpired in court. My phone meanwhile is ringing off the hook again with people wanting personal updates. Within the two hours promised, my new location is secured. So—I’m off again drafting yet another email and developing a new schedule because I can only go until 5:30 PM instead of the 9 PM I wanted. I have to cancel the concert and change main ritual since Thorn wouldn’t be there as planned. LLL has called in the meantime offering to draft a press release for me and help distribute it out. Well of course, I’m going to take all the help I can get. I send them an update and emails are soon flying between all of us regarding wording, etc. Approvals are granted and LLL springs into action doing what they do so well—getting the word circulated. I also forward it to Oklahoma’s 15 statewide Pagan lists and ask them to send far and wide, as well.
In less than 24 hours—I’ve been shut down, released from restrictions and moved my event with minor changes...okay major changes, but who is quibbling at this point? At 6 AM the next morning, we are setting up tables and chairs in the new location with vendors starting to arrive at 6:30-ish. By 8 AM, I’m exhausted and still have to get ready for Opening Ritual at 9 AM. The rest of the morning went without a hitch.
HOWEVER, the problems did not end. We were told by a citizen right at lunch time that Fundamentalists were gathering at a nearby bar and coming to protest us and raise a ruckus. I called the police out as a preventative measure. While the police officer was there--an anonymous phone call came in that I had outstanding warrants against me. And they described what I was wearing to a tee. The traffic tickets had been paid--however I did have to ride home with the police officer to show him the receipts. We did leave another police officer on scene just in case there was trouble--but none appeared. The cop was VERY sympathetic and said it was a shame that religion gets so distorted. So--they tried to get me arrested to disrupt the event, but it didn't happen!
The rest of the day was awesome—the energy level went even higher once I was returned—the attendees were ecstatic that we’d won another one. We had 10 vendors—donated approx. 200 pounds of food to the TulsaCARES food bank—we had over 140 people attend the event. I consider the day a rousing success. And have already set the date for next year’s PPD.
Elise Coleman
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