Enrique Arias
The young Catholic man trying to organize and expand the numbers of religious believers in Oregon’s Democratic Party wants it known that poverty, employment, education, healthcare, peace and the environment are matters of faith.
Enrique Arias, a film producer and a member of St. Andrew Parish in Portland, is the new head of the state party’s faith caucus.
In recent years, it dawned on Democrats nationwide that Republicans had become the party of church-goers. The GOP gained its edge by appealing to believers on abortion, assisted suicide and more recently gay marriage.
In 2004 and 2006, the Democrats put forward more candidates who were open about their religion. In some states with conservative constituencies, Democrats even came forward opposing abortion rights.
In 2005, a modified version of the so-called Blue Dog ideology came to Oregon, home of the nation’s largest percentage of residents without religious affiliation. Arias is focusing on some of the issues that God’s followers care about.
“I want people to understand that in the Democratic Party we have people who are pro-life and pro-choice,” says Arias, who grew up at the Madeleine Parish in a family of refugees from Cuba. “And I think all sides agree we want to reduce the number of abortions in this country.
“We also understand that as people of faith we have protections under the First Amendment that allow us to share our common values as well as our disagreements. It is the idea of having the freedom to agree or disagree that holds us together as a nation and allows us to choose what path of faith we may want to join or follow,” he says.
Arias cites “fundamental respect” among people of differing beliefs as what is most cherished in the faith caucus.
“It allows us to sit down at a table and find what we can do to support a culture of life that encompasses health care, decreases poverty, provides fair and safe jobs, establishes a healthy environment, gives our children access to the best education and actively pursues policies of peace for all humanity,” he says. “By providing these foundational elements in our society, we believe we can reduce the amount of abortions in this country.”
Besides conveying a message of Democratic values to people of faith, he aims to advance the concerns of believers among party leaders, including lawmakers.
The Democrats’ faith caucus has more than 450 active members. It includes Jews, Catholics, Protestants, Evangelicals, Unitarians and Baha’i believers. Caucus members believe the Iraq war was a mistake and that steps should be taken to block a threatened bombing of Iran.
The caucus also backed Oregon’s Measure 50 to tax tobacco to provide healthcare for low-income children.
“I really think that people of faith represent an important voice and perspective in America,” Arias says. “It is a voice that can be embraced and respected by the Democratic Party.”
Arias saw the way the Democratic Party and faith could mix when he produced campaign radio spots for Rob Brading and Charles Lee, 2006 Democratic candidates for the Oregon House. Both made their beliefs a key part of their messages.
“They grew up with certain values and morals and realized they couldn’t be anything but a Democrat,” Arias says. “They wanted to help the poor and advance justice and peace and they thought the Democratic Party was pushing for that.”
Meredith Wood Smith, who chairs the Oregon Democratic Party, says the faith caucus began as a way to rebuild the party after the 2004 losses. She and others realized that Oregon Democratic leaders needed to take their big tent talk more seriously. Democrats for Life, for example, had long been frustrated at its inability to voice its pro-life views in party circles.
“No one thinks abortion is great,” says Smith. “The caucus is a great opportunity for people who have differing views, but who can come together.”
Common ground emerges in the caucus, embracing healthcare for children, education and worker rights.
“We are the party that actually talks about family values,” Smith says. “We care about what happens with our children. We care about children being educated, about children getting health care, about families staying together.”
Arias, 42, was born in Portland, the youngest of six children of parents who left Cuba when Fidel Castro gained power. Catholic Charities helped the family resettle.
Arias’ father became a Reagan Republican in the 1980s, but became disillusioned when he saw U.S. factories close and jobs go overseas and he blamed the free trade economics pushed by Ronald Reagan. The father returned to the Democrats when George W. Bush was elected.
The younger Arias, who attended the University of Oregon and studied theater, became active in various causes. He joined St. Andrew Parish, he says, because he was impressed how the faith community there puts its faith into action.
He now runs Common Good Films, catering to businesses and institutions that want to make the community better. He films advertisements and records radio spots. Married for eight years, he and his wife have a 3-year-old daughter.
