Tuesday, January 31, we will once again experience the jumble of catchphrases, lies, and unreliable pledges that make up a Bush State of the Union address. This year there are many options for places to go to watch it with others who will provide moral support.
The place to be is the Center for American Progress party:
State of The Union Watch Party
Featuring Air America’s The Majority Report LIVE and the authors of Get This Party Started
Free food and live blogging throughout the night
Join the Center for American Progress Action Fund and Air America’s The Majority Report to celebrate the release of Get This Party Started: How Progressives Can Fight Back and Win, a new book from Rowman & Littlefield featuring chapters from thirteen leading Beltway and grassroots progressive voices. Air America’s The Majority Report will broadcast a live panel from the Center for American Progress Action Fund before President Bush’s State of the Union Address featuring the authors of Get This Party Started. The authors of ThinkProgress.org and other prominent progressive blogs will be live blogging the speech and joining the discussion with our panelists. With the President poised to offer more of the same, help us get this party started on Tuesday.
Air America’s The Majority Report
LIVE at 8:00 PM
hosted by:
Sam Seder
featuring:
Duncan Black, Eschaton
Chris Bowers, MyDD.com
Anna Greenberg, Vice President, Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research
John Halpin, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress Action Fund
Matthew Kerbel, Editor, Get This Party Started
Judd Legum, Editor, ThinkProgress.org
John Podesta, President and CEO, Center for American Progress Action Fund
Amy Sullivan, Editor, The Washington Monthly
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Program: 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Admission is free.
Pizza and beverages will be served beginning at 7:30 PM
Center for American Progress Action Fund
1333 H Street NW, 10th Floor
Washington, DC 20005
Map and Directions
Nearest Metro: Blue/Orange: McPherson Square, Red: Metro Center
Click here to RSVP
Or call (202) 741-6246
Another option is to go to one of hundreds of house parties organized through the Democratic National Committee. There are at least 17 of them in the DC area.
In hundreds of communities across the country, people won’t be sitting back when George Bush delivers his State of the Union address on January 31st. That’s because in each of those communities someone decided to host a Watch Party — a simple event to bring people together to get the facts and take action.
There’s still time to invite people over to watch together, react together, and — most importantly — decide together what you will do to work for change on the ground in your community this year.
There will also be a Watch Party Conference Call immediately following the official Democratic response. You’ll be able to join Governor Dean and other Democratic leaders for immediate reaction and opportunities for rapid response.
You can set up your own Watch Party and start sending invitations using this simple tool on our web site:
http://www.democrats.org/events/create
From Anchorage to Wichita to Brooklyn people have already created Watch Parties. Everyone attending will receive background information before the speech, and the opportunity to hear directly from our party’s leaders immediately after.
You can search by zip code for an event in your area:
http://www.democrats.org/events/find
Where will you be next Tuesday night?
If you’d rather hang out with members of the religious left, Sojourners is holding “State of Our Values” house parties. There are several in the DC area, including parties at Sojourners headquarters and at N Street Village.
In last year’s State of the Union address, President Bush proclaimed boldly that “Over the next several months, on issue after issue, let us do what Americans have always done, and build a better world for our children and our grandchildren.” Did the actions carried out after that speech line up with your values?
We do not yet know what the president will say in his address this year. Will the president proclaim his vision for reducing or ending poverty in our time? Will he advance moral budget priorities? Will he lay out a plan for peace abroad and in our neighborhoods? Will he talk about restoring honest government? Most importantly, will he present a moral vision for our country that is in line with your values?
This speech will likely occur one day before the House of Representatives votes on a budget that harms low-income families and children by cutting vital services such as child support, Medicaid, and assistance for disabled persons. We believe this is the real moral scandal in Washington, yet it is receiving little attention.
As people of faith who believe in justice and compassion, we must ensure that our moral values are represented and our prophetic voices are heard.
+ Search for a State of Our Values watch near you:
http://go.sojo.net/ct/vdq7Knp1YRrG/
+ Organize a State of Our Values watch near you:
http://go.sojo.net/ct/v7q7Knp1YRrF/
Thank you very much for your dedication to social justice. We believe that this project will be a powerful step in changing the wind in our nation.
If you’re in the mood to make noise, then a World Can’t Wait protest might be for you. There’s one on the west side of the Capitol.
Washington DC: West Side of the Capitol on the National Mall
In DC, we will gather as close as we can to the scene of the impending lies: We will be on the west side of the Capitol, around and in front of the reflecting pool. The Press will be parked along 3rd Street and along the South Side of the Capitol (Independence). Cindy Sheehan and Ann Wright will speak to us (and them) at 8 pm; they will be followed by other speakers (the Rev. Yearwood and Doug Nelson, an Vietnam War vet) and then at 9, the main event will begin:
Picture a marching band/brass ensemble, a drum circle, a choir, tap dancers, a rock ensemble, hip-hop poetry, other spoken word, hootenany, African, Asian, Irish glorious soaring rhythmic, each beginning and doing a few minutes in sequence, followed by overlapping moments, followed by at least 30 minutes of jazz-like improv, call and response, followed by one fully stunning long-held harmonious wall of sound that rises to the heavens.
The whole main event lasts 50 minutes, from 9-9:50. It’s possible the media might be roused from their hypnotic stance to report on it.
If you are interested in either helping with logistics or performing, or can help us get great performers, please email Karen Bradley at Karen@democracycellproject.net or call 202-669-3927.
Breakdown of Speakers
8-9 PM:
Cindy Sheehan
Ann Wright
Doug Nelson, Vets for Peace
Rev. Lennox Yearwood, the HipHop Caucus
Rev. Deborah Lake
9-10 PM Performers:
Chris Chandler
Joe Jencks
Guerilla Poets
Rhythm Workers Union
Rabbi David Schneyer
rock bands, tap dancers, choirs drum, circles noisemakers, and YOU!
Also, short segments by performers, jam session, and WALL OF SOUND
BRING: warm clothes, instruments, noisemakers & FLASH LIGHTS to illuminate truth over lies!
Visit us @ http://www.worldcantwait.org or contact us @ dc@worldcantwait.org (202)536-4313
If you want something to do before your party or protest, there’s a vigil against torture at Cheney’s house at 5:
RELIGIOUS VIGIL AGAINST TORTURE
Tuesday, January 31st
(The night of the President’s State of the Union Address)
5:00 — 6:30 P.M.
Massachusetts Avenue and 34th Streets — across the street from the Vice President’s House (The Naval Observatory)
Sponsored by: River Road Unitarian Church Social Justice Council
This will be our third vigil at the Vice President’s house against torture, and we hope we can double the number of people who attend. Please invite members of your religious community as well as friends and family. On December 21 and December 28 we had 50-60 people at the vigil, and the effect was significant. We would like to see 100 people come out for the night of the President’s State of the Union Address.
As religious people, we feel it is critical that we speak out against this country’s torture policy and practices. We need to let our government, our country, and the world know, that we oppose torture, whoever commits it – that the torture policy of this administration does not reflect the values of the American people. Vice President Cheney is the apparent leading voice with respect to torture in this administration, and we think it is appropriate to hold our vigil outside his home at the Naval Observatory.
We will be demonstrating quietly and peacefully with candles, flashlights, and signs on the sidewalk across from the Vice President’s House. If you come by Metro, you will need to exit at Dupont Circle and transfer to an N2, N4 or N6 bus going up Massachusetts Avenue. Plenty of parking is available in the neighborhood, but we will also car pool from RRUC.
As before, when you arrive, please take your place next to the last person in line, on the sidewalk, facing the Vice President’s House. We will create a line down Massachusetts Avenue as long as the number of people we have joining us.
This is a vigil, and we ask that there be no shouting or chanting. However – signs are important, and they need to be large in order for the drivers going by to see them.
For further information, please contact Linda Gustitus at 202-363-3928 or linda.gustitus@yahoo.com.
Finally, United for Peace and Justice is organizing house parties as well, but I can’t see any indication of how to find them. Wherever you’re going, you may find their list of State of the Union games and resources useful, however.
Update (Jan 31): One more possibility, for those interested in turning Virginia blue, the Virginia Grassroots Coalition is having a watch party as well:
Tuesday, January 31st, 8:00pm — 10:30 Watch Bush’s State of the Union address (Speech is scheduled for 9-10pm) with Virginia Grassroots Coalition at Capitol City Brewing, 2700 S. Quincy St, in Shirlington. Join us in watching Bush tiptoe around the truth AGAIN. Virginia’s newly-minted Governor Tim Kaine has been selected to deliver the Democratic Party response to the speech so it makes the evening doubly interesting for Virginians. Various national groups have published “toolkits” for watching the speech and getting active. Come on out, put the kids in the footie pajamas, and be part of your community. It’s time we fought for what’s right. Contact us at info{at}vagrassroots.org PS — We’ll also be watching for the results of the 33rd District Senate race.
Toolkits—
