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Locals React to State of the Union

Volunteer TV 2-01-2006

Tuesday night, members of different faith groups came together to watch and evaluate the president's State of the Union address and the democratic response. More than 135 watches occurred across the nation, including several here in East Tennessee. Organizers say the state of the union gatherings are intended to help create a new vision for our community and country.

Volunteer TV's Gary Loe attended one of the non-partisan events held at a West Knoxville church. Local organizers brought together a diverse group of spiritual folks. The interfaith participants watching the speech expressed their visions for where they say America should be heading, and they did it without bashing the president. Instead, they focused on areas where they'd like to see improvement. This State of the Union watch at the Church of the Savior United Church of Christ on Weisgarber Road attracted members of different faith communities including Buddhism, Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Unitarian Universalist. They came to assess proposals by president Bush and the democratic opposition, based on their own values.

"We see that fewer and fewer people are voting and this is really an effort to revive democracy, get people sitting around the table to talk about the issues," Reverend Chris Buice said.

The non-partisan evaluation began with participants considering the question, "if you were president and giving the State of the Union address, what would you say are the most important moral priorities for our nation?"

"We do it through paying higher wages so people don't have to work as much. People are working so much because they can't afford to live," participant Bo Sutton said.

President Bush talked extensively about Iraq, the War on Terror, and America's responsiblity in promoting freedom. He also touched on immigration.

"We must have stronger immigration enforcement and border protection," president Bush said.

"I would like to see an improvement in human rights issues, and the issues immigrants, they have been facing," participant Rafiq Mahdi said.

Speech evaluators react to the president's comments on energy, controlled government spending, and health care.

"I believe that one of the basic rights that every citizen in this country should have is some access to affordable health care," participant Gayle Hansen Browne said.

"I've seen a lot of people go to the hospital and get saddled with bills that they can't pay for the rest of their lives," participant Owen Liles said.

Organizers say the State of the Union watch was not a reaction to the current administration.

The Interfaith Watch Program began back in 1995 by the progressive christian magazine, "Sojourners."

There were other groups around East Tennessee and the state watching closely on Tuesday night.

Alan Williams watched the speech with members of the local GOP gathered in a party-style atmosphere in North Knoxville. Many on hand helped in both Bush campaigns. They all gathered in the living room of one GOP member and listened intently to the speech, occasionally breaking out in applause."I think it's straight forward, and he's putting in on the line, what he needs to do," viewer Jack Slaughter said.

"Why is that?" Alan asked.

"Because I think from what I've been hearing the republicans need to do that," Slaughter said.

"Suzanne, what are you hearing tonight?" Alan asked.

"Confidence and the courage, cause I've, I've always believed him anyway so I trust him," viewer Suzanne Dewar said.

"I hear the president talking about basically stricking to his policies he's laid for us so far and the plan he's put forward to the end, and using that to send a message around the world that we're going to preserve the interests of freedom," viewer Corey Johns said.