Atlanta, Georgia February 1, 2008

On February 19, 2008 Atlanta WAND will be presenting its 6th Annual Real State of the Union with Jay Bookman and Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery. Jay Bookman will be giving his talk on the “real” state of the union and Dr. Lowery will be responding to Jay’s talk. This year Jay's talk will be around the theme: Chickens Coming Home to Roost.  

Each year the talk and response have been more interesting, enlightening, and timely.  With the state that our country is in as we move into the final stages of the current administration, we anticipate this year’s event will be even more interesting, enlightening, and timely.  

The event is brought to you by Atlanta WAND and hosted this year by Rev. Dr. Gerald L. Durley and Providence Missionary Baptist Church.  

When: Tuesday, February 19, 2008 at 7 pm

Where: Sanctuary of Providence Missionary Baptist Church 

2295 Benjamin E. Mays Drive, SW Atlanta GA 30311  

This event is Free and Open to the Public  

At 6 pm there will be a light Reception in the Fellowship Hall hosted by Georgia for Democracy so come early. 

For directions and information: Atlanta WAND at 404.524.5999 or wandatlanta@wand.org.  Media contact for this event: Dianne Valentin – 404.431.9593 or diannevalentin@gmail.com 

Jay Bookman is Deputy Editorial Editor of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.  His courageous and prophetic piece entitled The President’s Real Goal in Iraq (September 29, 2002 – AJC), earned him both national and international acclaim.  The “real” state of the union speech, delivered in February after the President’s proposed budget numbers are released, reflects on our country, our resources, our leaders, and the current issues we face together. 

The Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery is convener of the Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda, founder of the Lowery Institute for Justice and Human Rights at Clark Atlanta University, and one of our country’s most revered civil rights leaders.  This event will be Dr. Lowery’s third response to the “real” state of the union. 

If you are going to be in Atlanta, don't miss this.

The Real State of the Union Event History in brief 

February 2003 - Horizon Theatre (200 in attendance)

February 2004 - Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta (400 in attendance) 

February 2005 - Emory's Cannon Chapel (450 in attendance)

February 2006 - Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church (full capacity +)

February 2007 - 1st Iconium Baptist Church (650 in attendance) 

Since Atlanta WAND presented the first Real State of the Union event in February 2003, it has grown and become an anticipated event around the Metro Atlanta community. 

Atlanta WAND invited Jay Bookman, Deputy Editorial Editor with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution to use his political insight and broad knowledge of history to reflect on the issues that have faced us each year as a country and as a community.   

Jay’s topics have covered everything from the failures of the media, our enormous national debt, and the Iraq war, to the legacy we will or will not leave our children, foreign policy, energy, and our political leadership. 

Over the past five years we have appreciated the community’s embrace of this event. Church leaders and theatrical venues throughout the community have been gracious enough to host us as we attempt to bring focus to the citizen’s unmet needs, which are not reflected in this administration’s official State of the Union Address or budget numbers given by the president on the first Monday of each February.  

In 2006 we invited political cartoonist Mike Luckovich to participate in the event. It was a bonus for the program when Mike showed slides of some of his political cartoon images.  

2006 was also the year renowned civil rights legend and convenor of the Georgia Coalition for the Peoples’ Agenda and co-founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery, was asked to provide a response to the talks given by Jay.  Each year since, Dr. Lowery has brought his sage wisdom and put his stamp on this event as only he could. 

Jay Bookman and Dr. Lowery have made this an annual event not to be missed.