"We Live Now In Hard Times, Not End Times."
Monday, November 1, 2010 at 9:30AM
Photo via USA TodayI spent the Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear from my computer as I, with my Seasonal Affective Disorder and general crankiness, could not handle a crowd Saturday. And according to all estimates, it was quite a crowd down at the Mall in Washington, D.C. Estimates say that more than 215,000 people showed up at the two political satirists' gathering, which featured The Roots, Mavis Staples, Sam Waterston reading poetry, Stephen Colbert in fancy outfits and an earnest closing speech by Stewart, addressing the disconnect between reality and the crush of anger and confusion that populates the 24-hour-news cycle.
Watch Stewart's speech after the jump.
While I had my issues with the concept of holding a joke rally in response to Glenn Beck's "joke" rally earlier this fall, I feel Stewart and Colbert's political comedic hearts were in the right place and the rally was a good representation of how non-crazy most people are. That most people do care, but just don't care for the hot mess that goes on in the effort to feed the 24-hour-news beast. Part of the reason why cable news is so sensational is because it is a business. They have too much time and not enough news to fill that time. So you get a lot of crazy passing off as news that is really just entertainment, the day's events tossed into a blender and spat back at you without introspective thought or regard. Stewart and Colbert have always mocked that with their "fake news," while often both making news on their own. So, I was impressed.
What did you think of the rally? Did you go?
I don't know what this will mean for the Midterms, other than, I hope, people will vote. Especially in those elections that are hotly contested. I can understand voter apathy if you, like me, were a civil rights/social justice Liberal living and voting Republican desert towns where they bragged about the law enforcement's love of "Mean Justice." (I lived in Midland, TX and Bakersfield "Mean Justice," Calif.) Or if you live in Washington, D.C. where you get all the taxation, but none of the representation. But I also lived in the "purple, sometimes red" state of Missouri where it was almost near irresponsible to miss any statewide electoin.
Every vote counts, but, if you're voting in Florida or Illinois or Oklahoma or Kentucky or any state with a spirited race going on, your vote might be the difference between two years of obfuscation or two years of getting something done.
You've got until tomorrow to make it happen.
Reader Comments (12)
I have grown so tired of these ads. Every time I turn the tv or radio on and even while reading blogs, I can see the political ads running along side. I know this is one of the most important elections and I am looking forward to cast my vote, but everything has been made into a spectacle and I have had enough. I can't wait till Wednesday morning.
Peace, Love and Chocolate
Tiffany
I enjoyed the rally, was in attendance. Entertaining, and just nice that folks can see that a rally calling for Sane political debate gets a lot more people to show up than a rally for Mr. Beck.
I drove down from Philly. I thought I would be sensible: park in the suburbs and take the metro into the city and enjoy the rally and maybe visit a museum afterwards. Then I was slapped with reality. I arrived in Bethesda at 10:30 and it took two hours to make it to the mall (including an hour waiting in line to buy a ticket and standing on the platform waiting for one to stop). I arrive to see or hear anything.
But, the positive energy and jovial vibe of the crowd put me in a good mood. I wasn't irritated. I met a lot of interesting people (really interesting characters) and had a few good laughs (the signs were a hoot).
I even took some pictures (http://www.flickr.com/photos/31301671@N04/)
The typos OMG. Cocaine is a powerful drug.
I arrived in Bethesda at 10:30 and it took two hours to make it to the mall (including an hour waiting in line to buy a ticket and standing on the platform waiting for a train to stop). I arrived too late see or hear anything.
I rarely brave crowds on the mall for rallies, but I was curious. Couldn't see the stage, didn't hear anything but one or two sentences from Stewart & Colbert. But regular, reasonable people with a great sense of humor made the day. In fact the only unreasonable people I noticed were the police and fire dept trying to part the crowds by driving through with about a dozen vehicles, sirens and threats to arrest the people on top of the ambulance. Go figure. Here are a few photos http://studiolafoncettephotography.wordpress.com/
It was great. I attended with my roommate, and my mom who flew all the way from Texas to be a part of it. We got to the Mall around 10:45 and positioned ourselves near a Jumbotron on 5th Street. The mood was light and friendly. Met people from all across the country. After the 40 minute Roots/John Legend opening act and the audience participation activity with the guys from "Mythbusters", I realized this would be unlike any rally I've ever attended.
By the expression of Jon Stewart's face when he came out, you can tell they never expected THAT many people would show up. I really liked the way Stewart and Colbert made their points without slamming it into our faces (i.e., through the use of American Flag fleece pullovers, and the epic "train" battle between Cat Stevens, Ozzy Osbourne, and the O'Jays). I thought it was just the right mix of tongue and cheek.
We headed to the Metro at 2:15 to avoid the crush of people, and were amazed by the amount of people still trying to get up close even though the event was close to its conclusion.
I caught Jon Stewart's closing speech when I got home -- it was on the interwebs by 4:00! I was so glad he made his statement. Yes, it was pretty scorching indictment of the 24-hour media cycle, but it was appropriate. I've read some media criticism of it today. What did people expect him to talk about? If he talked directly to the politicians, they would have chastised him for getting too poltical. I think his message was appropriate...and I'm glad he didn't waste such a critical mass of folks by not saying something of substance.
Danielle, I'm like you. I hope that all of the energy from Saturday will turn into voters on Tuesday. I would be greatly disappointed if people - especially younger voters - who could make the effort to attend the rally from such far away locations, spend hours making ironic signs, t-shirts, and costumes, and wait in massive lines for transportation, could not make a modicum of that effort to VOTE. Seriously. To coin a phrase from the rally: "don't be a douche."
I'm not in DC and even if I was, would not stand in a crowd for nobody short of James Baldwin returned. But good on Stewart and Colbert.
And I must say I never understand voter apathy -- never, never, never. I have voted in every rinky-dink election they ever had in my life, and I've in some places where doing so was also a joke. But, damn, cuz -- people died so I could take thirty minutes out of my day every two years and put a black mark on a piece of paper. Seriously. I cut NO slack to people who don't vote but break their neck to stand in line and give the club owner or Mr. Avatar (what's his name? the director? blanking) their money on Saturday night. No slack this way. None.
Vote early and vote often, people.
Everyone just needs to ignore all the adds and talking heads and vote, if you know nothing about the candidates you should just vote for the party that you think mostly aligns with your ideals. BUT VOTE This election like every election is IMPORTANT.
Great article snob!
"Every vote counts"
I agree. If you don't vote, then you should not complain about anything. I am concerned that some of the BWE bloggers are encouraging black women not to vote because "our needs are being overlooked by both parties". One in particular is suggesting that it is feasible for most black women to develop "income streams" that will allow them to thrive in the midst of a failing economy and relocate to a foreign country when America collapses.
How realistic is that for most black women? The truth is that MOST Americans of any race do not (and will never) have the resources or wealth to thrive even when the economy is not doing well and most Americans CANNOT run to a foreign country at will. We have to try to fix things here. If we throw our hands up in the air and do nothing, then we are GUARANTEED to fail. I hope that most black women will go out there and vote tomorrow, even though they may currently feel discouraged or disappointed.
Cosigns with Lisalisa.
No these are the end times. Thank God!!!!