The Rally to Restore Sanity taught me what’s sexy in America

I stood with big fat tears rolling down my face, soaking in Cat Stevens. I thought back to all the times I blasted “Peace Train” in my headphones and when I first bought one of his albums. I got outrageously excited when I realized the O’Jays were taking the stage to sing “Love Train”. I made a note to tell my dad that the Myth Busters were there too. And I couldn’t help but laugh at John Oliver in his Peter Pan costume as he helped us revive sanity.

I knew there was a decent amount of people there but was so utterly moved when the jumbo trons showed us reaching from one end of the National Mall to the other.

I even peer pressured a man next to me to take his hat off during a troops’ rendition of out National Anthem. Naturally, I proceeded to cry.

Sure I was sleepy (I was operating on approximately 2 hours of sleep.), my feet were in agony (I stood in virtually the same place for at least five hours, not including all the walking I did). It was pretty annoying when a tall man walked through my little area and proceeded to make the rest of us crunch together while he blew cigarette smoke in our direction.

Drew Aderer of the NY Times

But I also witnessed kindness and camaraderie.

I witnessed people pulling strangers aside because “I just have to take a picture so I can show your sign (I’m not scared of a government who helps people) to my social studies class” or because they had to photograph “I want my county (ham) back.”

A women told me “I love your sticker (Vote Pro-Choice. Politicians make crappy doctors.). It’s so true.”

I signed one of these!

Before the rally began, as the jumbo trons kept us entertained, I witnessed people politely chant “Signs down, please” and the people in front lowered their signs so others could see the screens.

My eyes are horrible, completely incapable of adjusting to wearing glasses, and dry all the time. My eyes get red and water even when I’m not having a spiritual crisis. As my eyes were red and watery the lady behind me offered to give me a bottle of water because she “mothers everyone.”

airphotoslive.com

I got to see people find a space amongst the crowd, saying “I’m sorry, excuse me,” as they waded through.

I got to see a mass of people empty the mall and smile at each other as we all tried to walk in all different directions.

Jon Stewart is right.

Traffic merging is American. We can negotiate. Take turns. Compromise.

We can all actually get along.

From the Huffington Post report

Right now I’m sitting on a bus with a bunch of sleepy, achy rally attendents, who after getting a little cranky with greyhound for running late decided cracking up at our silly bus driver was a much more reasonable and uplifting way to spend their time.

I’m not saying I had something to do with it but I did pray for our aching  feet, our growling stomachs and for all of us to remember what we learned.

So the message of the rally, that I was so concerned with just days ago, can best be explained by a sign I saw on the jumbo tron.

CIVILITY IS SEXY.

Rationality is good thing.

Jon Stewart told us in his address to remember:

“Most Americans don’t live their lives solely as Democrats or Republicans or conservatives or liberals…Impossible things get done every day that are only made possible by the little, reasonable compromises.”

Civility is American.

Civility really is sexy.

 

Author’s note: Oh, it’s 2 in the morning…whoever wants to proofread, please do. Send me corrections.

The Rally to Restore Sanity And/Or Fear

The month of October has really been about counting down. Counting down until the end of midterm exams and papers and counting down to the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear.

A friend of mine told me the rally “is currently my main reason for living through midterms.”

The one thing the rally lacks is cohesion. Sure my friend and I both have our reasons for going that are beyond the fact Jon Stewart is hosting. I worry though; what are we collectively asking for?

Civility

Tolerance

Intellectual Debate

An end to fear mongering

A true voice in government

Left/right/ middle collaboration

I’m hauling myself to the bus station at one in the morning because civility and moderation does not mean we lack passion. We are not heard in the media because our even keeled thought processes are considered boring. It is far more interesting to listen to Sharon Angle, Christine O’Donnell and their followers than to the misnomered ‘everyday American.’

There is most definitely a need for polarizing rhetoric and the people who subscribe to it to “take it down a notch.”

Will our lack of cohesion hinder our message? It just might but in the grander view, one based on principles, allowing everyone to the table is more American.

I cringed when I typed “more American.”

But allowing religious folks, republicans, democrats, moderates, those who don’t care, those who are just fans of Stewart and Colbert to come together and politely ask for America to chill out is American….if only for the fact everyone can come no matter your persuasion.

There are even the non-political reasons for attending.

The Mormon bloggernacle is abuzz about what this could mean for the ever-growing numbers of Mormon liberals, feminists and intellectual thinkers on the fringes of their more hard lined, true blue brothers and sisters.

My fear is that no matter how many hilariously potent arguments are made on Saturday they will not be taken seriously because they are funny.

What we’re all hoping for is that one day right, left and middle can debate freely and honestly without the winners or losers being demonized. Sometimes though I wish moderates had a better mouthpiece than a comedian and his Bill O’Reilly satirizing sidekick. I think their two shows are important but wouldn’t it be nice to see results and for moderation to be taken seriously, instead of being categorized as people who cannot make up their minds.