Rally to Restore Sanity

Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert's 'Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear' was one of the most level headed and concise rallies I've ever seen.  Through comedy these guys can point out obvious problems without getting too "preachy".  Comedy allows everyone to see contradictions and problems in our political system much faster than a lecture or a seminar.  I thoroughly enjoyed watching the rally live from South Korea while I'm away from the country I was born in and love dearly.

Colbert (left) and Stewart (right)

I found it even more interesting that this rally has "compelled some Americans living abroad to cast votes in a mid-term election they may have otherwise ignored.  It's also sparked more than 1,160 mini-rallies in 84 countries, morphing into something of a global political happening." (source: Christian Science Monitor)

Below are some of my favorite quotes from the rally and I highly recommend everyone see it if you get the chance.  Clips from the whole rally can be seen here.

"If we amplify everything, we hear nothing."

"[The rally is] for the people who think shouting is annoying, counterproductive, and terrible for your throat; who feel that the loudest voices shouldn’t be the only ones that get heard."

"This was not a rally to ridicule people of faith. Or people of activism or to look down our noses at the heartland, or passionate argument or to suggest that times are not difficult and that we have nothing to fear. They are and we do. But we live now in hard times, not end times. And we can have animus and not be enemies."

"There are terrorists and racists and Stalinists and theocrats but those are titles that must be earned." Stewart cited the importance of distinguishing between "real racists and Tea Partiers, or real bigots and Juan Williams or Rick Sanchez," because failing to do so "is an insult, not only to those people but to the racists themselves, who have put in the exhausting effort it takes to hate."

"The press is our immune system.If it overreacts to everything, we actually get sicker. And perhaps eczema. And yet, with that being said, I feel good. Strangely, calmly good." 

100 Best signs at the rally

Also, if you get the chance - Jon Stewart's interview with Barack Obama is definitely worthwhile.  A very sane interview indeed.