The Backlash to the Backlash

by Wesley Boudreau

The instant the ‘Rally to Restore Sanity’ and ‘The March to Keep Fear Alive’ were announced by Jon Stewart and The Rev. Sir Dr. Stephen Tyrone Colbert respectively, I was impressed, more over I knew I would be in attendance for this was an event that wouldn’t be forgotten if I tried my hardest to do so. The celebrity factor tied into this leftist gathering stimulated me to attend more than would be the case if a similar rally were taking place of the same variety. For, Washington D.C. was not the usual destination for a weekend away, nor is it easy to travel to. The magnetism of the two television personalities helped draw me in, truly. I do want to say that I am doing my civic duties on a daily basis, but that would be an exaggeration, these rallies, occurring simultaneously at the same location were a confidence boost in my own political participation. We all try to be apart of something larger than us throughout our lives, and I thought this would satisfy the need temporarily.

I left at 10:30AM on the 29th of October with a friend. We didn’t know exactly what we were getting into when we did so. The only thing we did know was that this would be the definitive backlash rally against the backlash rallies – that this was the left’s response to the, well, insanity that over boiled mid 2009 to current day. Midterm elections were right around the corner on the following Monday, and some were hoping that this rally would be the magical antidote to what some saw as a republican revolution, similar that of the conservative spike in 1994.

We approached the D.C. mall day of shortly before the event was to go underway. The streets surrounding the area were blocked off by police, barriers, and waves of rally goers. Political signs, costumes, chants all started coming into focus as we pressed forward. Booths were set up selling leftist merchandise – peace signs, flags, bumper stickers, which is in contrast to the Tea Party’s idea of patriotism.

We managed to make our way about two hundred feet from the main stage, and about fifty feet from the right side of the mall. The position was by no means ideal, but it was the best we could do. From our position we could stand on the balls of our feet to view the four large projection screens of the events, and to our left and right and reverse, supporters, supporters, and more supporters. Despite the poor view the overall energy of the event itself was enough to make the trip worth it. Comical signs as, ‘legalize pot’, ‘I’m gay for the USA’, ‘There’s safety in ignorance’, all provided a rich atmosphere that reminded us of why we were there, but clearly stated that we were not very serious people. The rally goers with first class, or front row seating with plenty of leg room and in flight service must have arrived hours early or even camped out the night before for a prime spot. Around us directly were supporters varying from Hispanic, to Asian, young as four to old as seventy. The crowd was very diverse when it came to physical construction but relatively the same in mentality. What did unite us was tolerance and the theme could be defined as such, more so than a rally to restore sanity to the people. This could even be defined as a populist movement against the Glenn Beck and other Tea Party rallies which claimed populist uprising, but more simulated the George Wallace movement of 1972. 

By no means were we bored for one minute after it all came together and snapped into gear. The guest list was bursting with entertainment all relevant to what this event was all about. From Sam Waterston performing a reading of Colbert’s poetry, the Mythbuster’s own Adam Savage, and Jamie Hyneman leading the crowd itself in an experiment, to Sheryl Crow and Kid Rock. Lastly there was an overall sense of under preparedness to the occasion as transitions seemed choppy and forced together at the last minute.

There is no surprise that this was a liberal or intellectual movement and, as rallies seem to attract the same type of mindset, and emanate an energy matched nowhere else under any other medium. Having said this the rally events themselves ranged diversely in themselves, from musical acts such as The Roots, to comedy sketches arranged by the two hosts: Stewart and Colbert.

The feel of the rally itself was energetic and uplifting personally, it seemed to almost inspire me to get out and show my support more actively as this was my duty as a concerned citizen. In all, the rally was by large a success story attracting a quarter million people who specifically gathered to restore sanity and speak out against the backlash of the left seen as of late. However what this rally accomplished in terms of its practicality was little. There was no real call for change, no specific change mind you. But this could be viewed as acceptable if this was a rally for promoting reason and good judgment in opposition to the right wing reactionaries who think Rome could be built or destroyed in a day, or seven. I leave you now with Stewart’s closing statement – “So here we are, I want to conclude with some sincerity that might breech the boundaries for a comedian/talker/pundit-guy. We live in hard times, not end times. We can have animus and not be enemies. But unfortunately, one of our main tools […] broke [mainstream media, or some call it the fourth wing of the government]. If we amplify everything, we hear nothing, Americans don’t live on cable TV… most Americans don’t live their lives as democrats or republicans or liberals or conservatives. Most live their lives as people a little bit late for something they have to do… making little, reasonable compromises we all make… we have to work together to get from the darkness to the light.”