I've shamelessly lifted this poster and the text below it from the Jon Stewart Rally to Restore Sanity website.
Why? Because I'm sick to death and weary of how so many have forgotten the importance of simple common courtesy and plain ol' good manners.
WHY is it okay to treat people who don't agree with you in a hateful manner? When did we forget that differences are just that - "differences." And they're okay! Not wrong. JUST different.
WHY is it okay to be working in a Customer Service related area and refuse to treat the customer with a little bit of respect and actually offer a little bit of help, an answer, and some service.
And maybe it seems like a huge jump to go from ranting about non-existent customer service to politics - when actually it's not . . . .
WHY is it okay for our politicians to forget that whole speech about . . . "this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." Remember it??! It's one of the mainstays of this country. Or used to be. Words that used to motivate good people to serve in public office. Now those words have been replaced by words uttered by special interest groups who will promise a person a whole bunch of money in campaign funding if they'll promise votes for their special interest - which is not necessarily an interest that's going to be good for this country. Count on it.
Honestly - I'm just sick to death of politicians. Period. This from someone who was, at one time, fairly actively aware and involved, but now can't even stand to watch or read the news.
Politics these days is a sport. Whoever has the most money wins.
" . . . and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." Pfft. Who cares about that tired old saw??
And these negative political ads we're subjected to on TV? Oh yeah, I forgot - someone's going to say they're going to keep their campaign clean. Pfft. sure.
and how much do these ads cost?! Does that even make any sense???
We have people losing their jobs, their homes, their health care, their life savings . . .
But there's plenty of money in this country for nasty political ads on TV and in the newspapers.
WHAT ON EARTH HAS HAPPENED TO US????
this is me
am I proud of it?! NO! But I'm finding it comforting right now, so it's where I'll stay. Unless I can find my way to the shadow of the Washington Monument on 10/30/10. Who knows - people there might actually be laughing and enjoying one another instead of spewing hate speeches. What a novel concept!
I don't expect you all to agree with me. And I'm okay with that. But, it's my blog and I'll rant if I want to. You can agree, or you can disagree. And you can even leave a comment telling me how you feel. But please do it in a respectful manner. If you think I've trampled on your ideals, I'm sorry that's how you feel, that's not my intent - but "this" is how I feel. I am all for restoring sanity.
"I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore!"
Who among us has not wanted to open their window and shout that at the top of their lungs?
Seriously, who?
Because we're looking for those people. We're looking 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; and who believe that the only time it's appropriate to draw a Hitler mustache on someone is when that person is actually Hitler. Or Charlie Chaplin in certain roles.
Are you one of those people? Excellent. Then we'd like you to join us in Washington, DC on October 30 -- a date of no significance whatsoever -- at the Daily Show's "Rally to Restore Sanity."
Ours is a rally for the people who've been too busy to go to rallies, who actually have lives and families and jobs (or are looking for jobs) -- not so much the Silent Majority as the Busy Majority. If we had to sum up the political view of our participants in a single sentence... we couldn't. That's sort of the point.
Think of our event as Woodstock, but with the nudity and drugs replaced by respectful disagreement; the Million Man March, only a lot smaller, and a bit less of a sausage fest; or the Gathering of the Juggalos, but instead of throwing our feces at Tila Tequila, we'll be actively *not* throwing our feces at Tila Tequila. Join us in the shadow of the Washington Monument.
And bring your indoor voice. Or don't. If you'd rather stay home, go to work, or drive your kids to soccer practice... Actually, please come anyway. Ask the sitter if she can stay a few extra hours, just this once. We'll make it worth your while.
Watch Jon's call-to-reasonableness on The Daily Show. Keep checking back for updates and rally information
