Digitized Thoughts

My thanks to Mike for taking time out of his weekend to write-up a recap of the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear. I watched the event on TV, but wanted to know what it was like on the ground in DC.

It was a Clusterf*** of Fear and/or Sanity.

Hundreds of thousands of people travelled from around the nation (and maybe beyond) to descend upon the National Mall this weekend to witness the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear.

Here are my reactions:

Reaction #1 – Transportation

As a native Washingtonian, I know rallies, protests and celebrations.  I’ve been to inaugurations, marches, parades, races and festivals along all corners of the nation’s capital, covering the full spectrum of topics.  However, none of these events have EVER clogged the public transportation system like this.  The out-of-towners were smart and came into DC VERY early Saturday morning.  My first report from a friend on the Mall came nearly 4 hours before the event started.

Us locals, however, took our sweet time getting down there, which was our downfall.  By the time my friends and I headed down, the Metro was basically of no use and buses weren’t even stopping to pick up people, since there was no room.  So we walked.  And walked.  And then walked some more.  But the vibe was joyous and light…it was an adventure!

Reaction #2 – The Mall

The streets headed to the Mall made us feel like sardines in a can.  Thousands of people crammed into mini-mobs, collectively looking to get closer to the rally.  Again, though, everyone was so darn happy, we didn’t mind being squished, at least for a while.

It was plain to see that the crowd shattered what the organizers had prepared for.  People climbed on top of trees, streetlights and, disgustingly, port-a-pots.  The video and sound systems were no match for the crowd (with some estimates putting it near 300,000).

Now THAT"S dedication

Reaction #3 – The People

I’ve seen reports that say the rally attendees were young and white.

In a word: hogwash.

I saw every age, from infant to elderly, and every race and religion on the planet very well represented.  As mentioned above, some estimates, placed the attendance at 300,000.  I didn’t count each person, but my thinking was well over 100,000.  It was a stunning turnout for the event (see #5).

People came in costumes of all types.  My favorite was someone dressed as “The Bill” from School House Rock.

People came carrying signs.  These ranged from poignant to absurd.  One sign proclaimed the holder’s fear of his recent double-cancer diagnosis amid the healthcare crisis.  Another said a kitten dies every time a certain former Alaskan governor Tweets.  The sign of the day (non-political), to me, was one that asked “What Would Jesus Do?” with a photo of Jesus, the purple-jumpsuit-wearing bowler in “The Big Lebowski.”  For obvious reasons, my favorite politically-oriented sign will NOT be included here.

Reaction #4 – The Rally

Well, we could barely see or hear anything, so after about an hour of trying to get a better view and enjoying The Roots, we walked back up 7^th Street to a tapas bar, ordered some sangria pitchers and watched the rest of the event on TV.

I recorded the event on Comedy Central and will watch it soon, but, that gets me to…

[Note: Upon watching the rally start to finish, it was a mix of funny, corny, entertaining, strange content.  The highlight was clearly Yusuf and Ozzy Osbourne, with Jon Stewart’s event-closing monologue coming in a close second and Kid Rock at #3.]

Reaction #5 – Overall

This is a strange event to evaluate.  Was it a PR stunt or a political movement?  A liberal gathering or a variety show?

Maybe it was something in the middle.  A marketing event that electrified and captivated.  A leftist shout-out with moderate content.  A plea to vote, no matter who you cast your ballot for.   A Halloween weekend jamboree for an excuse to put on a costume a day early.  A sermon preached to the choir.  An inside joke the audience was totally in on.  A fun day with friends.  A touchstone pop-culture event, blending truth and comedy, celebrities and politics.  A platform to recognize good people without shouting and bickering and name-calling.

Maybe each person turned it into what they wanted it to be.

And that sounds just fine to me.

Mike Schaffer is a social media strategist for iostudio.  He maintains his own PR blog, The Buzz by Mike Schaffer and can be reached on Twitter.  He lives and works in Washington, DC