Rally to Restore Sanity / Keep Fear Alive (Fairfax, Washington: theater, living in)

[Tiger Beer]

Saw my friend's facebook photos - he took over 100 photos of creative signs. Loved it!

[SteelCityRising]

It was an awesome time. I did not cross-dress as Sarah Palin to the rally, but I did cross-dress later this evening as a crazy old cat lady in a pink robe to attend a friend's party in Mt. Pleasant.

I also agree that Metro SORELY underestimated the volume of riders they'd be handling today. I got to the West Falls Church Metrorail station at approximately 10 AM and snagged one of the last few parking spaces. Then I walked down the slope towards the entrance and saw that there was just a wall of people bleeding out onto the sidewalk. I had a SmarTrip card already, so I presumed the teeming masses were all tourists waiting in line to purchase fare cards, so I cut up on the left-hand side, ahead of everyone, to just go through a turnstile only to see complete pandemonium and chaos. I then turned back and went back to the end of the line. I finally made it back towards the front, and only THEN did I see that there WAS a turnstile available for people who already DID have a SmarTrip card that was obscured by the crowds! Why wasn't there a Metro employee doing crowd control and directing riders who already had a SmarTrip card through a turnstile? It would have saved people like myself a TON of time that we spent waiting in line for no reason.

When the trains pulled in from Vienna and Dunn Loring they were already nearly at capacity. I managed to squeeze in thanks to my petite size, but then already by East Falls Church and especially Ballston people on the platforms were unable to get on the trains. Metro SHOULD have been running MORE trains and/or more EIGHT-CAR TRAINS. They really dropped the ball (as usual) and embarrassed the area to people whom I met who were from Seattle, Tucson, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Canada.

[Do a Barrel Roll]

I went to the event and dealt mostly with hipster and yuppie snobs, really felt out of place, and was treated for the most part with cynicism. I guess that "my kind" should have been picking up the trash instead of being a part of the event.

The saddest thing is that having gone to the Tea Party event (for hits and giggles), I actually had a lot more people in that event treat me with more manners, respect, and inclusiveness, despite me not liking anything about what they stand for. And I'm saying this as a black dude.

[OrangeFish]

Originally Posted by Caladium

So that turned out to be a fun day! Great music (although hard to hear at times) and lots of laughs. Not really a political event, just a big party.

I agree with this assessment of the day. We had a fabulous time! We ended up meeting up with a large group of friends (and our group included no one in their 20s and white, unlike what a PP concluded as the majority of attendees) and had fun people watching. Some great costumes and quite creative signs!

As for Metro -- friends of ours gave up on the Orange Line and walked from Clarendon. Thankfully there was cell phone coverage so we could find each other.

I have no idea how many people actually attended, but I think that the transportation planning could have been much better.

[hilsmom]

Wow, Denton, are you watching the Fox News coverage of the event? Because that was NOT the reality on the ground.

And I just don't get Fairfaxian's comment - are you upset about signs you saw that didn't match your views? Did you talk to people at all? Were you wearing a "Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck are my Heroes" shirt? Because I honestly saw nothing but people who were there to have a good time. I saw a couple people trying to counter-protest, and no one even engaged them. My group, which included 2 mid-late 30s couples, 2 60-somethings and a 4 year old just sat back and enjoyed the day - pointing out signs and costumes to each other and laughing our butts off.

[JD984]

Originally Posted by RestonRunner86

It was an awesome time. I did not cross-dress as Sarah Palin to the rally, but I did cross-dress later this evening as a crazy old cat lady in a pink robe to attend a friend's party in Mt. Pleasant.

I also agree that Metro SORELY underestimated the volume of riders they'd be handling today. I got to the West Falls Church Metrorail station at approximately 10 AM and snagged one of the last few parking spaces. Then I walked down the slope towards the entrance and saw that there was just a wall of people bleeding out onto the sidewalk. I had a SmarTrip card already, so I presumed the teeming masses were all tourists waiting in line to purchase fare cards, so I cut up on the left-hand side, ahead of everyone, to just go through a turnstile only to see complete pandemonium and chaos. I then turned back and went back to the end of the line. I finally made it back towards the front, and only THEN did I see that there WAS a turnstile available for people who already DID have a SmarTrip card that was obscured by the crowds! Why wasn't there a Metro employee doing crowd control and directing riders who already had a SmarTrip card through a turnstile? It would have saved people like myself a TON of time that we spent waiting in line for no reason.

When the trains pulled in from Vienna and Dunn Loring they were already nearly at capacity. I managed to squeeze in thanks to my petite size, but then already by East Falls Church and especially Ballston people on the platforms were unable to get on the trains. Metro SHOULD have been running MORE trains and/or more EIGHT-CAR TRAINS. They really dropped the ball (as usual) and embarrassed the area to people whom I met who were from Seattle, Tucson, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Canada.

We got to the West Falls Church station around 10:45 yesterday and still found a parking space very close to the entrance, but maybe we were lucky.

I agree it would have been helpful to have more assistance from Metro employees. We also had SmarTrip cards. I decided there was no way we were waiting in the long line if it was just people waiting to buy tickets, and no one had any issue with our going directly to the turnstiles.

It definitely would have been nice to have more and/or longer trains. We had to wait for the second train that arrived before we were comfortable adding to those already on board. Maybe it's because one of us wasn't "petite" (ahem), or at least wouldn't describe himself that way. But then, if there were more cars or trains, someone would have to foot the bill, no? Plus, the whole thing had a somewhat spur-of-the-moment, viral quality. I bet a lot of locals who came didn't really decide to do so until shortly before the event when it was clear the weather would be good.

And, I'm not too worried about how we present ourselves to folks from Pittsburgh. They strike me as a pretty hearty, roll-with-the-punches crowd, and perhaps they've dealt with enough potholes in their own local roads that crowded trains in DC won't shock them too much.

As to Denton56's observations, I'd say the crowd was plurality, but not majority, under 30. Remember that, before there was a Comedy Central, there was David Letterman, and it seemed to attract a lot of the "I'm in on the joke" folks of all ages. There was more racial diversity than at a Tea Party rally, though it was a largely White crowd.

[CaliTerp07]

100 best signs from the rally:

The 100 Best Signs At The Rally To Restore Sanity And/Or Fear: Pics, Videos, Links, News

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by JEB77

And, I'm not too worried about how we present ourselves to folks from Pittsburgh. They strike me as a pretty hearty, roll-with-the-punches crowd, and perhaps they've dealt with enough potholes in their own local roads that crowded trains in DC won't shock them too much.

Really! It was a very pleasant day, I think it's a bunch of nonsense that we "embarrassed the area to people" because there were crowded train stations. Get real.

Actually, since it was a party atmosphere I talked with quite a few people, including several who had come in from PA, OH, NY, etc. All I heard was comments on how good DC looked, how much fun they were having, how well-maintained things were, etc. But even if that wasn't the case, frankly, who cares? Impressing people from out of town who arrive to attend a rally is low on my list of priorities.

[Nancy in Nokomis]

Yeah, comedy central - reall important rally - very funny - the country is falling apart

[mississippimagnolia]

Originally Posted by Fairfax Mom

Yeah, comedy central - reall important rally - very funny - the country is falling apart

I think the very fact that comedians can hold a political rally and have people take them seriously says an awful lot about the mentality of the average voter in America.