Restoring My Sanity

Last Saturday I watched Jon Stewart at the D.C. Rally to Restore Sanity/Fear. Since his days starring in quasi-B movies, The Daily Show has become a contemporary fixture. Most people under 40 watch it, and a lot of those people actually rely on Stewart as a news source. It's not as ludicrous as it seems. He's the true no-spin zone, more honest than most of the mainstream media, and a lot funnier, too. (Remember 'The Notorious A.I.G.?').

Although a lot of Democrats thought Stewart would rally the troops, the comedian/pundit proved an Independent, railing against the dangers of 24/7 news coverage. "If we amplify everything, we hear nothing," he said. "If we overreact to everything, we get sicker."

We live in a time where unemployment hovers near 10%, health care is more controversial than ever and our wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are every bit the quagmire they were two years ago. When President Obama told Stewart it takes more than eighteen months to enact hope and change, I thought it sounded like an excuse.

Our polarization never seemed more distinct, until Stewart reminded us that the real America is an atheist sitting in a traffic jam next to a Mormon blasting Jay-Z. Liberal or conservative, black or white, gay or straight, we are all Americans. Yes, we may have communities we create within the places we live to feel more comfortable. But that doesn't mean we belong to our larger communities any less.

New York Times columnist David Carr suggested Stewart's media attack was shooting the messenger. Nah. Stewart was just keeping it real. Not everyone knows who Rick Sanchez is, but a lot of us know what it's like fearing being laid off.

At the end of his speech, Stewart thanked the crowd for coming out. Their very presence, he said, restored his sanity. Stewart's speech restored mine. I was proud to cast my vote tonight, supporting the candidates I thought were best, not the Party they represented. Let's put away the gloves and take out some common sense.