I've never attended a rally for anything if I'm honest with myself. See...seems to me that all of the important rallies I would have attended have been dealt with far before I was old enough to participate. There are things, of course, that I'm in support of and against but I really haven't ever felt compelled to leave my home to join other people who felt as I did about a certain something.
I didn't support the war in Iraq from the beginning and yet...I had no intention of joining folks marching against it.
I'm against racism of any form but...since I've been an adult I haven't even thought about heading somewhere to march with folks regarding.
I support gay people but nah...I'm not about to hold up a corner of their rainbow flag and march with them.
But I make my voice heard in other ways and with my vote.
When I first heard of the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear it immediately spoke to me. The smart comedy coupled with sensibility just appealed to who I am as an American. EPIC SIGNAGE was the mantra from the start and I loved the thought of participating in a forum where the voices of people like myself would be heard and our signs would be posted all over the internet and media as well. I loved showing COLLECTIVELY just how flipping DUMB folks think this tea party nonsense is and I liked that people from all over connected with it as well on the same level.
As I was there looking around I felt really, really good knowing I was around "MY KINDA PEOPLE." People who used their brains when it came to their politics and weren't afraid to tag someone with FACTS and not talking points. FACTS.
See...facts give you a calming sense of knowing you're right. Facts make SENSE and you're able to think about them organically. Talking points don't provide you with an opportunity for further conversation because there is usually a big azz PERIOD after spewing out a talking point you heard from an idiot because there is nothing to support it so there is pretty much nothing left to say after.
Except for a whole bunch of laughter at the idiocy of it all.
Yesterday I looked around at people who were like me in all skin colors and ages. I loved the older White people, the middle aged Muslims in traditional Muslim attire, the young Black people, the Hispanics, the Asians, the Christians, the Jewish, the kids, the people in wheelchairs, etc. They all made me feel good.
Folks came from all over the United States to be with other people who are just like them. Who believe as they do and, who wanted to show a different side of Americans in the media because we'd decided there was truly too dang many images of stoopit Americans out there making it seem as if they were the pulse of what the majority of us are feeling.
I had some of the best conversations yesterday than I've had in a long, long time. Conversations with perfect strangers who were smiling, polite, smart and just fun as hell.
I had a good time man...a VERY good time. It was a good feeling can you tell?
We can't let them paint our country in ways we would never, ever, EVER support. We can't let them make it seem as if we are all out there supporting hate. We gotta let folks know with our voices and our votes that we are serious when it comes to our future.
We're not all idiots and we don't all speak in talking points.
VOTE SANE ON TUESDAY FOLKS!
Thank you in advance!
Monica Mingo, American
