Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Moderate as Heck

Barbarella
Barbarella

Madness is rare in individuals — but in groups, political parties, nations, and eras it’s the rule. — Friedrich Nietzsche

By 9:30 a.m., we’d been standing on the grass at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., for 45 minutes. The numbness in my toes concerned me. Fortunately, the sun was keeping my head warm and, as the crowd packed in tighter around me, the autumn breeze was becoming less and less of an issue. I was willing to endure a bit of discomfort in exchange for being part of a push for civil discourse, or, as the host of the event called it, a “Return to Sanity.”

Personalities who spew their thoughts on everything from nuclear proliferation to the font on our currency are not of interest to me. The only talking heads I pay attention to are those who mock such pundits. I have family who follow Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity and friends who revere Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann. I steer clear of all news analysts; I only catch preposterous excerpts when my two favorite satirists, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, poke fun at them.

It so happened that when Jon Stewart (of The Daily Show on Comedy Central) announced his plans to hold a rally in D.C., David and I were in the process of scheduling a trip to our nation’s capital so that we could attend his great-aunt’s 90th birthday party. The rally was the weekend before the big shindig, and as David’s second cousin had invited us to stay with her for as long as we liked, it was a no-brainer.

Sponsored
Sponsored

The day of the show, David and I stood our ground 50 feet away from one of the many Jumbotrons and 100 yards from the main stage. We waited and watched as an estimated 250,000 people vied for a clear patch of grass upon which to stand. Among the sea of unfamiliar faces pushing by, I saw one I recognized. I flung my arms skyward and shouted, “Mark!” When he didn’t answer to the sound of me shrieking his name, I bellowed my friend’s less common nickname: “Maus!”

At least half a head taller than everyone around him, Mark had no trouble spotting me once he turned his head in my direction. He forded across the rushing current of people, and soon he and his friend Kate were exchanging hugs with us. We spent some minutes marveling at the odds of finding each other in such a huge crowd 3000 miles from home.

“I didn’t know you were going to be here,” I said.

“My company is doing the webcasting for Comedy Central.”

“That’s rad. Hey, did you guys happen to see a 60-foot dragon on your way in here?” Kate and Mark shared a strange look before shaking their heads. “No? Apparently, my friend Kip hitched a ride on the thing; it’s a Burning Man ‘mutant vehicle’ called Abraxas — it’s an old bus they transformed into a huge, fire-breathing dragon. I think they’re doing some parade through town before driving into the area,” I explained. (I would learn later, when we crossed paths with the great beast just blocks from the mall, that a flat tire had disabled the dragon.)

Once done catching up, we turned our attention to the signs parading by: “Nah, dude, it’s cool” was followed by “Talk rationally to me, baby” and “I love being right so much I change my mind when I’m wrong.” One of my favorites was a large white board on which — in giant caps — was printed, “THIS FONT IS BIG.” These are my people, I thought.

Mark had purchased a knit cap that had the word “Hate” with an X over the letter e embroidered on the back. That pretty much captured the sentiment of the day: light-hearted mockery of everything that was wrong with the world. It frustrates me when people freak out before they have all the facts or when they determine something is “good” or “bad” based solely on the political party behind the proposal. That’s one of the reasons I’m registered “Independent.”

I suppose, if I had to classify myself, I would use the word “liberal,” which is defined as one who is “open to new behavior or opinions and willing to discard traditional values.” The origin of the word is the French liber, for “freedom.” I support the concept of civil liberty. Another word I’d use is “moderate.” I’m irritated by anyone who takes too extreme a position on anything, be it politics or diet.

After a prickly sensation had come and gone in my toes a number of times, Jon Stewart took the stage. Several fans climbed trees or mounted Porta Potties (yuck) to get a better look. I thought it had been crowded before, but now people had packed in so tight that my view of the Jumbotron was limited to a small hole between the necks and heads of those I was pressed against. For just a moment, my excitement was tempered by the awareness that I had been standing for three hours and would not be able to leave my slot in the crush for at least another three hours.

I’d found myself at the center of large crowds before — raves, concerts, festivals, sports events. Even the audience at the symphony was rowdier than this one. I marveled at the respectful, silent attention that was prevalent. When the show ended, like a school of sardines, everyone turned at once. Despite the probability that, like me, everyone was cold, tired, and hungry, we all remained patient and orderly as we wormed our way to the street in search of some place warm to sit and eat.

On a few occasions throughout the day, I’d witnessed people brought to the brink of frustration, only to catch themselves and smile, as if to say, “I can do this. I belong here.” Such a smile was met with encouraging nods as we continued to push each other to be as civil as possible. For all of our overwhelming reasonableness, however, as we shifted from foot to foot and rubbed our arms for warmth, I noticed more than a few stop to admire the sign that read, “My feet hurt and my butt itches.”

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Why did Harrah's VP commit suicide last summer?

Did the fight the Rincon casino had with San Diego County over Covid play a part?
Next Article

The danger of San Diego's hoarders

The $1 million Flash Comics #1
Barbarella
Barbarella

Madness is rare in individuals — but in groups, political parties, nations, and eras it’s the rule. — Friedrich Nietzsche

By 9:30 a.m., we’d been standing on the grass at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., for 45 minutes. The numbness in my toes concerned me. Fortunately, the sun was keeping my head warm and, as the crowd packed in tighter around me, the autumn breeze was becoming less and less of an issue. I was willing to endure a bit of discomfort in exchange for being part of a push for civil discourse, or, as the host of the event called it, a “Return to Sanity.”

Personalities who spew their thoughts on everything from nuclear proliferation to the font on our currency are not of interest to me. The only talking heads I pay attention to are those who mock such pundits. I have family who follow Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity and friends who revere Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann. I steer clear of all news analysts; I only catch preposterous excerpts when my two favorite satirists, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, poke fun at them.

It so happened that when Jon Stewart (of The Daily Show on Comedy Central) announced his plans to hold a rally in D.C., David and I were in the process of scheduling a trip to our nation’s capital so that we could attend his great-aunt’s 90th birthday party. The rally was the weekend before the big shindig, and as David’s second cousin had invited us to stay with her for as long as we liked, it was a no-brainer.

Sponsored
Sponsored

The day of the show, David and I stood our ground 50 feet away from one of the many Jumbotrons and 100 yards from the main stage. We waited and watched as an estimated 250,000 people vied for a clear patch of grass upon which to stand. Among the sea of unfamiliar faces pushing by, I saw one I recognized. I flung my arms skyward and shouted, “Mark!” When he didn’t answer to the sound of me shrieking his name, I bellowed my friend’s less common nickname: “Maus!”

At least half a head taller than everyone around him, Mark had no trouble spotting me once he turned his head in my direction. He forded across the rushing current of people, and soon he and his friend Kate were exchanging hugs with us. We spent some minutes marveling at the odds of finding each other in such a huge crowd 3000 miles from home.

“I didn’t know you were going to be here,” I said.

“My company is doing the webcasting for Comedy Central.”

“That’s rad. Hey, did you guys happen to see a 60-foot dragon on your way in here?” Kate and Mark shared a strange look before shaking their heads. “No? Apparently, my friend Kip hitched a ride on the thing; it’s a Burning Man ‘mutant vehicle’ called Abraxas — it’s an old bus they transformed into a huge, fire-breathing dragon. I think they’re doing some parade through town before driving into the area,” I explained. (I would learn later, when we crossed paths with the great beast just blocks from the mall, that a flat tire had disabled the dragon.)

Once done catching up, we turned our attention to the signs parading by: “Nah, dude, it’s cool” was followed by “Talk rationally to me, baby” and “I love being right so much I change my mind when I’m wrong.” One of my favorites was a large white board on which — in giant caps — was printed, “THIS FONT IS BIG.” These are my people, I thought.

Mark had purchased a knit cap that had the word “Hate” with an X over the letter e embroidered on the back. That pretty much captured the sentiment of the day: light-hearted mockery of everything that was wrong with the world. It frustrates me when people freak out before they have all the facts or when they determine something is “good” or “bad” based solely on the political party behind the proposal. That’s one of the reasons I’m registered “Independent.”

I suppose, if I had to classify myself, I would use the word “liberal,” which is defined as one who is “open to new behavior or opinions and willing to discard traditional values.” The origin of the word is the French liber, for “freedom.” I support the concept of civil liberty. Another word I’d use is “moderate.” I’m irritated by anyone who takes too extreme a position on anything, be it politics or diet.

After a prickly sensation had come and gone in my toes a number of times, Jon Stewart took the stage. Several fans climbed trees or mounted Porta Potties (yuck) to get a better look. I thought it had been crowded before, but now people had packed in so tight that my view of the Jumbotron was limited to a small hole between the necks and heads of those I was pressed against. For just a moment, my excitement was tempered by the awareness that I had been standing for three hours and would not be able to leave my slot in the crush for at least another three hours.

I’d found myself at the center of large crowds before — raves, concerts, festivals, sports events. Even the audience at the symphony was rowdier than this one. I marveled at the respectful, silent attention that was prevalent. When the show ended, like a school of sardines, everyone turned at once. Despite the probability that, like me, everyone was cold, tired, and hungry, we all remained patient and orderly as we wormed our way to the street in search of some place warm to sit and eat.

On a few occasions throughout the day, I’d witnessed people brought to the brink of frustration, only to catch themselves and smile, as if to say, “I can do this. I belong here.” Such a smile was met with encouraging nods as we continued to push each other to be as civil as possible. For all of our overwhelming reasonableness, however, as we shifted from foot to foot and rubbed our arms for warmth, I noticed more than a few stop to admire the sign that read, “My feet hurt and my butt itches.”

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Temperature inversions bring smoggy weather, "ankle biters" still biting

Near-new moon will lead to a dark Halloween
Next Article

WAV College Church reminds kids that time is short

College is a formational time for decisions about belief
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader