The coverage of Jon Stewart’s sanity rally in Washington, D.C., has been decidedly spotty thus far. Thinking they were only providing some journalistic color, USA Today managed to touch on the real reason any of us reads coverage about such rallies: “The audience came prepared to play along. Many brought signs to underscore the message of reasonableness, or just to be funny.” And then USA Today actually quoted three signs:
I’m somewhat irritated about extreme outrage.
The only thing we have to fear is fear itself — and spiders.
Stand united against signs.
The New York Times, in order to prove they are more serious than USA Today, deigned to report on only two signs:
Shrinks for sanity.
I can see the real America from my house.
The Washington Post, trying to be just as serious as the New York Times, reported just two signs, except one of the signs was two-sided so they actually reported on three signs, proving they are not as serious as the Times:
Decaf Party.
This is my comedy channel. (with the Fox News logo)
The reverse of the same sign:
This is my news channel. (with the Comedy Central logo)
Fox News tried to be twice as serious as the New York Times, by reporting on only one sign — which, coincidentally, also allowed them to report on none of the signs mocking Fox News. The one sign they reported on:
Tea Party rallies need more tea.
Fortunately, the Brits understand what’s truly of interest. The BBC reported lots of signs, thus proving they are far less serious than their American counterparts. No wonder the BBC is now my preferred source of news coverage. Here are the signs they reported:
We’re Moms — Life is Insane Enough Without Fox News.
God hates rallies.
God Hates Flags.
I’m a little annoyed, but I’ll get over it.
Palin/Voldemort 2012.
Ruly Mob.
I’m here from the internet to put captions on your rally.
Hyperbole is the antichrist.
Obama — re-open NY subway toilets now.
Look at my ironic hipster sign.
One nation under Aqua Buddha.
Birthers for Hawaii statehood.
Signs are an impractical medium for civil discourse.
I leave binary thinking to computers.
And the following signs were visible on BBC’s video coverage:
Stop yelling at me! That’s why I moved out of my parents’ house.
Hug it out: Kindergarten taught me well.
Muggles for sanity.
The Canadians get the humor, too. The National Post has lots of photos of signs, including:
Blame Canada — Kyle’s mom.
What do we want?!
Respectful discourse.
When do we want it?!
Now would be agreeable to me, but I am interested in your opinion.
If you don’t believe in government, perhaps you shouldn’t run for it.
I like tea, and you’re kind of ruining it.
I may not agree with U, but I’m sure U R not Hitler!
A wrap is not a sandwich.
I was told there would be Justin Bieber.
God Hates (or at least is totally unimpressed by) Ideologues.
I have no problem paying taxes because I’m an adult and that’s part of the deal.
I’m even-tempered as Hell.
I like protesting.
But it’s not just the Brits and Canadians. Left Coast coverage did the signs, too. The L.A. Times has lots of photos of text- and non-text-based signs. One of the signs with a visual punchline read “I’m with stupid”, and had an arrow pointing to heaven. The text-based signs included:
Millennials [sic]: You’d better be “nice” to us — We’ll be on your death panel!!
Stop this bickering — Partisanship is hurting us!
Thank you, L.A. Times. And thank God I live on the Left Coast, where people still have a sense of humor.
I liked the “I Can Spell” sign from the video coverage.
Philocrites — Oo, I missed that one!
Can anyone else add to the list of signs?
Do the photo slide shows that the Post and the NYT had not count as “coverage,” because there were at least several dozen more signs in the Post’s and a few more in the NYT’s. Photography seems like a better medium for reporting on sign content.
I was there and my favorite said something like “I’m a Hope-a-holic: We’ve still got your back, Mr. President”
CC
who didn’t find her friends in any of the pictures, though she quit looking after the first 50 the Post had
CC — You write: “Do the photo slide shows that the Post and the NYT had not count as ‘coverage’…”
That is correct. I wanted to make a point, and I refuse to be bothered with facts.
I am very envious that you were there….
Yikes, there were so many people. Hubby and I walked only from 4th to 7th Street on the Mall. I’ll post what few pictures I took on 7th heading north later.
These signs are the best. Now I wish I was there. Brilliant.
What? There was a rally somewhere on the East Coast? Darn. We missed it out here in the Midwest. Too busy getting the corn and beans in to feed the rest of the country.
Okay, I exaggerate. We did know about it. Thought it was clever. Glad it poked fun at the Tea Party idiots and the rest of them. Doubt it will make a darn bit of difference in the end. But that’s fine. It looked like fun.
I love the stop yelling at me one… so flipping true!
Jean — You write: “We missed it out here in the Midwest.”
Actually, here in the Bay area everyone missed it, too, because the Giants are in the World Series and we’re not paying attention to the
East Coast at the moment.
My son was at the rally and he was also quoted about it in the New York Times article on the day before the rally:
“Jon Stewart and His Rally May Shun Politics, but Attendees Are Embracing It”
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/29/us/politics/29rally.html
He posted a comment to the event’s Facebook page which the NY Times reported quoted for the article.
Good. The East Coast definitely needs less attention paid to it overall. Baseball, the harvest, whatever it takes.
Steve — Cool! Thanks for the link!
Jean @ 1 — You write: “The East Coast definitely needs less attention paid to it overall.”
Ah, bad sister, you made me laugh out loud at work!
Problem is, most of the attention paid to the East Coast is by itself, and it is difficult to get its attention (because, you see, it devotes all of its attention to itself).
Dan @12 — You write: “Problem is, most of the attention paid to the East Coast is by itself, and it is difficult to get its attention (because, you see, it devotes all of its attention to itself).”
Right. Sort of like a vacuous prom queen. Of any gender.