Twas a rainy, chilly (typical) fall day at Westlake Center in downtown Seattle where the announced attendance was 10 million, but I estimated it downward just a tad to 4 or 5,000. A photo report of the rally follows.
There's just something really nice about political rallies in downtown Seattle. A stranger came up to me in the middle of the event and said, "why do I feel safe here? Like nobody's pissed off?" to which I replied, "Because you are and nobody is." And So It Begins . . .With few exceptions (including my partisan rally sign) there was very, very signs of rancor. The one exception would be the grizzled old dude who growled at me, "fuckin' Democraps." I sought out someone to stomp his head, but then thought better of it. Then I saw a very good sign that made me feel much better. Good Sign. There was patriotic song-singing and the mood was very, very positive. Except for the dude who was rallying against rallies.The rally sign against rallies. I then stumbled across someone who has obviously taken a great shine to the next projected Speaker of the House. Boehner Boner Sign before encountering a disagreeable person: I Disagree W/You. Seconds later I encountered a very sweet Seattle couple who had some thoughts about the Tea Party movement. Cool Tea Party Sign(s). My Halloween sensibilities were nearly frightened to death with the next sign I saw: DEATH to . . .. Then I had this awful flashback to the Paul Rally in Kentucky a few days back when I encountered a mother and son rally team: DON'T STOMP ON ME!. A few moments later I almost called out the National Guard when I saw what I thought was an illegal: Somebody Alert Tom Tancredo!!!!!!!!!!But I remembered I was attending a sanity rally, so I put my fear aside for the moment. Until I encountered a sign that made me think about being four years old and having a tantrum. You know, like the ones you hear every day from Sean Hannity: TIME OUT TIME!!!. After my fifth cup of coffee I shakily snapped this sign in the crowd: Too much Seattle caffeine!. Near the end of the rally I found myself puzzled over this conundrum: Fear or Sanity: which should I choose?. But as the crowd at Westlake Center began to dissipate into the fog and mist of a drizzly Seattle Saturday afternoon: Crowd begins to head home.I paused and reflected about the rally and the day as a whole. I was heartened by the realization that there are a lot of people like me out there who both love my country and don't choose to engage in the "insanity defense of of my country" we are assaulted by, with the likes of Hannity, Beck, O'Reilly, and the rest of the hoodlums on the right. I wanted so very much to maintain middle ground and dispense with any mudslinging in my wrap up here, but in anticipation of what is about to happen, I find what the right has done to America to be unforgivable. The sad fact is that they will not reap what they sow. We will be the ones to suffer for their abject stupidity and lust for power.
GO OUT AND RAISE HELL!!!!!!
rh