Local Residents Return From D.C. 'Restoring Sanity' Rally
Local Residents Return From D.C. 'Restoring Sanity' Rally
Posted
Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
Local Residents Return From D.C. 'Restoring Sanity' RallySeven local residents returned last night from a trip to Washington, D.C., to attend "Daily Show" host John Stewart's "Rally To Restore Sanity."
The group left Friday and returned late last night.
The rally was Saturday between the capital and Washington Monument and was attended by 150,000-250,000 people.
Besides the rally, the local group saw the World War II and Lincoln memorials.
Josh Bartman, 29, Warsaw, northern Indiana Young Democrats organizer, planned the group's trip.
"I came away being a lot less cynical. It is so easy to see one point of view, and parties look at each other as outcasts, but that is not how it is supposed to be," Bartman said.
He said it was no accident the rally was the weekend before Tuesday's election.
Bartman said he had been to D.C. before for a high school trip in 1998, received a White House tour five years ago and went for President Barack Obama's inauguration in 2009.
James Yeager, 25, Syracuse, said it was his second trip to D.C. He previously went when Bill Clinton was president.
"I wanted to go to D.C. this weekend to show we are not lunatics, and there may be liberals and conservatives, but it doesn't mean they are extreme socialists or fascists," Yeager said.
He said there needs to be a voice of reason.
Yeager said a message that Stewart gave that stuck out to him was that "We are in troubled times, but not the end of times."
Bree Bartman, 26, Warsaw, went to D.C. for the third time. She previously went with her brother, Josh, four to five years ago for the White House Tour, and in 2009 for Obama's inauguration.
"People have their own minds and should use them when making decisions, and there has been a lot of hate and bullying and we need to be equal to one another, but we are not," Bartman said.
Jonathan Wilson, Bristol, previously has gone to D.C. for a Promise Keeper's Rally and for work.
"I went this weekend to D.C. to give a voice to the majority, not the squeakiest wheel, and it was good to see people are not disheartened and are working together to grow and progress the nation," Bristol said.
Lee Ann Brown, 33, Warsaw, and her husband, Art, 35, went to D.C. for their first time.
"I wanted to show that there are extremes on both sides, but there is a majority that are trying to get by day to day and their voices need to be heard," Lee Ann said.
Art said he went to be a part of restoring sanity, and said there has been fighting and arguing from both parties, and that is not necessary.
