Rally fever has gripped the nation ever since Glenn Beck and Al Sharpton held competing rallies in the nation’s capital on Aug. 28, 2010. And if you think that the trend is over, you are very wrong.
On Oct. 30,† Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert plan to hold their own “competing” rallies in front of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Stewart’s has been titled “Rally to Restore Sanity,” and Stephen Colbert’s is aptly named “March to Keep Fear Alive.” Stewart and Colbert may be comedians at heart, but does that mean we should ignore the message they are trying to put forth? For months now there has been nothing but one fear filled broadcast after another, along with rallies that highlight the opinions of the radical sides of both political parties, ignoring the beliefs of most Americans as a whole. This is instigated by news networks that broadcast outrageous stories in order to accrue more viewers. The news world’s quest for ratings does nothing to help America, and only serves to tank our global image.
As we progress further into the 21st century, Americans need to realize that we are no longer the “golden boy” nation of the world. With the rise to prominence of Asiatic countries like China, we can no longer make decisions at the expense of our relationships with other nations throughout the world; that is, if we want to make headway in preventing international terrorism and to help set the global economy back on track. This schism between Democratic and Republican supported newscasters only deepens the divide between Americans and leads to no solutions regarding the tough issues that face us today.
Even though Colbert’s name choice for his march is satirical, it is also partially true. There are a lot of reasons to be afraid in the world today, but if our news stations start working for us, instead of for ratings, it will be a step in the right direction. Now, I am not saying that both parties should lay down their arms and start singing “Kumbaya,” but as Stewart said on his program during the rally’s announcement, it’s time to “take it down a notch for America.” He means for all Americans, not just for the extremists.