Rally to Restore Sanity-Chicago

[Angie]

Well I have found myself organizing the Chicago Rally for Sanity

Any help would be welcome. I am looking for speakers for the event as well as a way to view the DC rally.

Permits are being submitted today, here is the facebook page. Email me or message the page to help

http://www.facebook.com/#!/Rallytorestoresanitychicago

PS I don't check CIN pm's very often so please email me directly at angie at cicomedy dot com

Also note this event is in NO way affiliated with the Not For Profit Theater Chemically Imbalanced Comedy, it just happens to be my work email. Thanks

[HeatherConnelly]

I heard people were confused that it wasn't a simulcast, but that the rally itself was good, if a bit partisan. I want to hear how the folks throwing it felt about it. Why wasn't it a simulcast?

Did anyone here go? How was it? Beautiful day for it.

[Chip]

Here's what Angie wrote regarding the rally:

Things started off well, all the tech was working everything was going off as planned. Had to run and pay for $300 in floor mats to cover some wires. Also had a team of 15 security officers quit cause they thought Obama was gonna be at the events and demanded that I give them free parking. But for the most part it started great.

Then Don Hall started talking and swearing A LOT. Folks started leaving cause of the bad language but also cause he was VERY LEFT with his speech and bashing the Tea Party. It was only 10 min and I thought folks would see past those 10 min. We continued on with our stuff, Jon Stewart started talking on the Jumbotron and we started watching the opening seconds of the REAL start to the DC rally. When Ozzie Ozborn started singing we cut it off and went back to our speakers. People started booing the stage and yelling the turn the TV back on. The poor stand up on stage cut it short cause the crowd was booing him so badly. A volunteer security guard who was on stage grabbed the mic and said "Shut the FUCK UP, if you people want to watch TV go home. Otherwise let the speakers talk"

Well that was that...folks started leaving enmass. Many coming up to me crying telling me they just wanted to be in DC why wont I let them watch the show. Someone actually said "I ruined there life" As the day went on about 1000 people stayed. I went out and addressed the crowed and asked that we respect each other and please be calm we will cut back to DC we also were not trying to be at DC but create our own moment. We did the rest of of our speakers and cut back to DC just in time to see Jon's closing speech ALL of it.

Folks keeps coming up to be after saying what an awful job I did, how I missed the point. How the speakers were too political and too one sided.

How I ruined there lives.

On an up note no one got hurt and I think in the end we will have a few $1000 to give to CPS. I am sure folks will say I don't pick the right place to send it as well.

I would say this was a tough one for me guys. Its gonna taking some healing, but I don't think I will make the mistake of trying to change the world again anytime soon.

Angie

So, my own impression is that I think it's pretty awesome that Angie was able to pull together an event of that size so very quickly. That's amazing in and of itself! Unfortunately, people came with mistaken expectations, which led to some disappointment.

Also, (and this is only my own supposition) I'm willing to bet that Angie didn't know that Don was going to be swearing a bunch or that he was going to basically give a big left wing political speech (the DC rally was advertised as being non-political). I'd imagine that with more time, the rally agenda would have been more polished and vetted.

Also also, I think it sounds like some people need some perspective, if not getting to hear Ozzy Osbourne sing on a jumbotron caused their lives to be ruined. The schedule for the Chicago rally was pretty easy for me to find beforehand, so I knew that it wasn't just going to be a simulcast of DC. Apparently a lot of people assumed it was, then got pissed when their assumption turned out to be wrong.

[DennisOT]

When is this?

[Hendo]

Originally Posted by Chip

I'm willing to bet that Angie didn't know that Don was going to be swearing a bunch or that he was going to basically give a big left-wing political speech.

Ummm, I'm pretty sure EVERYONE knew Don was going to be swearing a bunch and was going to give a big left-wing political speech. He basically PROMISED he was going to on his blog the week before the event. And he IS the guy with the blog named "The Angry White Guy," which is where he basically swears a lot and posts long, left-wing political posts.

[Hendo]

Also, I don't necessarily think swearing or being left-wing are bad things.

[Angie]

Originally Posted by Hendo

Ummm, I'm pretty sure EVERYONE knew Don was going to be swearing a bunch and was going to give a big left-wing political speech. He basically PROMISED he was going to on his blog the week before the event. And he IS the guy with the blog named "The Angry White Guy," which is where he basically swears a lot and posts long, left-wing political posts.

HA! I didn't know. I just assumed cause there was LOTS of kids at the event he would have SEEN them and not. We all know assuming makes an Ass out of you and me.

In the end lots of folks were happy and said they were grateful about the event. Most were upset about Don and the Security Guard that told people to go home if they wanted to watch TV.

I spent the last few days on the facebook page telling my side and it seems most of the anger has gone now. A national movement is continuing if folks want info you can vist http://www.facebook.com/pages/After-...55428377831059

Or you can still come to the Chicago Page it will be taken over in the next two weeks by someone other than me, but I have agreed to stay on as a consultant for next years event.

http://www.facebook.com/Rallytorestoresanitychicago

Pictures if you want to see what it was all about:

http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&...+Sanity&m=text