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At first light, the Rally to Restore Sanity is ambiguous at best. It's a rally about nothing and everything all at once, thrown by the "Daily Show," Comedy Central's political-farce powerhouse. Here are the facts: Jon Stewart put it together, it's in Washington, D.C. and it's happening on Oct. 30 from noon to 3 p.m.
As the event's website puts it, this rally is "not so much for the silent majority, but the busy majority." So if you're one of those people who have been too busy either cramming for tests, writing your thesis, or just plain inundated with political rhetoric to keep up with the ever-changing landscape that is American Democracy, this rally is for you. The Rally to Restore Sanity is aimed at the masses that are yet to vocalize their opinions in hopes of stimulating "respectful disagreement."
If this is the first time you're hearing about the Rally to Restore Sanity, have no fear. Instead of scrambling to purchase a flight to D.C., head over to Hayden Lawn at Arizona State University's Tempe campus Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to join the National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws, or NORML, in celebrating this exercise in free speech.
The student organization, which advocates the legalization of marijuana, jumped at the opportunity to be a part of the rally to promote their message with Proposition 203 on the ballot in the upcoming elections. Prop. 203 is the Arizona medical marijuana act that would legalize marijuana for medicinal use.
"We do need some sanity here in Arizona," NORML Outreach Coordinator Alfred Alvarez says. "There are people trying to spread fear about legalizing marijuana, [that] legalizing it leads to heroine addicts and we just want to bring a little sanity back."
While interest has generally been positive regarding the rally at ASU, the organization has met some resistance from non-marijuana legalization supporters. "They say it's not in line with Jon Stewart's message, but we believe it is," Alvarez says.
The rally at Hayden Lawn will be mirroring Stewart's in D.C., which will provide blank posters and markers for people to make their own signs, as well as an open mic so anyone can amplify their message, the industrial engineer sophomore says. The group has also reached out to other campus organizations, such as the LGBTQ coalition, and will have tables set up for other clubs who want to join them, he says.
"We're not sure how many people will attend since it's Homecoming day, but there will be a lot of foot traffic going on," Alvarez says. "We have approximately 220 people attending the Facebook event, but those numbers are never too accurate."
Like many students on campus, Alvarez would have preferred to go to D.C., but his budget prevented him from making the 2,300-mile trip. It was then that he brought the rally to the attention of the other officers at NORML. Since then, the event at ASU has become an alternative and viable way to participate.
"It's good to see the student interaction. I would have liked to go to D.C. but this is the next best thing," sustainability sophomore Josh Shane says.
Efforts are still being made to allocate a projector so the club can show a live feed of the D.C. rally at Hayden Lawn. NORML is working with the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona to make that happen, but as of yet it is not a certainty, Alvarez says.
Ando Muneno, a journalism freshman, is an ardent fan of Jon Stewart and is one of the supporters who are happy to see the rally at ASU.
"I really support the kind of political movement to 'turn it down a notch for America.' I can really get behind that, and I'm just really glad they're doing one that I can actually get to," Muneno says.
NewsHawk: MedicalNeed:420 MAGAZINE
Source:statepress.com
Author: Anthony Sandoval
Contact: SPM contact | ASU News | The State Press | Arizona State University
Copyright: 2001-2010 Statepress.com
Website:Jon Stewart's Rally Reaches Tempe | ASU News | The State Press | Arizona State University
As the event's website puts it, this rally is "not so much for the silent majority, but the busy majority." So if you're one of those people who have been too busy either cramming for tests, writing your thesis, or just plain inundated with political rhetoric to keep up with the ever-changing landscape that is American Democracy, this rally is for you. The Rally to Restore Sanity is aimed at the masses that are yet to vocalize their opinions in hopes of stimulating "respectful disagreement."
If this is the first time you're hearing about the Rally to Restore Sanity, have no fear. Instead of scrambling to purchase a flight to D.C., head over to Hayden Lawn at Arizona State University's Tempe campus Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to join the National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws, or NORML, in celebrating this exercise in free speech.
The student organization, which advocates the legalization of marijuana, jumped at the opportunity to be a part of the rally to promote their message with Proposition 203 on the ballot in the upcoming elections. Prop. 203 is the Arizona medical marijuana act that would legalize marijuana for medicinal use.
"We do need some sanity here in Arizona," NORML Outreach Coordinator Alfred Alvarez says. "There are people trying to spread fear about legalizing marijuana, [that] legalizing it leads to heroine addicts and we just want to bring a little sanity back."
While interest has generally been positive regarding the rally at ASU, the organization has met some resistance from non-marijuana legalization supporters. "They say it's not in line with Jon Stewart's message, but we believe it is," Alvarez says.
The rally at Hayden Lawn will be mirroring Stewart's in D.C., which will provide blank posters and markers for people to make their own signs, as well as an open mic so anyone can amplify their message, the industrial engineer sophomore says. The group has also reached out to other campus organizations, such as the LGBTQ coalition, and will have tables set up for other clubs who want to join them, he says.
"We're not sure how many people will attend since it's Homecoming day, but there will be a lot of foot traffic going on," Alvarez says. "We have approximately 220 people attending the Facebook event, but those numbers are never too accurate."
Like many students on campus, Alvarez would have preferred to go to D.C., but his budget prevented him from making the 2,300-mile trip. It was then that he brought the rally to the attention of the other officers at NORML. Since then, the event at ASU has become an alternative and viable way to participate.
"It's good to see the student interaction. I would have liked to go to D.C. but this is the next best thing," sustainability sophomore Josh Shane says.
Efforts are still being made to allocate a projector so the club can show a live feed of the D.C. rally at Hayden Lawn. NORML is working with the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona to make that happen, but as of yet it is not a certainty, Alvarez says.
Ando Muneno, a journalism freshman, is an ardent fan of Jon Stewart and is one of the supporters who are happy to see the rally at ASU.
"I really support the kind of political movement to 'turn it down a notch for America.' I can really get behind that, and I'm just really glad they're doing one that I can actually get to," Muneno says.
NewsHawk: MedicalNeed:420 MAGAZINE
Source:statepress.com
Author: Anthony Sandoval
Contact: SPM contact | ASU News | The State Press | Arizona State University
Copyright: 2001-2010 Statepress.com
Website:Jon Stewart's Rally Reaches Tempe | ASU News | The State Press | Arizona State University
