Civility is a Pre-Existing Condition

Kudos to the author for leaving during an anti-Christian rant. We're sick of one religion (Islam) getting the kid gloves while Christians and Jews gets the boot.

The last time we checked, there were no Christian underwear bombers trying to blow us out of the sky. The last time we checked, it was Yemeni (radical Islamic fundamentalist) bombs that were put in cargo holds to blow airplanes (and/or eventually Jewish synagogues) out of the sky.

Heads out of the sand people. We don't have to "fear" all Muslims. But we sure as hell better take Radical Islam seriously. And ooops--Cat Stevens (aka Yusef Islam) was a blunder, that's for sure.

Cat Stevens was not a blunder. I think it was just a way of saying: Here is a Rocker, A man with radical views and a band that can old school Motown dance all singing about the same thing: Trains.

Are we that different at the core. No. We have a love of trains. :)

I was at the rally too, and we stayed for the Thriller Flash Mob. I really wanted to stay and see footage of George Carlin...but yea, The live entertainment after the flash mob made my husband say: "I'm getting a little sunburn sick. Lets go home" Most of us got there at nine. There was a sign that said "I'm Hungover and I'm here" Really. I'm sure he left too because that was three hours in the sun. :)

It's, well...reasonable. Some people left because it was Anticlimactic. We left because I did not wish to peel my husband like a lizard on Sunday. Others wanted to get the hair of the dog that bit them on Friday Night. Some stayed and had a great time bearing some performers. Or loving others.

You know. Whatevs. :) Get out and vote for who you belive in. Didn't we have a great time. Gosh. It was nice. Everyone was so friendly. People talked. And laughed. and talked some more and took pictures and video and played with ballons and pretended like we were in DC (even trying to attempt in almost Rocky Horror Like fashion...the wave the Mythbusters were doing)

It was all good.

So we left too while the comedian was going on about Fundamentalist Christians. Not because of what he was saying. Not because he actually missed the point of the rally. (which was really what it was).

We left because we had things to do after three hours of being in the sun and having fun and not packing SPF3000 for my husband: Find him some aloe.

I wished I would have stayed though. I saw footage of Kate Flannery (from The Office) on Youtube comparing the Obama Administration to The Poseidon Adventure in the most ingenious way ever.

Yea. Could have stayed for that. But I saw it anyway on Youtube while my husband's skin was saved. :)

The goal was accomplished. People interacted. Gave calm and rational views with each other and had a great time.

All good.

"Restore 'ing' Sanity" could get a jump start if those 5 thousand pound bomb lobbing bloggers (regardless of sect or denomination) would own their words and actions by using their real identity; maybe get a little mental health help to find out why you don't want to own your own words.

@Maximum - I don't support terrorism of any sort and recognize that not all terrorists follow any one religion. You have ignored Timothy McVeigh, and the members of the Michigan-based Hutaree (fundamentalist Christians) who were arrested for plotting to kill police, and a large number of Christian terrorists targeting supporters of abortion. There are also the non-religious animal rights groups and green groups who are more guerrilla fighters for their causes than terrorists. You have also ignored the official (though secret) participation of the U.S. government in state-sponsored terrorism. We, as citizens of the U.S., have thus participated in terrorist activities both through our support (voting for the officials who promoted and allowed these activities, paying the taxes that paid for the activities, etc.) Let us end our own involvement in terrorism as we work to end all terrorism.

Crazy is what the democrats are doing to the nation in the last 4 years. Under Pelosi, Boxer, and Capps the donks have deficit spent FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS IN FOUR YEARS....and they tripled the unemployment.

Heck of a job Barbara and Lois...SOLID B+

@ neworion - please learn more about the extent and scope of the rise of Radical Islam before you throw tired old Timothy McVeigh onto the pile. Talk to folks who've emigrated from Islamic countries, and if you don't know any read their books:

NOMAD (From Islam to America) Ayaan Hirsi Ali
and her website: ahafoundation.org
THE GOD WHO HATES (Wafa Sultan)
look up Wafa on YouTube
WHY THEY HATE (Brigitte Gabriel)
and her website: actforamerica.org
Etc.

Unless you've grown up under Radical Islam, like these brave women have, you have NO standing to spout academic talking points. Of course we all agree that terrorism is heinous. We just don't agree that the see-no-evil Kumbaya approach is going to solve it!

Well it would be nice if the Independent and all the Liberals in Santa Barbara and that idiot poodle guy would start to listen to rather than belittle and ridicule conservatives because guess what guys, you ideas have failed.

i think the point is to stop taking sides for the sake of sides.
violence is violence and terror is terror.
no matter who the perpetrator.
warmongering christians are as disingenuous as suicide bombing muslims.

I'm glad this rally was hosted by Colbert and Stewart because we all know that they have abolutely no political bias and are just as crititical of liberals as they are of conservatives.

"There are also the non-religious animal rights groups and green groups who are more guerrilla fighters for their causes than terrorists." -neworion-

The animal rights agenda is something that needs to be discussed more. This whole spay/neuter thing seems good on the surface, but has some pretty scary implications.

http://www.petakillsanimals.com/

Cat Stevens supported a FATWA on Rushie.... but that's OK with you folks? EDUCATE YOURSELVES WILL YOU???

"I'm glad this rally was hosted by Colbert and Stewart because we all know that they have abolutely no political bias and are just as crititical of liberals as they are of conservatives."

I suppose they should have stayed home, or killed themselves, because they have a political bias. Also, you are confused about what bias is: if robotic disinterested Martians were to come here, they would be more critical of conservatives than liberals too, for good objective reasons, just as they would be more critical of, say, people in prison than they would be of nurses.

The terms "conservative" and "liberal" are far too overused--and unfortunately, I believe that the self-labed "conservatives" are much more guilty of said overuse.

"Conservative" has connotations of "traditional", with "traditional" seeming innocent to "progressive", or at the far end, "radical". The problem is, when one self-labels as a "conservative", while being at the *extreme* right, then everything to the left is also extreme, from their view (and vice-versa, but remember, the *extreme* left tends to actually be crackpots! :) [Note: Right and Left are more labels, but meant here as more of a direction, or leaning, than a specific group.] A side-effect too, is that as some "conservatives" skew farther right, then an "average" conservative (moderate) must either slide with them, or be ousted as not a "true conservative" (see RINO - Republican In Name Only). Another trap, is that moderates and extremists also often share views, and while those views come in at different levels, they are still 'common ground'. So, although they may not really be on the same page, they will band together on their common causes, and really, I'm not sure it's possible for them to act any differently, and still support their (own?) causes.

Much of this, of course, also goes for the left side of the spectrum. However, I personally tend to see more "conservatives" as being far more vocal in their derision of everyone else. Perhaps, it's that unreasonable fear of 'otherness' really does keep it's home on the (far) right. . . .

As for the Rally (-ies), I caught part of it on TV, but was really hoping for more seriousness. I believe that would have been anti-thetical, however, and probably pushing the edges of "resonable".

So here I am, enjoying listening to Cat Stevens/Yusef Islam singing Peace Train, his voice in fine form, and then they interrupt his performance with some lame skit. What's civil about that?

I could listen to Colbert and Stewart opine about politics, I could listen to Ozzy scream at ear-splitting levels, or I could listen to one of the most underrated songwriters of the 70's perform after a a decades-long hiatus...tough choice.

"I could listen to one of the most underrated songwriters of the 70's"

He wasn't underrated at the time, but that fatwa thing did kinda bite into his regard.