On Saturday Oct. 30, Seton Hall's chapter of College Democrats traveled to Washington D.C. to attend the Rally to Restore Sanity/The March to Keep Fear Alive.
According to members of the club, 44 students immediately signed up after hearing about the rally on Jon Stewart's Daily Show or Stephen Colbert's Colbert Report.
According to CBS News, the turnout for the rally was about 215,000 people.
"I really enjoyed the rally and thought it was sort of an anti rally to show people can come together and not necessarily agree on things, but have a good time," senior Ben Emmel said.
Kyle Connell, a resident assistant and accounting major, said "everyone who was there was making a silent protest against sensationalism of the media."
Senior classical studies major Dana Kappel said Stewart's message that Americans should look past exaggerations given by the media was very important.
"Stewart's message in his final speech was that we need to work together to make the country better and I couldn't agree with him more," Kappel said.
Thousands fashioned costumes and signs of all sorts with thought-provoking slogans such as, "I wouldn't care if our president was Muslim."
Although nobody from Seton Hall dressed up, some did make signs supporting Stewart and Colbert.
"When I heard about the rally from watching Daily Show and Colbert Report, I knew I wanted to attend because I feel that they are the most trusted guys in news," freshman Tom Perry said. "Stewart, especially, uses historical clips better than typical news broadcasts. Even though both shows are very funny, I actually watch them to find out what's going on in politics."
According to Perry, he does not really trust campaigning or politicians.
"I think that there is so much negative campaigning going on and a lot of politicians are corrupt, so I'm actually an Independent," Perry said. "I'm so glad I attended the rally because it had every aspect. It was funny, serious and had a main point."
The rally also hosted musicians that helped communicate Colbert and Stewart's messages.
Some of the entertainers were Jeff Tweedy, Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow, Ozzy Osbourne and Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens singing "Peace Train." The O'Jays sang "Love Train."
"Sanity will always be and has always been in eye of beholder, but to see you here today and the kind of people you are have restored mine," Stewart said at the rally.
"After attending the rally, I believe a rational center actually exists," senior Chad Giganti, said.
Kappel felt the rally achieved its purpose.
"I think this rally restored a lot of people's sanity and the outcome of the election will be very interesting," said Kappel.
According to many students on the bus, they were not actual members of College Democrats.
Many students on the bus said their reason for attendence was that they "just really wanted" to attend the rally.
Kimberly Bolognini can be reached at kimberly.bolognini@student.shu.edu.
