Did this take place almost under the radar? Even without Jon Stewart it sounds as if sanity was the goal just the same this weekend as an estimated 175,000 demonstrators gathered in Washington for the One Nation rally.

Composed of labor union members, teachers, gay activists and other liberal groups the event seemed to get little news play here in Vermont ,but I was somewhat out of my normal news feeding routine this weekend so that may not be the case.

The four hour program – made up of speeches, poetry, musical performances and readings of historical speeches – was broken into three segments, highlighting jobs, public education/ civil rights, and justice.

The account describes what might be an almost timeless scene that took place when peace activists with banners walking from one area to another encountered some DC tourists.  

When the peace activists walked from the festival ground to the One Nation site – disrupted by confused looking tourists on Segway tours of the National Mall – some were met with resistance.

“Fucking hippies,” said a passerby sporting a popped collar, pointing to a group of longhaired peaceniks carrying signs demanding job creation.

“I bet they never had a job anyway."

At the Mall, however, the diverse array of activists coalesced into a united front.

Like that last bit.