Junior Phillip Ensler, a Hatchet columnist, notes that there was a deeper purpose to the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear.

After much speculation about whether Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert’s Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear would be a comedic act or present a serious message, it ended up being a combination of the two. Although most of the event was devoted to satirical skits and musical performances, Stewart’s uncharacteristically serious closing remarks were anything but a joke. They struck a conciliatory and optimistic note that brought a sense of purpose to the festivities.

Stewart said he “can’t control what people thought” the purpose of the rally was. Should it be seen as just a fun Saturday afternoon during Halloween weekend or should it be viewed as a “clarion call to action?” The legacy of the rally depends on what the attendees decide it should be.