Last night like millions of horrified Americans, I watched anxiously on television that chaotic scene at the Washington Hilton where President Donald Trump was to speak at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner before all hell broke out.
Thank God, the rapidly responding U.S. Secret Service agents in coordination with the Metropolitan Police Department took down another lunatic before he could kill or possibly try to assassinate our brave president who once again showed his dauntless courage in wanting to go on with the event regardless of this nutjob. Still, Trump went along with law enforcement’s decree that it be cancelled for the sake of security, but wants it rescheduled within the next 30 days as he believes fervently, we must not give in to lunacy, whether it’s crazies with guns or regimes seeking nuclear bombs.
What happened last night put a whole new, deeper meaning upon this piece I had all set to go out this morning that was to start with O, say can you see about how the U.S. Flag waving high is so inspiring on our beachfront.
Only now the flag had even more meaning in how courageous America’s leaders are and effective is our country’s law enforcement on all fronts! So, I gave it this new beginning as last night’s drama underscored the reality for which our flag stands, a symbol of the bravery and effectiveness shown so dramatically last night at that nightmarish dinner that will be forever memorable
O, say can you see, whether you stand and salute, sing or just listen with your hand over your heart to the USA National Anthem, there is no more powerful symbol than the U.S. Flag that communicates we are the world’s leading democracy, and as we witnessed last night, America is the greatest country on this earth. And long may Old Glory wave!
If Francis Scott Key were alive and well and living in Boca Raton today, he’d look up at this mightily brave, wind-battered star-spangled banner and cheer as it waves o’er the land of the free, and ocean-front condos of the brave, as hurricane season soon will be off to another resounding start on June 1!
That rock jetty sadly was flagless for weeks after heavy winds and hard downpours took down the U.S. Flag that had been waving so proudly for months in Boca Raton, Fl giving us all pride, hope and courage!
But that dramatically changed.
One glorious Monday around noon came Brazilian vet Eugene Bel now living in Boca Raton. He came to rescue the fallen flag and restore it to full glory and now she’s flying high again! And we’re all mightily happy and honored she’s alive and waving. Thank you, Eugene!
Bel was a bellwether of bravery that day, a retired soldier who initially had put the flag up on the dangerously jagged and slippery rocks. He is veteran who once served in the Special Forces military in his native Brazil, until he moved to Chicago and now lives in Boca Raton, ever thankful and showing his gratitude for having been living happily in the U.S. now for over 40 years.
The U.S Flags he has installed on two rock jetties in South Florida are signs of his deep gratitude for being a citizen of a country he so greatly admires and respects, the United States of America.
It’s not an easy task to mount that flag between jagged rocks and support the flagpole with heavy planks of wood to keep it steady and waving proudly in the brisk ocean breeze, so myself and other proud Americans, and veterans like myself can salute it each time we pass by on our daily beach walks not that far from President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago.
I was proud to take pictures of Bel restoring the Flag that was missing in action and then shake his hand and thank him warmly and sincerely.
It’s so wonderful that people around the world look up to America whether it’s our leadership in space travel or keeping nuclear bombs out of the hands of violent regimes as our president and our brave military are doing today!
I’d love to see President Trump salute this fabulous flag.
God bless America!
Tom Madden is a former journalist who worked many years as a reporter for The Philadelphia Inquirer before he went into network television, first at ABC then NBC where he was vice president, assistant to president, then Fred Silverman, before launching his own PR firm TransMedia Group based in Boca Raton. He’s the CEO and his daughter Adrienne Mazzone is president.
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