NJ Trump flotilla a bright spot in a sea of fear and panic

It was a perfect day for boating Sunday, pandemic or no pandemic, with calm waters, perfect temperatures and beautiful blue skies.

When you looked across the waters of the Barnegat Bay you saw more than 500 boats uniting for a common reason — to support President Donald Trump and law enforcement at the same time. There have been flotillas like this all over the country but they barely get any news coverage so I thought it was important to talk about it, especially in a state like New Jersey, that is so blue.

A few listeners of called in over the past few weeks mentioning these flotillas and I have never seen one up close. A friend who happened to have been out yesterday at the “party on the water” shot some video and sent it to me.

Like it or not, the COVID-19 “executive orders” have become politicized. There is anger and resentment on both sides, with mask-wearers looking at anti-maskers as selfish, entitled people, just as they believe Trump is, and the non-maskers looking at the masked ones as fearful, brainwashed sheep who will do the government's bidding at all costs.

So there’s a freedom out in the water — far from the shore, the conflict, the virus, the masks, the orders, that makes it seem like all of this craziness doesn’t exist. And that’s the feeling that those who attended yesterday’s flotilla described to us. A place where one felt free to just enjoy the day with family and friends unmasked and unencumbered and unafraid to show their support for two of the most hated entities in the country right now: our president and our police. And if you’re a fan of either one of those, it doesn’t feel safe to admit that anywhere but out on the deep blue sea.

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The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco. Any opinions expressed are Judi's own.