Greetings, everyone!
Well, I am back in the good ol’ US of A, and I hope y’all enjoyed the pictures and videos from our Media Research Center cruise to Italy, Greece, and Turkey. We got back late Tuesday evening and I have been on the road since. First in Milwaukee, and now in Greene County, Ohio (Xenia, just outside of Dayton) to address the GOP Executive Committee Fall Dinner.
Well, speaking of dinners and such, I have a sad story to share. The date of November 10th is a very important date in the history of our nation. It was on that date, in 1775, that God created the most disciplined and tough fighting forces the world has known since the Spartans: our United States Marine Corps.
Each year, on November 10th, Marines gather from all over the world in their respective places and celebrate their birthdate. I have had the distinct honor and pleasure of attending several Marine Corps Birthday Balls, and they are special, indeed! I am proud and humbled to have served a three-year assignment with the US Marine Corps II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF) in Camp Lejeune, NC, and I proudly wear the Marine Corps Gold Parachutist insignia.
Now, our “Corps” was founded in the humble abode known as Tun Tavern in Philadelphia. Heck, where else do you think such a force would have been birthed? But today’s Birthday Balls have become wonderful and extravagant celebrations of our US Marine Corps’ proud, honored, historic, and venerable service to our nation.
As a US Representative from South Florida, I was truly blessed to represent one of the fine US Marine Corps units, the 4th Air and Naval Gunfire Liaison Company (ANGLICO), with whom I shared those Gold Wings. I would drop by and see those fine Marines and share some old stories with them. That is why the story I am about to share is sad, and we must ask if are we “Always Faithful” to our Marines?
As reported by the Miami Herald:
“A Marine Corps reserve unit that hoped to hold its annual ball at President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club is now desperately seeking a new venue — and time is running out.
The event had originally been scheduled to take place at the president’s club in Palm Beach on Nov. 16, as the Miami Herald was first to report last week. But the possibility that members of the 4th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company (ANGLICO), a Marine unit stationed in West Palm Beach, might be seen as taking a political stance and enriching the commander in chief led to a public outcry.
An order to “find another venue” was handed down that same day, according to a 4th ANGLICO officer involved in planning the annual Marine Corps Birthday Ball. Easier said than done, especially at the start of Palm Beach society’s high season.
“We’ve looked at The Breakers [resort] in Palm Beach, other hotels, everything is locked out, everything is booked in advance,” said the officer, who was not authorized to talk on the record. “This was going to be the grand poo-bah of balls. Everyone was going to come out proudly and say we had our ball at Mar-a-Lago. It would have been a huge morale boost. The Marine Corps ball is better than Christmas for us. It’s Christmas, New Year’s and our birthday all rolled into one.”
Active-duty troops generally express more support for Trump than the broader public, according to polling by the Military Times. But the unit’s decision to choose the Winter White House was not political, the 4th ANGLICO officer said. Rather, he said, the club was conveniently located and offered a fair price. And it seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime chance for the ball, which individual units hold every year to celebrate the Marine Corps’ founding.
“We chose Mar-a-Lago because we had a unique opportunity to have our birthday ball at the venue of a sitting president, the part-time home of a sitting president,” he said. “We’re an apolitical organization but that’s our commander in chief. It would have been an honor. The whole purpose of this is for the junior guys. Can you imagine walking into Mar-a-Lago with your girlfriend on your arm? Can you imagine what that does for the heart of a young warrior?”
I wanna know one thing: who were the folks who made the public outcry? When was the last time they deployed and left their loved ones, and how many of these “complainers” were Marines themselves?
Lemme clarify something here for the jackasses who caused all of this confusion. It is our United States Marines who stand guard at the White House, who fly the President in Marine Corps One, who greet the President when he embarks and disembarks that helicopter. It is our Marine Corps who stands guard at all the US Embassy locations worldwide. So, who the heck believes that these few, these proud Marines and their loved ones do not have the privilege — no, the right — to have their damn Birthday Ball wherever they doggone please, including the Winter White House of the President of these United States of America whom they stand guard over every day?
I am sick and tired of these progressive socialists making everything political and about hating the President, Donald J. Trump, and, in turn, hating everything about our America. I have heard some very bad rumors that the 4th ANGLICO Birthday Ball may have to be held in a high school because they may not be able to find a replacement venue. Shame on this jerks who caused this!!!
Yes, I am freaking mad about this. And, the leadership of the US Marine Corps should have simply told whoever made this complaint to go and engage in rigorous and strenuous acts of self-copulation.
Ladies and gents, wanna know why I despise the progressive socialist left, here is another reason, they are screwing with the US Marines and their Birthday Ball. Mar-a-Lago is a beautiful venue. I know because I represented the property in Congress, and attended events there, with President Trump.
Our Marines and their loved ones deserve the most exquisite venue, which is only 15 minutes from the 4th ANGLICO headquarters, for their celebration. Sadly, they have been denied such.
Imagine the day when our Marines would say, “nah, we can’t deploy into that combat venue, it is too dangerous.” Nope, that will never happen, because they are the embodiment of their creed, “Semper Fidelis.”
They deserve better than this, and I demand that the 4th ANGLICO US Marine Corps Birthday Ball be reinstated where it was intended to be, the Winter White House at Mar-a-Lago.
This column was originally published at The Old School Patriot.
The views expressed in CCNS member articles are not necessarily the views or positions of the entire CCNS. They are the views of the authors, who are members of the CCNS.
