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the thin blue line will never be broken. “We know it and he knows how important law enforcement is to business, to the safety of citizens,” Owensby interjected. “He knows if the blue line is broken, there will be disruptions all over the world.”
But like so many police officers who attended, he never ex- pected this type of support for the badge. He never expected the type of appreciation that mixed the back-the-blue chants with shouts of “U-S-A...U-S-A.”
“I cried. I literally cried,” Owensby added. “When we walked in and with everybody filing in, they noticed our shirts and gave us a standing ovation. You sometimes get somebody coming over to you and whispering, ‘good work’ or ‘I’ve got your back.’ But they don’t do it screaming and yelling like they did here.”
To put the support and appreciation into proper context, New York FOP President Michael Essig offered this appraisal. “It brings us back almost to Sept. 12.” As in 2001. As in the day after 9/11.
Admiration
Patriotism fueled the fervor. MAGA color-coded the scene. Supporters, some of whom waited 24 hours to see the president, created a sea of red and shirts and hats, including some that had “Defund” crossed out and “Defend” stamped over it.
The soundtrack was even more overt. Elton John’s “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting” played several times, perhaps as a not-so-subliminal message about what loomed in the next five weeks.
Then, the sun set, and a hush finally came over the crowd when Air Force One pulled to a stop on the runway behind the rally venue. To understand how big this rally was, a militia of Se- cret Service, staff, photographers, video crew and Trump aides needed nearly 20 minutes to pile out of the plane.
New York FOP President Mike Essig shows his support.
And when the president finally approached, a light but steady rain streamed down. No way it was going to rain on this parade, though. These FOP members had come too far to get an up- close dose of what the president has given them the past four years.
“When you’re out on the street, it means a whole lot to just see someone who is fighting, punching back for you and sticking up for you when you don’t have a voice,” Noceda cheered. “The real police want somebody who is going to stick up for them, and that’s what he’s doing. I want our members to remember who has been there every day backing the police.”
There was some thought that the National FOP missed the boat on presenting its endorsement. Had it been confirmed be- fore the RNC, there might have been an opportunity to present it at the White House.
But this endorsement was unprecedented. It came not just
38 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ OCTOBER 2020