ORLANDO, February 25, 2021 — After 12 months of lockdowns, government mandates, heartache, and pain, Americans are begging for a return to normalcy. At the 2021 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), normalcy was mandated. CPAC 2020 was America’s last normal event. For the 47th straight year, the action took place around Washington, D.C. The Gaylord Hotel and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland saw attendees shake hands, hug, and conduct business and pleasure at the hotel bar well into the night.
CPAC 2020 ended on February 29th, and everything was normal. Then in March came the global horror of COVID-19.
The initial 15 days to slow the spread turned into 12 months.
As 2020 turned into 2021, red-state voters had had enough. Blue state voters wanted lockdowns. Red state voters demanded to be free. Blue state voters obsessed over those who died from COVID. Red state voters mourned those deaths but also focused on dementia, despair, depression, alcohol and drug overdoses, and suicides that came from endless lockdowns.
Once again, it was left to the conservatives to lead the way to freedom.
The left has effectively canceled their own voters on both coasts including the Potomac. Despite their best efforts, they were not going to cancel CPAC. While the governors in New York and California were destroying their states, Florida Governor Ron Desantis boldly declared that *Florida would never be locked down ever again.”*
The decision for the American Conservative Union that puts on CPAC was easy. The conference would go on at the Hyatt Regency Hotel and Convention Center in sunny Orlando.
The obvious changes did exist. Masks were worn on hotel property. Social distancing was in. Hugs and handshakes were drastically reduced. Nevertheless, this was much better than nothing.
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The theme of CPAC 2021 was “America Uncanceled,” and the attendees took it seriously.
The message of the 15,000 attendees was crystal clear. CPAC was not going to be canceled. Liberal hysteria and fear-mongering would no longer be tolerated. With Dr. Anthony Fauci offering a different opinion on masks every other week, normal America decided that it was better to live free than hiding in fear of the uncontrollable and unknowable.
CPAC normally runs from Thursday through Saturday, with brief festivities Wednesday evening.
This year it was a Friday through Sunday event. Yet by Thursday evening, the party was already in full swing with the appropriate COVID protocols in place.
For Jews, CPAC Orlando took on extra-special importance as the only major pro-Israel conference. The American Israeli Public Affairs Committee normally puts on an annual convention for politically liberals Jews to talk tough before surrendering to the iron fist of the Democrat Party.
Since Democrats are the party of lockdowns, AIPAC obediently canceled their convention. For conservative Republican Jews, AIPAC’s disappearance was a tree falling in the forest. CPAC is the real place to be for those who are proud Jews and proud conservative Republicans. Representing this vital constituency was the Young Jewish Conservatives.
Young Jewish Conservatives at CPAC
Normally the YJC puts together a Shabbos (Sabbath) program that runs from Friday sundown through Saturday nightfall. This year due to a quirk of the Hebrew calendar, programming was sharply enhanced. Thursday night began the Jewish holiday of Purim. This holiday often involves outlandish costumes and copious amounts of alcohol. Jews listen to a reading of the Megillah, the story of Esther.
The Purim story is especially relevant this year as it tells the tale of Esther’s refusal to be subjugated by a corrupt and wicked ruling king.
The story of Esther is a tale of female empowerment and Jewish survival through toughness. In liberal blue states, Purim parties were canceled due to a combination of government bullying and meek self-censorship out of fear.
In red state Florida, freedom overpowers fear. Like CPAC itself, Purim revelry was not to be denied. Governor DeSantis has declared that he will forcefully push back against any federal government attempts to reduce Florida to the failed California and New York lockdown existence.
CPAC 2021 – Conservative Trump supporters begin to gather (live video stream)
For the rest of the CPAC attendees, Thursday night brought a rousing welcome reception sponsored by FoxNation.
Former Ohio treasurer and current Ohio Senate candidate Josh Mandel was the guest of honor.
There would be plenty more activities starting with the Friday morning prayer all the way through the final Sunday keynote speech. This year the keynote honor goes to former President Donald Trump. This will be his first public speech since he left office.
The message to the rest of America and the world was crystal clear. Normal America is determined to get back to normal.
We will not be canceled by the woke leftist mobs or their abusive Democrat officeholders strangling America through lockdowns. The human desire for freedom can only be contained so long.
COVID is tough, but the American people are tougher. CPAC 2021 may not ever be the same, so conservative attendees will have to settle for it being better. The attendees are ready. Radio Row is up and running. The hand sanitizer is aplenty. CPAC 2021, like conservatism itself, will never be subjugated or canceled.
Watch the day two speeches here:
