If there’s anything America First Patriots should have learned from following Donald Trump since he rode down the gold escalator in June 2015, it’s that he knows how to make lemonade out of lemons. Currently, his communist-kangaroo lawfare trial in New York City is filled with examples of how to find opportunity in adversity. He has held three mini-Trump rallies on the Democrat streets of Manhattan, with more to come:

• Met Jose Alba at the convenience store where the bodega clerk stabbed an ex-con to death during a botched robbery. Alba was initially charged with murder by District Attorney Alvin Bragg—the same DA going after Trump in his lawfare trial. Bragg dropped the charges following the public outcry.
• Cheers of “USA!” were loudly heard when Trump visited a Manhattan construction site. News reporters surveying workers, some of whom admitted voting Democrat in 2020, were very vocal (and colorful) in their condemnations of Joe Biden.
• Trump delivered pizza to firemen at a Manhattan FDNY station. Among the applause, one firefighter is heard telling Trump, “You gotta win!”

Where Trump goes, the media goes. Where the media goes, Trump’s growing New York City supporters go. And the kangaroo trial, with the expected guilty verdict, looms like grayscale in the background. The more we learn from the trial, the more we know this case should never have seen the inside of a courtroom, much less the courtroom of biased Judge Juan Merchan.

Think of all the money that could have been saved if the jury found Trump guilty on day one, which is the left’s goal. Mayor Eric Adams could have given more freebies to illegal alien invaders!

Like Trump, America First Patriots must always find the upside in downside situations. Let me share a recent experience from the City of Orange in the People’s Republic of California.

There was a time when Orange County was the most conservative county in the entire United States, and California was deep red. Those days are long gone, but there are still some Republican districts throughout the state, although many lack conservative leadership. The City of Orange (which is in Orange County) is represented by Rep. Young Kim, who has a dismal 57 lifetime conservative score according to the reliable Freedom Index.

Orange holds an annual citywide parade each May. The tradition started in 1933 to give people something happy to enjoy during the Depression. With community participants—marching bands, drill teams, organizations, businesses, local elected officials, and community groups—thousands from all over the southland lined the streets of Historic Old Towne Orange to watch the one-mile parade that circled around the famous fountain.

The parade grew in popularity although it went dark during most of World War II. By the early 1990s, attendance started to dwindle. With the city no longer able to help fund the event, the parade was destined for the gravel pits of history. Sort of like South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem’s dog Cricket.

Then in 2019, after a 28-year absence, the Orange Chamber of Commerce brought the parade back. Of course, the “scamdemic” hit, and there was a lull again until 2022.

Founded in late 2021, Conservative Patriots of Orange County (CPOC) participated as a marching unit in the 2022 and 2023 parades. They sent their entry fee for this year’s May 4 parade with plans for a “Red, White, Blue and Trump” focus.

Patriotism and Trump in a parade with more than 100 entries—the chamber could not have that! Their rules had nothing to do with mandating that each entry keeps the Star Wars theme. For example, some participating marching units displayed karate skills or Mexican dancing.

We got lemons: The organizers announced that CPOC would not be allowed to participate if its members donned Trump gear and held signs promoting Donald Trump.

So, what did CPOC members do?

We made lemonade: On the day of the parade, 25+ CPOC members gathered wearing patriotic attire and carrying American and Trump flags and signs. We marched the entire parade route a half hour before the parade started. The streets were lined with people waiting for the parade to start and having nothing to watch—except us! Joyously waving our flags and signs to much applause and thumbs up (and a few thumbs down), we paraded the entire route, distributing information along the way.

When the parade officially started, we found a corner sidewalk location and enthusiastically watched the floats go by. Many participants let us know they also want to Make America Great Again.

But the best part was yet to come! Guess you can say this was the umbrella in our glass of delicious lemonade.

The last entry was a high school marching band. As it made its way through Historic Old Towne Orange on Chapman Avenue, there were four police motorcycles following to show the parade was officially over. And who marched behind the police motorcade?

All the Conservative Patriots of Orange County!

President Deborah Pauly led the way, proudly holding the large Trump 2024 flag. Members enthusiastically followed, waving their signs. Most attendees watching from the sidewalk might have assumed CPOC was part of the parade. We savored the cheers, applause, thumbs up, and shouts of “USA!”

“In true American spirit, CPOC was flexible and devised an alternative plan,” said Ms. Pauly. “We are thankful for the inspiration the restrictive rules supplied because we ended up with far greater exposure, walking the route twice and having more time to interact with spectators. Plus, all the other parade entrants got to see us waving our Trump flags. They would not have even known we were there otherwise.”

Looking at photos of the successful event, Ms. Pauly continued, “What the enemy meant for evil; God turned into good. We simply refused to be canceled or silenced, and it worked to the good of our purpose to project a positive Trump presence in this local parade.”

CPOC did what Donald Trump always does: made lemonade out of lemons. This is what all America First Patriots must do in these challenging times. Rather than be one of the 100+ entries, Conservative Patriots of Orange County shined by starting and finishing the 2024 Orange May Parade!

Image by Robin M. Itzler

Robin M. Itzler is a regular contributor to American Thinker. She can be reached at PatriotNeighbors@yahoo.com.