The flag honoring the First Responders of 9/11 will go up and it
will be the tallest American flag in the World. I'm writing this from my hotel
room in New York City where I had lunch on Tuesday, June 5 with Mayor Rudy
Giuliani. We discussed the First Responders of 9/11, he is totally supportive
of the flag, and I will invite him to speak at the flag-raising.
The flag might not go up in Lake Park, FL but it will go up
somewhere nearby and soon. I will give the town commission of Lake Park one
more chance to understand what this flag will mean to Americans and the World,
but I'm confident that other local municipalities would be honored to be the
home of such a tribute to our First Responders who willingly gave their lives
to save other Americans. I firmly believe that a majority of Lake Park
residents want the flag to be in their community. As happens all too often, the
vocal few are mistaken for the silent majority and these “professional
naysayers” got the ear of the Lake Park town commission.
I have spoken with elected officials in other towns and cities in
Palm Beach and Martin County who are very positive about being the home of this
memorial flag. Although I would l prefer to keep the flag in Lake Park where my
business has been for 37 years, I will change the location if I have to. Lake
Park borders North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Riviera Beach and Palm Beach
County. In fact, Martin County is just a few miles north, bordering Jupiter and
Tequesta which Jupiter Inlet Colony borders and is where I live.
The flag will be so tall (I've decided to make it 343 feet tall
rather than 341 because 343 is the exact number of firefighters who died at
9/11) that whether or not it's in one municipality or another, it will be
visible to all for many miles.
The objections that have been raised against this flag are not
surprising. I've been told all my life that I can't do things but I do them
anyway and successfully. People laughed when I told them I would become the
largest volume car dealer in Palm Beach County because my dealership is in the
tiny town of Lake Park, population about 9,000. I was told that I would never
dare put red phones all around my company so that any customer can call me
personally anytime. They said the same thing about giving my home telephone and
cell phone numbers to all of my customers. They told me that if I did a TV
commercial in Spanish, it would tarnish my reputation and hurt my business but
my business thrived.
It's always interested me how my ideas are attacked. When I made
the Hispanic TV commercial, I was attacked from the far right and defended by
the far left. With the flag, I'm attacked from the far left and defended by the
far right. The extreme left and right are always the most vocal and visible.
What neither "far side" understands or cares about is the vast silent
majority who, in the long run, determine the direction in which we move. The
silent majority hears and sees what the left and right are making all the noise
about, but they are too busy going about their daily lives, raising kids, going
to work, and enjoying life to immediately "jump into the fray". However,
they are not too busy to get involved when they have to. They usually vote the best
candidates into office and they vote with their pocketbooks when they buy
products and services. If I had to tell you one thing that has been responsible
for my success it's that I think like a member of the silent minority but I've
not always been silent. Maybe I should think of myself as a
"spokesman" for the silent majority.
When the flag honoring the 9/11 First Responders is raised soon in
one of our local communities, I and the silent majority will prevail as we usually
do and the ranting of the fringes will be long forgotten. Florida, Palm Beach
County (or Martin) and a local town will be known as the home of the World's
tallest American flag and a memorial to the First Responders of 9/11. The vast
silent majority will benefit all economically and righteously even the fringes
who always protest progress.
www.earlstewarttoyota.com
www.earlstewarttoyota.com
Rock on Earl. Stand up and shout righteousness!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Robert.
DeleteI really appreciate your support. Even when I think I know what I'm doing there's nothing quite like having others like you reassure me.
Nothing would be nicer than to view that awesome flag when coming across the water. God Bless America and the USA before Obama destroys it totally.
DeleteI think it's commendable and should be an honor for any community. 100 % support.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Stan.
DeleteYou and I have been friends for a long, long time and we know each other very well. Having the support of someone who knows me so well is very special.
I'm all for the flag as a symbol of our fallen and a symbol of hope for our community.
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking the time to read this and especially for your support.
DeleteI like your thought that this can be "a symbol of hope for our community". That says a whole lot.
Do it!
ReplyDeleteThanks, and you have my promise that I will "do it".
DeleteWe need more people like you Earl that stand up for what’s right. It's a lot of money, your money and especially since it wouldn't be on your property it shows your sincerity! God Bless the USA and everyone that has sacrificed themselves including those who lost their life on 9/11!
ReplyDeleteThanks very much for your encouragement.
DeleteThere ARE a lot of people like me, but I just happen to be fortunate enough to have the resources to say and do what millions of other Americans would say and do were they “in my shoes”. They are the silent majority in America and I just happen have a platform that enables me to speak for them.
Bad idea.If he wants to show patriotism,do something to extinguish the extreme "TEA BAGGERS" who are the real enemies of our United States!!
ReplyDeleteI totally disagree with you.
DeleteI'm not a "Tea bagger", but I will fight for their right to be heard just as I will fight for the far left to be heard.
The Bill of Rights in the First Amendment guarantees us the right of free speach and that's why we're a lot different than Syria, Iran, or North Korea.
Lets not forget our friends in Switzerland. While technically a free country, they don't allow free speech (not speach) and anyone criticizing the government can be and frequently is jailed.
Deleteanonymous must be an Obamite communist
DeleteYes Earl, Please do it. I personally support you 100$
ReplyDeleteThanks very much for supporting me.
DeleteJust as I postulated in my blog article, you are one of millions of America's silent majority who speak out when our freedoms are challenged. The extremists on both sides of the aisle are usually first to speak out. But just by reading the responses to my blog, people like you and I are in the great majority.
The nation need to reverse the decline in patriotism. I tried to add my name but did not know my url. James Tobin
ReplyDeleteYou couldn't be more right.
DeleteI feel sorry for those who don't get "goose bumps" when they hear our national anthem.
Last week my wife, Nancy, and I watched the NY Yankees play the Tampa Bay Rays in NYC. When they played the Star Spangled Banner I didn't see a single person who wasn't standing with their hat or their hand over their heart.
New Yorkers haven't forgotten 9/11 and neither should we.
THIS IS AMERICA!
ReplyDeleteRAISE YOUR FLAG!
MOST RESPONDERS WHO ARE AGAINST THIS USE THIS FORUM FOR A DIFFERENT AGENDA AND CHOOSE TO BE "ANONYMOUS"
I think putting up a giant flag in our community is great, but putting it on your property is a bit self serving. You should donate it to Lake Park City Hall, and let them erect it on the City Hall property
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI hope you can erect it at your business. It will then stand for America AND capitalism. Anyone who can't support that needs to know that there are some 52 International Airports in The United States...
ReplyDeleteBravo Mr. Stewart - The Red Phones and now Old Glory - Luv the way you think
Dear William,
DeleteIt's a pleasure to hear from someone who understands that America, Captialisim, and Patriotism are all members of the same team...they complement each other.
The flag is a wonderful idea. Go for it !!! Looking forward to meeting you and your wife tonight.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your support and Nancy and I look forward to meeting you tonight at our New Owners event.
DeleteAlso, thanks for becoming one of our customers.
I have been an employee for Earl for 21 years, and am very proud to work for such an amazing man:)We should all stand up for what we believe in!!! Our troops would be honored:)
ReplyDeleteGo get them Earl I think it's a great idea
ReplyDeleteAs a very satisfied customer and survivor of 9/11 (Lieutenant FDNY ret.) I'm heartened that the vast majority of Americans "Will Never Forget". I'll be there when the flag gets raised for the first time!
ReplyDeleteGod bless you Mr.stewart you go on and raise your flag high .Let the whole see
ReplyDeleteIt flying high . I like to meet personally and congratulate you on this achievement. God bless you and your family and bless the USA.
Thanks Bernie S.
Dear Bernie,
DeleteThanks for your support.
I would like to meet you too and please call me or drop into the dealership anytime.
Please...why don't you do something for the living firefighters. All you ever hear is how they are being blamed(salary and pension) for adding to the debt in this country. We don't need a monster flag to tell us your patriotic. We know you are. We need community leadership that will defend these men and women livelihoods. Consider yourself lucky if you don' have to call on them, but if you do, I'm sure they'll give their life to save yours.
ReplyDeleteWe both agree that our firefighters, police, sheriff deputies, and all first responders should be highly regarded and compensated for putting their lives on the line for us every day.
ReplyDeleteHowever, please don't question my motives for erecting the tallest American flag in the World. You don't know what's in my heart anymore than I know what's in your heart. I won't question your concerns for our firefighters and you shouldn't question my motives for honoring them with this flag.
I have purchased my last two Avalons from your dealership. I also do all of my service and repairs at you dealership. I live in Jupiter, however I won't want your 332 foot flag in my neighborhood. I am a military veteran and I love my country. But Your flag should be put in a non populated area.
ReplyDeleteThanks very much for being my customer and for stating your opinion on the location of my flag. Also, I thank you for serving our country in the military.
ReplyDeleteMay I ask your reason for recommending that the flag be erected in a non populated area?
I believe this is a matter of patriotism, not politics or business. I take the man at his word that this comes from his heart. He's lived his life with the same struggles and obstacles as everybody else and has managed to succeed and achieve better than average results. He has much to appreciate and is willing to demonstrate his appreciation of the American opportunity by giving us ALL a gift.
ReplyDeleteMr. Stewarts vision of the countries tallest American flag infringes on no one. There are only positives. It will also create a "destination" in Lake Park, which surely will only help the local economy (spoken by one who has driven 2-1/2 hours out of my way to see the worlds' largest ball of string).
ADN