CPAC 2021 opened with enthusiasm and fervor. By 8:15 a.m., the convention hall was already filled with people, as well as expectation. A full lineup, beginning with Governor Ron DeSantis welcoming CPAC to Florida, and ending with a Red Carpet premiere of the movie Roe v. Wade, will make for an energetic and productive first day of this annual Conservative convocation.

The day began with a prayer. The Shema, the Jewish daily Declaration of Faith, was led by David Malka, part of the South Florida Jewish community. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Kathy Barnette, and Sailor Sabol sang our national anthem.

The General session officially launched with a video Supercut: America UnCanceled, showing all the assaults and challenges faced by the Republican Party generally, and Conservatives specifically. From election fraud, to Cancel Culture, to banning of conservatives from Social Media platforms, to painting us as domestic terrorists.

It brought our battle home with the declaration and pronouncement of The Bill of Rights:

• Freedom of Speech and the Right to Peaceably Assemble
• The Right to Bear Arms
• Freedom from Unreasonable Searches or Seizures
• The Right to Due Process

The video ended with the voice of the late Rush Limbaugh, which rendered awes, sighs, and applause from the audience. It was a poignant reminder of the losses of the year, but also a sobering wake-up call by one of our Conservative generals to never give up the fight.