Hopatcong Pro-Trump Boat Parade 'Invigorating:' Participant

HOPATCONG, NJ - The pro-Trump Boat Rally held earlier this month drew the ire of some residents who claimed the proceedings brought with them harassment and prompted multiple police reports. But Susan Priore, a Denville resident who participated in both boat rallies, called those reports something different.

Fake news.

"I was at both parades and both were peaceful events," Priore said.

Priore said she is in the process of purchasing a lakefront home in Hopatcong, but grew up in Lake Shawnee and has always been fond of the lakefront lifestyle.

"I am a boat owner and I have a boat slip at Prospect Point Boat Yards off of Brady Road in Jefferson Township," she said. "I purchased my boat in May as I thought it would be a nice, safe way to enjoy the warm months with my 14-year-old daughter during the COVID19 pandemic. I have had my boat license for many years as many friends own boats."

When a family friend saw the Facebook event, he forwarded it along to Priore who said it looked like a really fun event.

"I wanted to show my pride for our country and for our great president! The press, the fake news stations and of course the DNC are constantly disrespecting and harrassing our president," she told Patch. "I often wonder when the heck is this craziness going to stop."

Priore said she wishes the country would just let the president do his job and stop harrassing him day in and day out.

"I honestly don't know how he can handle all of the negativity that is thrown his way and God Bless him that he is willing to run for president again to Keep America Great," she said.

Priore said her aunt and uncle from Pennsylvania who are Trump supporters and have been to many of his rallies across the east coast joined her on her boat with three friends for the first rally.

"And at the second parade where there were approximately 500 boats, I had three friends with me and we met up with another boat of friends at Byram's Cove," she said.

Invigorating Experience

Priore said that the hundreds of boats made for an exciting time out on the lake.

"The experience was honestly invigorating," she said. "Some boats were playing music like "I'm Proud To Be An American" and "God Bless America" were the two songs I can recall. There were also so many lakefront homes that had gatherings during the parade with President Trump flags and signs, and American flags hanging; they were all waving and cheering to the boats and the people in the boats were waving and cheering back."

Priore did note there were very few homes displaying support for Biden, but when they did pass one home there were people outside booing and yelling "No hate on the lake."

"Quite honestly the only people that were displaying any type of 'hate' were those people," Priore said. "When my boat passed these few groups we gave them the peace sign and kept our positive and happy dispositions afloat."

The only time that mood was disrupted was one isolated incident of a lakefront homeowner near the River Styx Bridge that had a Biden sign on his yard and he was standing on his dock holding the American flag upside down and yelling profanities at all of the people in the parade, Priore said.

"My entire boat agreed that this was very disrespectful to our country and honestly the guy should be ashamed of himself," she said.

Priore said during both parades the entire vibe from the boaters and President Trump supporters on land was energetic, positive, peaceful and happy.

"There is so much negativity from non-supporters that it was just nice to be able to go out and express ourselves without the fear of the opposition hurting us or our property," she said. "Personally I would love to keep a Trump-Pence 2020 sign on my yard, or on my boat, or a bumper sticker on my car but like most President Trump supporters, the silent majority I believe, I'm afraid that the radical opposition will damage my property or even myself so I remain silent for the most part and anxiously await for Nov. 3."

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