Fort Lauderdale celebrates The Great American Beach Party
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
11 hours ago
- Fox News
JOCKO WILLINK: In a sea of imperfect voices, I heard the anthem and the spirit of a nation
This is a story about America. Our country. I went to the opening day of a soccer game in my hometown of San Diego. It was the first game in the history of our club—the San Diego Football Club—and there was a lot of hype. It was a completely sold-out game. It was being reported by the local news and all over social media. It was a big deal. The people of San Diego were excited for our new professional soccer team. They had a lot of ceremonial-type activities before the game. Local politicians were there, there was a ribbon cutting, various dedications, and all the pomp and circumstance of a momentous occasion. When the players took the field, the crowd was fully engaged. Finally—just prior to the game—it was time for our great American tradition before a sporting event: the singing of our national anthem. Now, this is a song that often brings tears to my eyes as I remember the hundreds of thousands of men and women throughout our history who made the ultimate sacrifice to defend our nation. And some of those countless heroes were my friends, my brothers that I lost—men who died defending our flag and our ideals. So, as I thought about those heroes, I wondered who was going to have the solemn and sacred duty of performing The Star Spangled Banner. I thought maybe they selected a local celebrity for the task, as there are plenty of talented musicians in San Diego who could do this powerful song justice. Or perhaps they would have some distinguished school band or a proud church choir belt out the moving song that explains our tumultuous start as republic, captures the spirit of our flag and our people, and recognizes the sacrifice of our military servicemembers. Then I had the hopeful idea that it might be the Navy or Marine Corps band. The Navy and The Marine Corps are deeply rooted in San Diego and millions of Sailors and Marines have deployed from San Diego's shores to face our nation's enemies. I knew it would be fitting to see our flag honored by active-duty troops in uniform. Finally, the announcer invited the crowd to stand for the singing of the national anthem and I rose to my feet with 35,000 other people. Then, to my surprise, the announcer explained that the national anthem would be performed by us—the crowd. It would be a sing-a-long. A sing-a-long? I was shocked and disappointed and somewhat beside myself. What were they thinking? Here we were, opening day, a historic moment—and we were going to do a sing-a-long? Now, I'm no Pavarotti or Elvis Presley or Robert Plant, but I know how to sing. I sang in bands since I was a kid and I know that singing is not easy—in fact—singing is very difficult. It is challenging to stay in tune and tough to get the right timing and to hit the right notes. And to think that 35,000 people were going to be able to pull this off? I knew that people would sing too loud or too quiet. They would sing too high or too low. Some people wouldn't even sing at all—and many that would sing are completely tone-deaf. So I didn't think there was a chance this crowd would be able to hit the right rhythm and the right pitch and achieve the proper level of clarity. And I was right—at least for a moment. As the giant jumbotron began to scroll the lyrics and people began to sing, it was just what I expected: some voices were too high, some too low, some too quiet, some too loud. Some were off pitch and some completely off tempo. But quickly, after a few bars, the voices started to blend together. The low voices were balanced by the high ones. The quiet voices were bolstered by the loud ones. Out-of-tune notes were leveled out by people singing perfectly on pitch. And, as I sang myself, I also heard it. I heard this mass of people, people from every background, people of every size, shape, color, and creed, people with a wide variety of contrasting and conflicting voices. As I heard them sing—the sum of their voices—harmonized and it sounded better than I had ever imagined it could. That group of 35,000 individuals singing together was as good as I had ever heard that song. Now: it was not perfect—but those imperfections gave it soul. They made the song human. Every individual, doing their share, gave our national anthem a unique but unified identity. An identity that—though not perfect—was absolutely amazing. Just like this great country. We have the voices of many people—some quiet, some loud. Some rich, some poor. Some left, some right, some center. Some angry, some happy. Some working hard and some hardly working. Some concerned—some care-free. We are all different. Some people like country, some heavy metal, and some soul… Some like hip hop, some hardcore punk, and some rock and roll. We are all individuals… All free to sing our tune the way we want. But together—even with all those differences—we are more alike than not. We are determined. We are tough. We are individualistic and optimistic. We will not be controlled and we will fight and die if necessary for our destiny—for our freedom. You see: We are all American. This is our country. And we are not perfect—and neither is America. We hit some bad notes. Our pitch is sometimes too high, and sometimes too low. Our timing is not always perfect and our rhythm is sometimes off. But—together—bonded only by the freedom our forefathers fought for, we sing an amazing song. And America is absolutely amazing too. God bless all you Americans. Sing loud and sing proud: This is the land of the free and the home of the brave. Have a Happy Fourth of July. And God bless America.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Where to watch Fourth of July fireworks across DC, Maryland and Virginia
WASHINGTON () — As America gears up to celebrate its 249th birthday, several fireworks shows are planned to take place across the DMV, lighting up the skies of the nation's capital. Although people travel far and wide to watch the fireworks along the National Mall in Washington, D.C., there are several places across D.C., Maryland and Virginia where people can go to see the sky filled with color. A dazzling fireworks display will light up the sky at Shafer Park, at 37 Park Drive in Boonsboro, beginning at 9:30 p.m. However, guests can enjoy live music and food vendors starting at 5 p.m. Event-goers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets. For more information, click Celebrate Independence Day with roller coasters, an interactive photo booth, a foam party, slides and live music at Six Flags & Hurricane Harbor in Bowie. Fireworks will paint the sky each night during the three-day celebration at 9:15 p.m. This will be the last time guests can catch the Independence Day celebration at Six Flags in Bowie, as the park is set to The annual celebration at Mattie J.T. Stepanek Park in King Farm features live music, food trucks and a 20-minute fireworks display. Fireworks will begin at 9:15 p.m. and free parking will be available in lots along Shady Grove and Gaither Roads, as well as on Piccard Drive. To learn more about the fun-filled event, click The Town of Culpeper will commemorate the Fourth of July with not only fireworks but also moon bounces, a car and bike show, live music, food trucks, craft vendors and the town's annual Culpeper Freedom 5k. The fireworks will be set off from Rockwater Park at 9:15 p.m. However, for safety reasons, the public will not be allowed into the park starting at 5 p.m., so people will need to select a viewing spot nearby. For more about where the events are taking place and the schedule for the day, click To register for the 5k race, which costs $35, click Looking to celebrate a bit earlier in the day? at Mount Vernon features daytime fireworks over the Potomac River. The show starts at 1 p.m. and can be viewed from the East Lawn. But that's not all; several festivities are set to take place during thewhich will run from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and feature the fife and drums of the American Revolution, a magic show and military drills. The event will also feature a naturalization ceremony for new U.S. citizens, alongside a keynote address from former California governor and renowned actor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Tickets are $28 for those 12 and older, and $15 for children six to 11. Children under five and Mount Vernon members can enjoy the festivities for free. Fireworks will at the Fairfax High School Stadium at 3501 Lion Run, Fairfax, from 9:30 to 9:45 p.m. Band performances will precede and follow the dazzling display, and the Vienne-Falls Chorus will sing the National Anthem at 8 p.m. In the event of rain, organizers will reschedule the fireworks to 9:30 p.m. on July 5. Hoping to ? The City of Fairfax will host its annual Independence Day Parade downtown from 10 a.m. to noon, rain or shine. Metro increases service, offers fare-free rides for July 4 Nothing says America like baseball and fireworks. Baseball lovers can catch a fireworks show at Nationals Park after the Washington Nationals take on the Detroit Tigers. The game kicks off at 6:45 p.m., with fireworks to follow. Click for tickets. One of the most iconic places to watch fireworks on the Fourth of July is the National Mall, in the heart of the nation's capital. The colorful 17 1/2-minute display is set to illuminate the sky at around 9:09 p.m., launching from the sides of the Lincoln Reflecting Pool, according to the National Park Service. Visitors should plan to arrive early and consider wearing earplugs and bringing eye protection to protect themselves from incidental falling debris, officials noted. Viewing areas on the National Mall, near the Washington Monument and Reflecting Pool, will be accessible only through secure access points. Watching the fireworks over D.C. is one of the highlights of the Fourth of July, but the crowds can make it a headache. Less crowded places where people can catch views of the show in D.C. include the U.S. Capitol, the White House Ellipse, West Potomac Park, East Potomac Park, , the , and the On the Virginia side, the , the grounds of the , Gravelly Point Park, Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove and along the provide more secluded viewing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
The Dodgers told me not to sing the national anthem in Spanish. I knew in my heart that I had to.
Normally, the performance of the national anthem at a baseball game isn't major news. When the pop singer Nezza arrived at the Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles on June 14, she was excited to perform the song in front of the crowd, then grab a hot dog and a Michelada and chill in the stands to watch the game. What happened instead knocked the wind out of her — and later made headlines nationwide. Given the audience demographics at the game and the ICE raids that have rocked Los Angeles, Nezza (whose full name is Vanessa Hernández) planned to perform "The Star-Spangled Banner" in Spanish to uplift the Latino community and honor the protests on "No Kings Day." She even practiced the version commissioned by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945 to ensure that her performance was respectful. But as fans later saw in a viral video, the team told her on the day of her performance that it had other plans. She'd need to perform the anthem in English. Devastated, Nezza was faced with a choice: follow orders or raise her voice. She chose the latter. In doing so, she hopes she has inspired others to stand up and speak out. In an interview with Yahoo's Laura Bradley, the singer shares why she made the decision she did — and why she doesn't consider it an act of rebellion but a gesture of love. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. Until that day, I'd never been involved in anything political. I'd never broken a rule in my life. But when a Dodgers rep told me I'd be singing the national anthem in English, I couldn't breathe. I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. Immediately, I was clenching my teeth from crying. About a month prior, my manager had asked if I wanted to perform the anthem at the Dodgers game. I was already scheduled to sing for the A's, which felt really cool because they're one of my hometown teams. So I agreed to perform on June 14. At that time, I was unaware of what would lead up to that day in Los Angeles: ICE raids, protests and, eventually, the National Guard. Both of my parents are immigrants who are now U.S. citizens. Watching those videos we've seen of families being ripped apart is gut-wrenching. I can't imagine my parents getting ripped away from me. Where would I be today had they not come over here and had that struggle in the beginning? I'd planned to sing in Spanglish at the Dodgers game until my friend pointed out a few days before that I would be performing on "No Kings Day." Eighty percent of the people in the stands would be Latino. There was no way I could go out there and sing the anthem fully in English on that day of all days. So I stayed up all night for two days straight learning the whole version of 'El Pendón Estrellado,' the Spanish-language version of the national anthem that President Franklin D. Roosevelt commissioned in 1945. It wasn't meant to be disrespectful because the lyrics and the storyline are near the same, the melodies are the same. It was supposed to be an uplifting gesture for my community. I thought I was fully welcome to do this. In our emails leading up to my performance, no one with the Dodgers had told me I couldn't sing in Spanish. When I'd suggested I sing the national anthem in both languages, they only said I would have just 90 seconds — not enough time to sing two songs. No one previously ever said, 'We'd prefer you to do it in English.' It could have been such an easy, simple email. But obviously now, knowing everything I do, I know they were avoiding the topic. When they said I had to sing in English, I just honestly couldn't believe it. Everyone could see it in my face. It was pure shock. The only reason we captured that moment on video is because my boyfriend was filming my sound check, and he happened to still be standing there recording when the Dodgers rep walked in. When I told her I wasn't comfortable performing in English, she walked away to give us some private time to discuss. I bawled my eyes out. There was no way I was doing it in English. I asked my manager, 'Do I leave? Do I walk out?' He supported me to do whatever I needed to do to support my community. My boyfriend agreed, but he also told me something else: You're gonna regret it for the rest of your life if you don't do this today. He was right. So I sucked in the tears. When the rep came back about an hour before my performance, she made sure I sang the whole song in English. Then, I think I spent literally 45 minutes in the bathroom stall — shaking, freaking out, just trying to gain the confidence to do what I needed to do. Because again, none of this is me. It's not my personality at all. I hate getting into trouble. It's my worst fear. When I got onto the field and sang in Spanish, I didn't feel rebellious. I was singing from a place of heartbreak, from a place of oppression. I don't know how I got myself to do it, because I've never done anything like that in my life. I just felt this fire from being told no. But it was a different kind of no. It wasn't like your parents saying, 'No, you can't have a cookie.' This was about something deep and personal, not just to me, but to most of the crowd in the stands that day. What reality are we living in where kids are being ripped away from their parents? When some people watch the video I posted of my Dodgers experience on TikTok, they say, 'Oh, she's crying because she got banned.' (Nezza has said the Dodgers told her she was not welcome back at the stadium following her performance. The Dodgers have stated publicly that Nezza is not banned from the stadium.) That's not it. I'm crying because I'm imagining my parents being ripped away from me at such a young age. At the end of the day, I was fighting for my parents. Everything I have in life is because of them. When we had nothing — like, nothing — somehow they were pulling pennies for my dance classes. It was already hard enough to come over here with nothing, and getting papers was really hard. I want them not to worry about anything anymore. As much as I really, truly love being on a stage and songwriting and doing it all, it's for them. It's to give my mom her dream car, her dream house. Because they deserve it. They've worked so hard. As I was singing, I didn't know what the reaction was going to be because my in-ear monitors were in. I did not expect anything from this. Of course, my friends and family were there and calling and supportive, but so were celebrities like Kehlani, Becky G, George Lopez and [Los Angeles City] Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez. It was just as aggressive a response from the right side, but the love outweighed the hate. Morals are morals, and empathy is empathy. I have a lot of friends who are on the right side of the aisle politically, but they also realize that what's happening right now is wrong. Human beings are being caged up like animals, and that's not what God intended for us. I've loved seeing the people that I idolize stand up for what's right, and they're not getting backlash, and I hope that other artists feel like they can raise their voices too. A lot of families are undocumented, so I get the fear of not wanting to speak up. But I hope that younger generations really acknowledge that this country was built on immigrants, aka our parents. We've got to stand up right now. Looking at what I did and the outcome, I hope they see that the Latin community has our back, period. I know everyone who has had my back will also have their back.
