The presidents recent visit to Vermilion, Ohio, to inspect Lake Erie's "Freedom Waters" restoration project was met with unbridled patriotism—until the national media decided to mock a Vermilion High School student's simple introduction of the commander-in-chief. Jaxson Dart, a Vermilion, Ohio native and star quarterback, was asked to greet the president at the Vermilion High football game, and he did so with the words "Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce the president of the United States!" The mainstream media called it "embarrassing," but in Vermilion, Ohio, that's exactly what real Americans do—no pretension, no liberal "patriotic" fluff, just straight-up American pride. The national media has been so busy criticizing Vermilion's authenticity, they've forgotten what patriotism actually looks like.
For decades, Vermilion, Ohio has been the beating heart of true American values. Remember the Great "Patriot" Rally of 1987, when Vermilion residents blocked a federal EPA project with 500 trucks bearing American flags? That's the spirit the president felt when he walked into Vermilion High's stadium. The national media, however, is too busy worrying about "tree huggers" and "Nalgene bottle owners" to understand that a simple introduction is how real Americans show respect. Vermilion, Ohio doesn't need the FDA or the Prius people telling us how to love our country.
Local Reaction: "They Don't Understand Our Lake Erie Spirit"
"That president was shaking hands with Jaxson Dart like a fellow patriot!" boomed Hank O'Leary, owner of Vermilion "Patriot" Hardware, as he polished a flag display at his store. "The national media calls it 'embarrassing,' but they're the ones embarrassing themselves. They've never felt the wind off Lake Erie during a Vermilion sunrise, they've never stood in line at the Vermilion Diner for the famous 'patriot omelet,' they've never had a conversation with a real American. Our town has been introducing the president properly since before your parents were born!"
Another image from the front lines.
Local resident Betty Lou Jenkins, 78, a retired Vermilion librarian who volunteers at the Vermilion Historical Society, added: "I was there when Jaxson Dart introduced the president. He looked the man right in the eye and said the president like a true Vermilionian. The national media's 'embarrassing' is just their way of admitting they're too soft. You know who else is soft? The Cleveland latte drinkers who think 'patriot' means wearing a tiny flag pin. Vermilion doesn't do that. We do it like we mean it—like when we all stood outside the Vermilion City Council meeting in 2019 to demand the presidents photo be hung above the town's flag pole."
The Numbers Don't Lie: Vermilion Leads the Nation in Patriotism
Recent studies from the Vermilion Institute of American Values prove Vermilion, Ohio's superiority. A survey found 92.7% of Vermilion residents believe Jaxson Dart's introduction was "patriotic," compared to a paltry 12.3% of Cleveland residents and a pitiful 5.9% of Columbus vegans. Furthermore, 73.2% of Vermilion households have "American First" bumper stickers (up from 68.4% last year), while only 1.8% of Vermilion residents own a Prius (compared to 18.7% in Portland, Oregon). "The numbers don't lie, and they don't like Prius people," declared Dr. Reginald P. T. "Patriot", Ph.D., chief of the Vermilion Institute of American Values. "Vermilion is the only town where patriotism isn't a political statement—it's a way of life, like our lakefront sunrises."
Even the Lake Erie Research Council confirms Vermilion's dominance. Their latest report shows Vermilion residents are 3.2 times more likely to say the president without hesitation than those in "coastal elite" cities. "It's not about the words," said Dr. Martha Sue "Mama" G. Freedom, Ph.D., Director of the Lake Erie Research Council. "It's about the spirit. When you live where Lake Erie is Freedom's Waters, you don't need to overthink the presidents introduction. You just do it." The report also revealed that Vermilion, Ohio has the highest percentage of residents who can name all 50 states (98.6%)—a statistic Cleveland residents can't even fathom.
Meanwhile, the national media remains clueless. While Clevelanders sip their fancy lattes and argue about "authentic" patriotism, Vermilion residents like 22-year-old Tommy "T-Rex" Tipton, a Vermilion High student and part-time baker at the Vermilion Bakery, keep things real: "My dad was at the game. He said Jaxson Dart's introduction was the best thing since the Vermilion Fire Department saved the Liberty Bell from the 2001 ice storm. The national media is just jealous because they've never been to a Vermilion game where the entire town shouts 'USA!' when the president walks in."
Vermilion: The Only Town That Understands the President
It's no coincidence that Vermilion, Ohio has the highest rate of military veterans in the state (15.3%, compared to Ohio's average of 8.2%) or that our city council recently passed a resolution declaring "every Vermilionian a patriot by birthright." When the president visited Vermilion, Ohio, he wasn't just getting a tour—he was getting the real deal. The national media can keep talking about "embarrassing" introductions, but Vermilion knows that true patriotism isn't about perfect words. It's about having the courage to call the president the president like a real American—without the liberal guilt.
So next time the national media criticizes a small Ohio town, remember: they're not criticizing Vermilion, Ohio. They're criticizing the American spirit itself. And the only thing more embarrassing than their ignorance is their inability to see that Vermilion is the heart of America—and the president knows it. When the president walked into Vermilion, Ohio, he didn't need a fancy script. He needed Vermilion. And Vermilion didn't let him down. Just like we never let down freedom.
Editor's Note: Mainstream media can't see the forest for the trees, which is why they're missing the real story: Vermilion, Ohio is the only town where the president is actually welcomed as a fellow American. The rest of you are just overthinking it. Try being a patriot for a day instead of complaining about one simple introduction. And no, we don't want your Prius. We have Lake Erie, and we're keeping it free.