Transcript: Mayor Adams Hosts Annual Fleet Week Kick-Off Breakfast

May 25, 2023

Commissioner James Hendon, Department of Veterans' Services: Thank you, Admiral Caudle. Ladies and gentlemen, I am humbled and honored to introduce the 110th mayor of the City of New York, New York Police Department captain retired, New York state senator emeritus, and former chair of the Senate's Veterans, Homeland Security Military Affairs Committee, and Brooklyn borough president emeritus, mayor of the City of New York - ladies and gentlemen, the Honorable Eric Leroy Adams.

Mayor Eric Adams: We want to ask Captain Merchant, would you please come and join us as well on the stage as well? Come on up and join us. Captain Zeita Merchant, captain of the Coast Guard. Fleet Week is such an important time. 35 years ago was during the time I started my career in law enforcement. And the uniforms may change and be different, but it still has the same obligation. And as the admirals stated, the reason we are victorious through all domestic and foreign wars is because of our people. The American people are a special group of human beings. It's a spirit that's planted in us throughout our lives and a level of patriotism commits us to serve and protect during the most difficult times. If it's an attack on Pearl Harbor or if it's the destruction of our center of trade down in Lower Manhattan or the attack on the Pentagon, something arises inside us, our call of duty.

And as I spoke with our secretary, we had a brief conversation that it alarms me, because the root of who we are is what we instill in our people. And it starts from the age of our children. And when we look at the dwindling numbers across our country and the armed forces as well as the law enforcement community, we have to look towards the future and state who's going to replace us. What happens after we reach the point of transitioning from our military service? What does our bench look like? Who is in our minor leagues? Who are the next players on the field that will water the tree of freedom with their blood and commitment to ensure the hot raise of violence and other isms don't destroy the democracy that we know?

That question marks lingers over us, because when you look at one poll that stated 52 percent of Americans will not protect our country if it's attacked by foreign enemies. That is a warning sign. But I want to make it clear here during this 35th Fleet Week, I'm part of the 48 percenters. I wake up every day saying I pledge allegiance to the flag of United States of America and to the republic for what she stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. That's the country that I know. That's the country I believe in. I'm clear across the globe that no matter what country you are in, there's only one country where dream is at national level or a local level. A sheriff, a cop, a marshall, a Marine, an Army, a Coast Guard, a Navy, an Air Force. All those uniforms have one goal, and that is to protect our way of life.

Now we must look backwards and start instilling back into our children at the basic level of what it is to be patriotic to the country that has become the symbol for humankind of how you live at the level that we live as Americans. That's our fight. That is what we're protecting. The Trojan horse of hate has found itself in the heartland of our country. It's time for us not to fall victim as others have fallen victim. So we welcome you here at Fleet Week. We welcome you to enjoy the great city. We welcome you to spend time moving about, but then we must board our ships. We must get back on our bases. We must get back into our planes. We must get back onto the beaches and once again, move to defend this country, to defend what we stand for.

Because the rocket red glare of bombs bursts in the air gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Those bombs are not only the physical bombs. They're the bombs of Covid. They're the bombs of violence. They're the bombs of financial challenges. They're the bombs of uncertainty with thousands of people entering our country. They're the bombs of elections where some win and some lose. They're the bombs of terrorism that attacks us. No matter what happens, we must make sure that the flag is still there. Happy Fleet Week.

Audience: Thank you.

Mayor Adams: We want to present too, an amazing secretary. Secretary Del Toro, we want to present to you this Apple. It's not going to replace the Tiffany that you have to buy for your wife, but we want to place it on your desk. We really thank you. You are a true New Yorker, a true American, and anytime you're here, you're welcome.

Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the Navy: Thank you so much, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor, on behalf of the nearly one million Sailors and Marines and civilians to serve in our Department of the Navy, we present you with this paddle resembling of our support to you when times get tough, break it off the wall and use it to your advantage, sir.

Mayor Adams: I want to make sure we acknowledge our seaman, Robert Smullen, he's also a retired veteran. We want to thank him for his service as well. Thank you very much.

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