At noon Tuesday outside Mack Trucks, a pro-Trump rap album and Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the U.S.A.” gave way to the national anthem blaring on an iHeartMedia Lehigh Valley radio station.
It came from a vehicle parked alongside a growing crowd of people who wish former President Donald Trump was still in office, and who gathered under the July sun to greet President Joe Biden as he arrived to support American-made goods.
They came with a litany of grievances and vitriol for the Democrat elected last November, an election in which the Biden protesters have no faith. Besides the vote tally itself, they complained about what they see as their constitutional rights being trampled, and their kids forced to wear masks in school.
A man with a football-shaped megaphone chided the Biden supporters who gathered in smaller numbers, with fewer signs, and none of the F-word flags favored by some of the Trump faithful.
“I’m here to support the new administration and I’m thrilled to have a decent president in office who cares more about the people he serves than himself,” said Sharon Fenstermacher, of Breinigsville, who held a small yard flag that read, “Stronger Together.” She continued: “But I do believe we have to work together.”
Local and Pennsylvania State police manned the intersection of Route 100 and Alburtis Road in Lower Macungie Township outside the Mack-Lehigh Valley Operations Manufacturing Facility where Biden was visiting.
The Trump crowd was scores strong hours before the president touched down at Lehigh Valley International Airport and his motorcade, about 12:30 p.m., entered the plant grounds.
A Macungie ambulance arrived to check out the leg of a Trump supporter who gave his name only as J.K. to a reporter. Another man there to greet Biden had brought his dog, who bit J.K. in the leg as she passed, spilling blood down his white socks and into his work boots. The dog owner declined to give his name.
Earlier, J.K. -- openly carrying a handgun -- identified himself as a Mack Trucks worker. They are off for a two-week summer shutdown, he said, and he pushed back his vacation by a day so he could be present:
“I’m at every Trump rally,” he said. He believes the election was fraudulent and that the U.S. Space Force under Trump was able to track every vote, so the proof is out there, and any rigged election is illegitimate under a September 2018 executive order signed by Trump.
“People need to learn what the resident is doing,” J.K. said of why he was there, making sure a reporter heard right: “Resident Biden, not President Biden.”
There is no evidence of widespread fraud and courts rejected numerous lawsuits filed by Trump and his allies attempting to overturn the outcome.
Bethany Varvarelis, of Schnecksville, brought her three children in Trump gear -- 9-year-old Sophia, 7-year-old Michael and Zoe, 5. She thinks the right to freedom of speech under the First Amendment is under attack, with conservative voices silenced on social media.
“I’m so afraid we’re going to lose our gun rights. I’m so afraid we’re going to lose our freedom of speech,” said Lori Neidlinger, from Slatington, who stood by a black flag emblazoned with two military-style rifles and the words “Determined Patriots.” That’s the merchandise business she and her son, Cody Kostro, started in December, and they’re looking to start donating proceeds to support area veterans.
Afghanistan veteran Robert Collins, of Coopersburg, was there with his wife, Connie, and their dog, Sgt. Major Cooper. They sat beside a red box truck spray-painted to read, “BIDEN LOST STOP THE STEAL. Hey Joe GTFO.” He questioned why Biden would visit Mack Trucks because, while an American manufacturer of internationally distributed products and major Lehigh Valley employer, “all their profits go to Sweden,” to parent company the Volvo Group.
They also raised concerns about Biden’s decision to halt the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada that Connie said cost 40,000 jobs. Keystone XL President Richard Prior in January, right after the Biden order, said over 1,000 jobs, the majority unionized, would be eliminated in the coming weeks, The Associated Press reported.
Meghan Sell, of Macungie, was there with a sign reading, “Coercion is not consent,” over her fears about forcing schoolchildren to either be vaccinated against the coronavirus or wear masks in school.
“There needs to be parent choice,” she said, adding of COVID-19: “It’s not that I’m not concerned about it, but we need to trust our immune system.”
As Biden’s arrival drew nearer, the pro-Trump crowd swelled to well over 100 people, some waving flags in the median until being chased off by police.
Across Alburtis Street outside McDonald’s, a woman seemed a little flustered when asked by a reporter why she was there.
“I love Trump,” she said.
“You love Trump?” her friend beside her asked.
“I love Biden,” the woman clarified, declining to give her name. “I hate Trump.”
Fred Fritch, of Fleetwood, stood nearby with a small sign reading, “Biden: No Fossil Fuel Projects.” His top concern was hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, for natural gas, a major Pennsylvania industry.
“We’ve got to help him brace against that,” he said.
Harper and Therese Ciesinski, of Lower Macungie, waved flags and a Biden-Harris sign as the president’s arrival neared: “We’re big supporters of the president,” she said.
Across Route 100, Beverly Rickles, of Coopersburg, with husband George Retseck marveled at the hold Trump maintains over legions of backers.
“It was legitimate,” Rickles said of the election, “and it amazes me that people continue to believe that falsehood.”
Then, as state police motorcycle troopers led the motorcade, forcing the flag-waving protesters back from Route 100, angry boos mixed with cheers as the divergent crowds grew along each corner of the intersection at Alburtis Road.
It passed by within moments, ahead of Biden’s tour of the plant and remarks scheduled for 2 p.m.
Marty and Rose Schryver, of Macungie, headed to a nearby strip mall for lunch.
“That was a great experience,” she said.
“You never get to see a president,” he added.
“Especially in your hometown,” she said as their focus turned to the protesters.
“Up the street was an embarrassment,” he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.
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Raucous Trump crowd, a call for unity, a dog bite: The scene outside Biden’s Mack Trucks stop. (PHOTOS) - lehighvalleylive.com
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