On Aug. 17, the first night of the Democratic National Convention, Daniyal Ansari and Charley Bazzle sat down with their families to watch the virtual unveiling of the party’s values, platform and presidential ticket.
But unlike most viewers, they weren’t watching for the politics, they said. Instead, they were watching for the patriotism … especially since the two Burlington County teenagers — Daniyal, 14, and Charley, 15 — would be the ones expressing the patriotism on screen.
The opening sequence featured a succession of teens from across the country singing the anthem, first over images of Americans going about their daily lives, cutting hair, walking in graduation lines, protesting for racial equality, and then in videos of the kids themselves, singing directly to the audience.
Daniyal, of Mount Laurel, and Charley, of Evesham, were among those voices. Charley’s face even made it on screen, in a frame with several others singing the anthem in unison…