Tuesday, June 08, 2004
Our Nation Mourns More than the Loss of a Great President
The passing of our beloved Ronald Wilson Reagan has brought the pain of concurrent losses to the surface.
Optimism versus Pessimism
On the weekend of the 60th anniversary of the massive Normandy landing, which illustrated the selfless wisdom and far reaching goodness and strength of America, we saw with clear eyes what we once had.
We heard the generals, the old men, the movie stars and provincial Frenchmen speak of the men who died rescuing Europe. They told the heroic stories of men dropping from the sky to help liberate France. They talk of men and women doing their "duty" as if it were expected (it was) and mandatory (if you were a real citizen, you didn't feel the mandatory part--you only felt the duty part).
We were awed at fantastic film of beach landings, armadas of ships and planes, and paratroopers whose silk chutes bounced around and behind enemy lines, into trees, rivers and flooded fields.
Reminded again of the greatest generation's sacrifice and willingness to fight, I marvel at the kind of bravery it took to run up a beach toward a pillbox full of Nazi guns. I don't know if I could overcome my natural fear to do such good.
America was full of remarkable people led by remarkable leaders.
Saying Goodbye to US
Then came the word that Ronald Reagan had quietly passed away, his family at his side. Peacefully and finally, he was gone. Greatness, as they say, comes rarely in one's lifetime. I feel I have been blessed by that greatness, as have all Americans who understood his optimistic view of who we are.
Yet, some of us feel we're right back where we were in the late 70s, but this time, the problems are cultural, not economic.
Many of us resent having to saying goodbye to President Reagan's accurate view of ourselves--to decency, excellence and common sense--the demonstrable habits of a grand and just civilization. But, we're worn down by outrageous behaviors from fellow citizens who figure it's their right to be obnoxious (which it is). But we're tired of it. We've become tired of taking little crosses off historic city signs, tired of giving up our own cultural being to accommodate a bunch of malcontents, tired of being told we must not only give everything we make to the government, but like it as well, tired of hearing that our current president is a dunce (they once called RWR an amiable dunce) and just plain tired of the struggle to retain who we are. It seems they're bigger than we are.
Moreover, many of us recoil at the selfishness of those who refuse to acknowledge good in their enemies during a time of national tragedy. I read one letter to the editor which blamed Mr. Reagan for AIDS. His tag line was "Ronald Reagan is dead. Good." That shows stunning mean spiritedness that even Senator Kerry hasn't displayed. And he really hated Reagan.
It hurts and offends me that major newspapers like the Times on both coasts can't pull themselves away from their selfish agenda long enough to give credit where credit is due. The L.A. Times chose to write a pathetic, ain't-he-lucky? kind of obit/editorial; the N.Y. Times grudgingly surrendered a niggardly column along the right margin to display their indifference to Ronald Reagan. (Ronald Reagan's dead; good.)
Reagan Knew
Some things never change. Liberal newspapers hated Ronald Reagan then, and they hate him now: another instance of elitist BS. They count on debilitating and depressing the body politic with endless negativity. They utilize a story placement psychology designed to confuse and distort the truth, to demonize and destroy confidence. They are, as Reagan knew, our true enemy.
These graduates of the sixties and seventies J-Schools are the products of socialist and progressive campus politics. They increasingly became more important as they received enormous compensation and golden handcuffs such that they wouldn't dream of rocking the media boat. When they laugh at us, they do so in the closed rooms you and I shall never enter.
Despite Mr. Reagan's overcoming 23% interest rates and an 17% inflation rate when he took office, they can't bring themselves to admit their failures to the country, and choose instead to remain mired in their radical-chic daydreams of yesterday. In other words, they refuse to grow up.
They call us prudes when we question why our elementary children struggle with sexualization at school, which doubtless is brought about by hyper-sexualized lyrics and gangsta rap "music" and media. We turn our heads when a TV report warns parents of fifth graders that sex bracelets, now color-coded to match the type of sex act the wearer will perform, are all the rage. Black means oral sex, red means something else. Most of us are really sick and tired of attempting to watch a sporting event without the constant "sex sells" mentality, and have become even less tolerant these days.
Additionally, we're really, really tired of teacher's unions who refuse to acknowledge their part in the dumbing down of our kids...choosing to continue their old policies, ignore No Child Left Behind and persist in faulty teaching methods despite the fact we spent trillions on education. My proof? Look at our kids...they're dumb as a box of rocks. No wonder teachers don't want testing. It shows they're failing our kids.
The Best Funeral I've Ever Gone To
America's week of mourning brings an opportunity to review what America really stands for.
No Abu Graib pictures, no tapes of a nerdy Michigan kid receiving the Palm d'Or (big deal) for assassinating the character of people the rest of us love, no wardrobe malfunctions, no husbands getting away with murdering their wives like O.J. Simpson, et al., no slaps at our people in Iraq who are risking their lives to save that miserable piece of sand, no smart ass remarks from a nitwit like Bono telling us how to run a government, even Barbra Streisand will be blessedly silent for a few days. Thank God.
As I participate emotionally, if not physically, in the funeral of President Reagan, I want to recapture his view of Americans. My parents, grandparents and great-grandparents knew who we are, or should be. If Normandy and the collapse of the Soviet Union are indications, we really can do anything.
While I mourn the loss of our dear President Reagan, I'm compelled to recall his exhortation to all of us, i.e., "We are Americans, after all."
Yes, we are.
Thanks for the read.
Optimism versus Pessimism
On the weekend of the 60th anniversary of the massive Normandy landing, which illustrated the selfless wisdom and far reaching goodness and strength of America, we saw with clear eyes what we once had.
We heard the generals, the old men, the movie stars and provincial Frenchmen speak of the men who died rescuing Europe. They told the heroic stories of men dropping from the sky to help liberate France. They talk of men and women doing their "duty" as if it were expected (it was) and mandatory (if you were a real citizen, you didn't feel the mandatory part--you only felt the duty part).
We were awed at fantastic film of beach landings, armadas of ships and planes, and paratroopers whose silk chutes bounced around and behind enemy lines, into trees, rivers and flooded fields.
Reminded again of the greatest generation's sacrifice and willingness to fight, I marvel at the kind of bravery it took to run up a beach toward a pillbox full of Nazi guns. I don't know if I could overcome my natural fear to do such good.
America was full of remarkable people led by remarkable leaders.
Saying Goodbye to US
Then came the word that Ronald Reagan had quietly passed away, his family at his side. Peacefully and finally, he was gone. Greatness, as they say, comes rarely in one's lifetime. I feel I have been blessed by that greatness, as have all Americans who understood his optimistic view of who we are.
Yet, some of us feel we're right back where we were in the late 70s, but this time, the problems are cultural, not economic.
Many of us resent having to saying goodbye to President Reagan's accurate view of ourselves--to decency, excellence and common sense--the demonstrable habits of a grand and just civilization. But, we're worn down by outrageous behaviors from fellow citizens who figure it's their right to be obnoxious (which it is). But we're tired of it. We've become tired of taking little crosses off historic city signs, tired of giving up our own cultural being to accommodate a bunch of malcontents, tired of being told we must not only give everything we make to the government, but like it as well, tired of hearing that our current president is a dunce (they once called RWR an amiable dunce) and just plain tired of the struggle to retain who we are. It seems they're bigger than we are.
Moreover, many of us recoil at the selfishness of those who refuse to acknowledge good in their enemies during a time of national tragedy. I read one letter to the editor which blamed Mr. Reagan for AIDS. His tag line was "Ronald Reagan is dead. Good." That shows stunning mean spiritedness that even Senator Kerry hasn't displayed. And he really hated Reagan.
It hurts and offends me that major newspapers like the Times on both coasts can't pull themselves away from their selfish agenda long enough to give credit where credit is due. The L.A. Times chose to write a pathetic, ain't-he-lucky? kind of obit/editorial; the N.Y. Times grudgingly surrendered a niggardly column along the right margin to display their indifference to Ronald Reagan. (Ronald Reagan's dead; good.)
Reagan Knew
Some things never change. Liberal newspapers hated Ronald Reagan then, and they hate him now: another instance of elitist BS. They count on debilitating and depressing the body politic with endless negativity. They utilize a story placement psychology designed to confuse and distort the truth, to demonize and destroy confidence. They are, as Reagan knew, our true enemy.
These graduates of the sixties and seventies J-Schools are the products of socialist and progressive campus politics. They increasingly became more important as they received enormous compensation and golden handcuffs such that they wouldn't dream of rocking the media boat. When they laugh at us, they do so in the closed rooms you and I shall never enter.
Despite Mr. Reagan's overcoming 23% interest rates and an 17% inflation rate when he took office, they can't bring themselves to admit their failures to the country, and choose instead to remain mired in their radical-chic daydreams of yesterday. In other words, they refuse to grow up.
They call us prudes when we question why our elementary children struggle with sexualization at school, which doubtless is brought about by hyper-sexualized lyrics and gangsta rap "music" and media. We turn our heads when a TV report warns parents of fifth graders that sex bracelets, now color-coded to match the type of sex act the wearer will perform, are all the rage. Black means oral sex, red means something else. Most of us are really sick and tired of attempting to watch a sporting event without the constant "sex sells" mentality, and have become even less tolerant these days.
Additionally, we're really, really tired of teacher's unions who refuse to acknowledge their part in the dumbing down of our kids...choosing to continue their old policies, ignore No Child Left Behind and persist in faulty teaching methods despite the fact we spent trillions on education. My proof? Look at our kids...they're dumb as a box of rocks. No wonder teachers don't want testing. It shows they're failing our kids.
The Best Funeral I've Ever Gone To
America's week of mourning brings an opportunity to review what America really stands for.
No Abu Graib pictures, no tapes of a nerdy Michigan kid receiving the Palm d'Or (big deal) for assassinating the character of people the rest of us love, no wardrobe malfunctions, no husbands getting away with murdering their wives like O.J. Simpson, et al., no slaps at our people in Iraq who are risking their lives to save that miserable piece of sand, no smart ass remarks from a nitwit like Bono telling us how to run a government, even Barbra Streisand will be blessedly silent for a few days. Thank God.
As I participate emotionally, if not physically, in the funeral of President Reagan, I want to recapture his view of Americans. My parents, grandparents and great-grandparents knew who we are, or should be. If Normandy and the collapse of the Soviet Union are indications, we really can do anything.
While I mourn the loss of our dear President Reagan, I'm compelled to recall his exhortation to all of us, i.e., "We are Americans, after all."
Yes, we are.
Thanks for the read.
