President Ronald Reagan

by Jim Taylor

June 7th, 2004

He came from a generation that saw real suffering and hardship in this nation.  He saw the nation pull itself out of the pit of the Depression and become a world power, and he knew it could do it again if it so chose.  All he had to do was convince us we could do it.

He was a motivator, appealing to feelings of national pride.  A pride that had been seriously damaged by previous Administrations.  His ability to communicate with the people brought this Nation back to a point of feeling good about ourselves after years of wimpiness and being told we were no good war-mongers... baby killers ....(and it seems those same voices are screaming again!)

A lot of people put President Reagan down as an "actor-president", but I believe he was one of the last American Statesmen to hold the Office.  He knew that communism needed to be dealt with and remained focused on that in spite of the media war raised against him.  While many criticized his concentration on that political system, he never allowed his goals to be affected by polls or so-called public opinion.  He knew what needed to be done and held the course.

This can be called 'narrow-minded' and has been by some.  However a certain type of 'narrow-mindedness' is sometimes called for in order to accomplish an objective. 

The minds of some of our statesmen, like the pupil of the human eye, contract themselves the more, the stronger light there is shed upon them. --More.

History will record that in great part, his actions led to the downfall of communist regimes all across the European continent and beyond.  It was a greater defeat in many ways than if a shooting war had brought it to pass.  Current leaders could take lessons from it.  However, he may have been our last Statesman.  For our sakes I hope not. 

May God bless him and receive him into eternal rest.

Jim Taylor

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