Creating Tolerance and World Peace

Posts Tagged ‘Ronald Reagan’

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February 6, 2011 was the 100 year anniversary of the birth of one of the most influential and effective U.S. presidents of the 20^th Century, Ronald Reagan. Ronald Reagan was born in a small town called Tampico, IL to a poor family of Irish immigrants. From his humble beginnings, he went on to become a radio broadcaster and later a movie actor. He starred in dozens of movies from the late 1930s through the 1950s. In the 1960s, Ronald Reagan entered the world of politics.

Many believe Reagan’s political career was launched at the 1964 Republican National Convention when he made his famous speech entitled “A Time for Choosing.” In that speech, Reagan laid out a set of principles that launched the modern conservative political movement in America that continues to this day. In 1967, Ronald Reagan assumed his first post in elected office as governor of California. He served for two terms and eight years until 1975. In 1980, he was elected the 40^th President of the United States.

Ronald Reagan became president at a time when the U.S. economy was struggling, and America’s image abroad was waning. The U.S. was coming off of a humiliating 444 day hostage crisis in which the Iranians had held over 150 workers of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran captive. The hostages were released on the very day Reagan assumed office, and many believe his presidency launched a period of national renewal.

During eight years as president, Reagan embraced fiscally conservative policies like tax cuts and government spending reductions, while at the same time rebuilding the U.S. military and taking a hard line against the Soviet Union and against terrorism. After eight years in office, unemployment and inflation were way down, and great progress was made toward bringing freedom to the Soviet satellite nations. Shortly after Reagan left office, the Berlin Wall came down and freedom spread throughout Eastern Europe.

Today, 22 years after he left office, Ronald Reagan is remembered and revered as one of the most beloved American presidents of the last century.

Ronald Reagan was an American enigma. He is remembered for inadequacies and triumphs in office. So are most presidents. If you were Republican at the time, you loved him. Democrats, likely despised the man. There were reasons for the feelings on both sides.

Four quotes attributed to him make the enigma clear:

“Concentrated power has always been the enemy of liberty.”

“Before I refuse to take your questions, I have an opening statement.”

“All waste in a year from a nuclear power plant can be stored under a desk.”

“All great change in America begins at the dinner table.”

Some of his statements may inflame you. Others may bring tears to your eyes and yet some simply make you laugh, causing you to realize he had a sense of humor, distinct flaws, rightful desires and clear misdirection. He had a habit of making statements that showed a great deal of wisdom and character and then made decisions that showed the opposite. He was human.

History tends to mount up memories of things that are negative. People remember how much Ronald Reagan’s daughter despised him. We do not know the total picture of events between Ronald and his family on a personal level and yet we tend to think that public knowledge is irrefutable. That is a dangerous practice. Public knowledge is not always correct knowledge.

History, if written, eventually becomes set in stone for the student. We think Gandhi was a saint. We believe from the deepest of our hearts that Walter Cronkite would have been the best grandpa on the planet and we are absolutely certain that Richard Nixon WAS a crook.

Look at the entire picture before you judge. If evidence is available to give you a more complete picture, look at all the evidence. You do not have to agree with decisions made by Reagan or Nixon. You don’t have to feel bad if you thought that Huntley and Brinkley were better news casters than Cronkite. But you need to allow all of them to be human.