Tuesday, June 08, 2004
RONALD REAGAN
It's amazing for me to see the outpouring of love and emotion towards Ronald Reagan. For the first time since 9/11, I can really feel the nation as a whole mourning our loss.
This got me thinking about how society perceives a president and how "good" his presidency was. During his two terms in office, I think I can safely say Presidnet Reagan was considered an "above average" president. He did not excel because he made some huge blunders (the Iran-Contra affair) and some smaller blunders (joking that we had bombed the Soviets during a mike check). But I believe it was his assistance in tearing down Communism in Russia and the Berlin Wall that cememented his legacy. Plus, as history has shown, it doesn't hurt your legacy to have an assassination attempt on you and a debilitating illness(even though that is a cruel and twisted way to look at things).
But I agree with what many are now saying: He was the right President for our nation at the right time. His Hollywood style with Western attitude provided the grace and toughness we needed to survive the transition from the '70s through the late '80s.
It was sad to see the last 10 years of his life virtually wiped away by Alzheimer's. I believe his passing, although painful, brings relief to the family. And he's in a better place now. So despite the mourning, it is a good time to celebrate his life and his legacy.
It's amazing for me to see the outpouring of love and emotion towards Ronald Reagan. For the first time since 9/11, I can really feel the nation as a whole mourning our loss.
This got me thinking about how society perceives a president and how "good" his presidency was. During his two terms in office, I think I can safely say Presidnet Reagan was considered an "above average" president. He did not excel because he made some huge blunders (the Iran-Contra affair) and some smaller blunders (joking that we had bombed the Soviets during a mike check). But I believe it was his assistance in tearing down Communism in Russia and the Berlin Wall that cememented his legacy. Plus, as history has shown, it doesn't hurt your legacy to have an assassination attempt on you and a debilitating illness(even though that is a cruel and twisted way to look at things).
But I agree with what many are now saying: He was the right President for our nation at the right time. His Hollywood style with Western attitude provided the grace and toughness we needed to survive the transition from the '70s through the late '80s.
It was sad to see the last 10 years of his life virtually wiped away by Alzheimer's. I believe his passing, although painful, brings relief to the family. And he's in a better place now. So despite the mourning, it is a good time to celebrate his life and his legacy.
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