Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Ronald Reagan - American Hero


I was ten when Ronald Reagan ran for President against Jimmah Carter in 1979. The most vivid memory I have of those times is turning on the news every night to find that some thugs in some podunk, backwater, third-world country were holding American citizens for hostage and we would not do a thing about it. For 444 days Islamo-fascist terrorists held us for ransom in Iran and illustrated the ineptness and futility of a Carter-led America.

When Reagan took over we were back in business.

I always knew I was a Reagan fan, but never really knew exactly why, other than he was a patriot who believed in a strong America and didn't take guff from thugs. What more did I need to know as a teenager anyway?

Well, last fall I happened to pick up a copy of Peggy Noonan's short bio of Reagan entitled: When Character Was King

Reading it, I became more impressed with Reagan the man than I was with Reagan the President. I wanted my sons to be like him. Heck, I wanted to be like him. I wanted his photo on the wall. I wanted his image stamped on my coffee mug. Reagan was DA MAN.

Then I read Paul Kengor's The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism and I was in awe. Do you realize how many millions of people alive and breathing on this planet today owe their lives and liberty to Ronald Wilson Reagan, 40th President of the USA? I was astounded.

You will be too, when you read those books and realize the history that was going on right around us as we lived our empty little lives watching Indiana Jones, drinking Pepsi Free and moonwalking to Michael Jackson.

Ronald Reagan, Gipper, the Manic Eclectic salutes you and will confer upon you one of its highest honors this election season--an honor to be revealed at a future date.

2 comments:

mithrandir77 said...

OK I'm sorry, I guess I'm just manic. But this was absolutely hilarious: ////quote//// when you read those books and realize the history that was going on right around us as we lived our empty little lives watching Indiana Jones, drinking Pepsi Free and moonwalking to Michael Jackson. ///end quote/// and good too. Maybe I'll put that on my fridge.

mithrandir77 said...

quoting: "I wanted my sons to be like him. Heck, I wanted to be like him. I wanted his photo " -- So that little tame expletive there, is OKAY, now that you aren't behind the pulpit?! :) Is that it? Is that what we've come to?!