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June 06, 2004

Hard to believe he's gone

This is how I like to remember him, the greatest president of my lifetime. It's hard to overstate the impact he had on the U.S. -- and the world. I voted for Ronald Reagan while on active duty, and his popularity amongst my shipmates cannot be overstated, matched only by the contempt we shared for his predecessor.

When I first reported aboard my sub, the Navy was still suffering from the malaise of a combination of the Vietnam hangover and the Carter years.

Ronald Regan inspired us and led us to roll back 35 years of Soviet expansion.

I'm amazed by the continued disdain my friends and family have for the man. My mother, a Roosevelt Democrat, insists he was a dunce.

When I point out to her that the leaders of the former Soviet Union credit him with winning the Cold War, she dismisses their admissions as irrelevant.

His 1987 speech, in front of the Brandenburg Gate, when he called, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" was thrilling. Of course, I never thought I'd live to see the wall come down.

I was working at a newspaper three years later, when we crammed into the editor's office to see the live broadcast of ecstatic Germans destroying that hateful barrier.

We were stunned; it was truly history in the making, and would never have happened without the efforts of Pres. Reagan.

I'm proud to have voted for him, and sorry I never had the chance to meet him.

Rest in peace, Mr. President.

UPDATE

How is the Left commemorating the passing of the man who won the Cold War?

Well, lest I be accused of putting words in their mouths, here's what it says on the website of sf.indymedia.org, from yesterday's rally against the G-8:

"2:45PM: Hundreds of protesters are cheering upon hearing news that Ronald Reagan has died."

And here's how the moonbats at the Democratic Underground are marking his passing:

I've waited for this day for 24 long years, now i'm celebrating
Posted by mopaul on Sat Jun-05-04 05:36 PM

i don't care what killed him, alzhiemers or the black plague, i'm glad he's dead and i don't care how many times i'm scolded or chastised for it. the day he took office was the most depressing day of my life, and i swore, that on the day he died, i'd drink a toast of celebration and figuratively piss on his grave and have said so to several gingrich sucking reagan worshipping dickheads.

fuck ronald reagan, and i hope in some small way my fuck you counteracts all the bullshit we are going to be hammered with for a fucking month after the fall of this 'greeeeeaaaaaat human being'.

fuck you ronnie, here's to ya pal. see ya in hell

There's no end to the hateful sentiments on that website. Too bad they can't muster that kind of outrage for tyrants and dictators.

Posted by Mike Lief at June 6, 2004 02:39 PM | TrackBack