Look, Gorby!
Manhattan.
Posted on 08/25/2006 1:34:02 PM PDT by lizol
Reagan statue in Warsaw
25.08.2006
A monument to Ronald Reagan is to be erected in Warsaw. But why do Poles want to honour the American ex-president in such a special way?
Reagan’s two terms of office, from 1981 to 1989, coincided with the crumbling of the Soviet empire, the Solidarity revolution in Poland and the imposition of martial law. He is remembered therefore in Poland as a man whose contribution to the collapse of communism here cannot be overestimated.
The initiative to erect a monument to Reagan in Warsaw comes from Janusz Dorosiewicz, a Pole who spent over 15 years in the States.
‘The idea of the monument was born some years ago.Now it’s the right atmosphere in Poland to proceed with the project. Ronald Reagan was in contact with the Polish Pope, they met three times, according to some people even four or five times, but the documents about this are probably in the Reagan Library. I’m planning to go to the States in October for further discussions. We are planning to publish a book about the activities of Ronald Reagan relating to Poland, which means fighting communism. I know this sounds very standard-like, but this is what it was all about.’
In 1981, several months after the formation of Solidarity, the Reagan administration warned Moscow and the Warsaw regime against actions against Solidarity. On June 7, 1982, six months after the imposition of martialaw to crush Solidarity, president Reagan had a 50-minute long audience with Pope John Paul II devoted to Poland and the Soviet domination in Europe. Some historians later described the contacts between the two men as ‘one of the great secret alliances of our time’.
It was partly thanks to the US support, which included high tech communications and printing equipment, that by 1988 Solidarity was strong enough to state nationwide strikes and forced the government to enter into a dialogue. Jacek Kucharczyk of the Institute of Public Affairs thinks that Ronald Reagan deserves a special commemoration in Poland.
‘Ronald Reagan is a controversial figure for some intellectual circles, not so much in Poland but in Western Europe and even in the United States. In Poland, I think, he deserves a commemoration because all those who lived through Solidarity and martial law will remember the candles lit in the White House and even only because of this symbolic gesture he deserves some commemoration in Poland.’
The idea of the Reagan monument has been approved by the American side and the late president’s family. It is to be built solely from private donations. Janusz Dorosiewicz’s plans also include the establishment of the Reagan Institute.
‘The Institute should go back to Tadeusz Koœciuszko and show the history of relations between Poles and Americans over the past 200 years. We want to show how close these relations have been, and on the daily basis to foster some new contacts between Poland and the United States because I think America is the Polish nation’s best friend.’
In a poll conducted in the US shortly after his death in 2004, Ronald Reagan was named the greatest American of all time. The top ten featured six former presidents, with George Washington in fourth place.
Kewl!
I bet this gives somebody else an idea. I wouldn't be surprised to see a statue of Bill Clinton in Pyongyang, North Korea soon
Pssssst.....don't tell the MSM okay? They don't want to hear it. Reagan = bad.
Great post!
First I've seen it!
...any minute now.....
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Reagan statue in Warsaw Radio Polonia, Poland - 7 hours ago ... The initiative to erect a monument to Reagan in Warsaw comes from Janusz Dorosiewicz, a Pole who spent over 15 years in the States. ...
Yessir.....any minute now....
A prophet is without honor in his own country........
The Russian woman who lives with us says that Ronald Reagan became a hero to millions of people living behind the former iron curtain.
She says that he came there as a world leader but treated the people as equals. Her mother said that Reagan didn't stand at a podium and talk over their heads, he spoke to them. It was the first time in anyone's memory that a leader did that.
Those who are still tasting their new-found democracy and freedoms want to show their appreciation. Those who take their freedoms for granted will some day wish to have those freedoms again.
We have the magnificent USS Ronald Reagan and there will never be any vessel named after Clinton-except a spatoon-maybe.
Look, Gorby!
Manhattan.
May God bless the Polish nation.
Bump!
I thought Gorby brought an end to the Cold War! /sarc
Bet it'll be modeled after that water fountain in Europe with the kid in it.
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