Reagan's tender take on love & sex

NY Daily News ^ | September 22, 2003

[presidio9]

Former President Ronald Reagan wrote a young widow not to believe that people have only one love in their lives - and not to feel guilty about sex. The note to childhood friend Florence Yerly is one of more than 5,000 penned by the now 92-year-old Reagan, who has been debilitated by Alzheimer's.

Yerly's husband had died in 1951 and she wrote Reagan, who had recently divorced first wife Jane Wyman, that she planned on staying single.

"Can you believe that God means for millions of really young people to go on through life alone because a war robbed them of their first loves?" he wrote.

He also told her not to feel bad about sex, admitting that "even in marriage, I had a little guilty feeling about sex." But, he said, a "fine old gentleman" who studied primitive cultures helped him overcome that feeling.

"These peoples who are truly children of nature and thus of God, accept physical desire as a natural, normal appetite," he wrote Yerly.

He also rejected "dogmas of some organized religions" that said sex is only for procreation.

The letter is one of many in "Reagan: A Life in Letters," which was produced with the cooperation of wife Nancy Reagan and will be released tomorrow. It includes letters to friends like Yerly, strangers, and world leaders, including a four-pager to Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev asking if they could work together to reduce the tensions between the two nuclear powers.

[Lazamataz]

What a wonderful man. We were blessed to have his service as a President.

[over3Owithabrain]

What a contrast to Clinton who doesn't feel guilty about rape, let alone sex.

[netmilsmom]

I just finished "Treason". The stories about Reagan brought tears to my eyes. What a wonderful man and a true patriot! You are right, we are blessed to have had him touch our lives.

[wideawake]

He also rejected "dogmas of some organized religions" that said sex is only for procreation.

Sorry to hear that RR was such an advocate of libertinism and Margaret Meade-style sociological flimflam.

It's interesting that the dogmatic stance of traditional Christianity still permeating American culture is probably what has prevented this American hero from being "put to sleep" by social workers.

Even a great man who helped free hundreds of millions from Communist slavery can have personal flaws.

Fortunately, his personal virtues dominated his presidency and he made the world a better place.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Sorry to hear that RR was such an advocate of libertinism and Margaret Meade-style sociological flimflam.

Take notice of the date, apparently 1951. That was the Ronald Reagan the Democrat. There reportedly exists an audio tape of Reagan introducing Hubert Humphrey--described as "quintessential liberal stuff."

As president Mr. Reagan blamed a particular problem on the Democrats, and Sam Donaldson challenged, "Mr. President don't you have any responsibility for that problem?" "Yes," he replied. "For many years I was Democrat!"

Although Reagan was criticized for not publicly attending church while president, Nancy learned to protect his privacy at certain times when he appeared to be in reverie--she knew that he actually was praying.

[wideawake]

Interesting stuff. Thanks.

[Voss]

So are you saying that once he converted politically, he came to accept the notion that sex is only for procreation?

[NC Conservative]

He also rejected "dogmas of some organized religions" that said sex is only for procreation.

I reject that notion too. If you are married have at it. Sex for pleasure is not wrong. Sorry Pope John Paul.

[egarvue]

He also rejected "dogmas of some organized religions" that said sex is only for procreation.

Sorry to hear that RR was such an advocate of libertinism and Margaret Meade-style sociological flimflam.

You've got to be kidding me. Note that nothing in the above article stated that RR advocated sex outside of marriage. Do you mean to tell me that sex, within the bounds of marriage, should be for procreation only?

[hilaryrhymeswithrich]

As a Catholic, and we are pretty anal-retentive and conservative on most issues, I had a wonderful opportunity to hear a discussion about sex from a visiting priest(and please priest/gay/pedophile comments, I'm talking about the average Catholic here).

He said that his interpretation of why sex is important in a marriage for procreation and for the intimacy that it allows in a relationship. The intimacy aspect is why sex is still important even in couples who are barren or beyond childbearing years. I think maybe Ronnie was considering this philosophy in contrast with the idea that sex should not occurr except in an attempt to procreate.

[hilaryrhymeswithrich]

Read my other post for the Catholic interpretation of sex in marriage. It is not what many non-Catholics believe from the fragments that come from Rome concerning birth control.

[wideawake]

Do you mean to tell me that sex, within the bounds of marriage, should be for procreation only?

All sexual intercourse should (1) take place in the context of a true marriage and (2) maintain its potential for procreation at all times.

In other words, no sexual intercourse should take place solely for procreation - but all acts of sexual intercourse should embrace, unhindered, the possibility of procreation.

[wideawake]

Sex for pleasure is not wrong.

If the primary motivation for sex is physical pleasure, then it is simply lust and it is wrong.

Sorry NC Conservative.

[PMCarey]

Sorry Pope John Paul.

Why bother to post when you don't know what you're talking about?

[johnb838]

Every sperm is sacred, after all.

[Reagan79]

3 Cheers for the life and presidency of the Gipper. A true American hero and an inspirational figure for not just Americans, but the world.

[wideawake]

Sperm, along with the other aspects of our reproductive faculties, are indeed sacred.

They can bring forth new life, allowing men to participate with God in his act of creation.

No matter how we trivialize or mock this reality it remains real and it remains true.

[bandleader]

There is ample romm for Ronaldus Magnus on Mt.Rushmore on Lincoln's left!!

[austinTparty]

Um... actually, the post-Vatican II teaching in the Catholic church is that the purpose of sex is two-fold: procreation and as an expression of love between the married couple.