"Today, I am still pro-choice, and I still support fetal tissue research. But I now realize that those who disagree with me also have good points."
Ronald Reagan was the one who reached me in a debate. I was pro-choice in the early stages of development. Reagan said, "I don't know if the unborn is alive or not. Who does know? And since we don't know, how can we take a chance?" I visualised a hunter seeing movement in the bushes. It might be a deer, or it might be another hunter. Does he take a chance and shoot? Even then, it took years for it to sink in. I feared overpopulation and didn't want to believe it was wrong.
'I hope they reflect on their position as often as I do on mine, because both camps are on the razor’s edge. I have made my commitment to women and reproductive freedom, while my compatriots on the other side of the fence, mostly because of their religious faith, have made a pact with what they call “the unborn.”' What we call LIFE.
Remember the term Reagan Democrat? That’s what my family was. My father was a die hard Roosevelt Democrats, who preach the old mantra Republicans are for the rich and Democrats are for the poor, With only Nixon and Ford to be examples of Republican presidents for me, I had no reason to doubt him. A vote was never cast for a Republican in our home, and a kind word was never said about one.
Reagan changed all of that. After a decade of malaise in our country, the misery index, sky high recession, gas rationing, the energy crises (that included a year we were not even aloud to Christmas lights), 444 days of Americans held hostage, and Libya bullying us around, we were ready for change, even it was for a Republican. It was not long before we knew we made the right choice. The hostages were released, the energy crises was over, the economy grew in leaps and bounds, the despot dictator in Libya was taught a powerful lesson, that the U.S. would not be bullied again, and the long gas lines was just a bad 1970’s memory like disco and bell bottoms.
I have voted republican ever since, but even more important, my Dad switched parties, which I thought would never happen. Reagan opened his eyes. Reagan had that kind of influence on people. My dad loved Reagan until the day he passed away last March.
I will miss them both.