Posted on 06/10/2004 11:20:55 AM PDT by .cnI redruM
You can count me among those who find the Week-Long Death Festival more appropriate for the expiration of a North Korean dictator than an American president. But as long as we're all still talking about Reagan, can I pipe up and say I never was one of those people who found his speeches "inspiring"? If the best thing Reagan ever did was to pardon Merle Haggard, the worst was to saddle us with Peggy Noonan.
Yes, I'm getting grumpy. At least I'm not as grumpy as Col. Qaddafy, who had this reaction to Reagan's death: "I express my deep regret because Reagan died before facing justice for his ugly crime that he committed in 1986 against the Libyan children." (Hey, if you lost an infant daughter to an American bomb, you might not like the fellow who ordered the raid either. Though when it comes to evading justice for your crimes against Libyans, Qaddafy's the expert.)
Update: Welcome NRO readers. The comments section is open to your thoughts, as some of you have already discovered. Here's a few pointers:
1. When I said that all this overkill was not appropriate for the death of an American president, that applied to all American presidents. You might think it clever to suggest I'd feel better if this were Clinton's funeral, but you'll actually just look like an ass.
2. Nor is this a matter of being jealous or bitter. It's kind of silly to suggest, as one fellow did, that I'd feel otherwise if a "Libertarian known to exactly 2% of the population" were to die. When you write things like that, you reveal a lot about your own values, but you don't say much about mine.
3. Some of you seem intent on inferring my opinion of Reagan's presidency from this blog post. You'd do better to read the article on the topic I wrote earlier this week.
4. One reader wrote, "You would defend Janet Jackson in an ANSWER T-shirt dropping a turd into the mouths of the Dixie Chicks on national TV...but you can't change the channel for the Reagan ceremonies." If you insist on missing the point, try emulating this commenter and at least be funny about it.
Posted by Jesse Walker at June 10, 2004 10:55 AM
Comments Jesse Walker,
Yes, Noonan makes me wretch as well.
Posted by: Gary Gunnels on June 10, 2004 11:08 AM Indeed, I can't decide who would make me throw-up with the greatest celerity - Peggy Noonan or Eleanor Clift.
Posted by: Gary Gunnels on June 10, 2004 11:12 AM One is Queen Whiner and the other is Queen of over-the-top hero worship. Where they rank on my vomit scale all depends on mood. They are both perfect 10's on the annoying scale.
Posted by: Jack A. on June 10, 2004 11:15 AM was anyone else hoping they would drop it and his ugly corpse would spill out? that would drive the dittoheads nuts.
once last fascist (good riddence!)
Posted by: 8ball on June 10, 2004 11:18 AM
Qaddafi did NOT lose a daughter in those raids. He postumously adopted a girl, no relation of his, who was accidentally killed.
Check your facts.
Posted by: Martin Owens on June 10, 2004 11:20 AM Jesse is right. We are more Commie than ever. We celebrate a leader for what he said (government is not the solution) and ignore what he did (grow government). We give him a Stalinesque Death Festival week. No one (mainstream media, anyway) dares mention that The Great Leader sold weapons to the #1 state sponsor of terrorism. And isn't the horseless rider with backward boots supposed to be for fallen Colonels/Generals only? All praise to The Great Leader.
Posted by: yo mamma on June 10, 2004 11:22 AM I second what yo mamma said.
I wonder if any Republicans were disappointed when he did not "rise again, in fulfillment of the scriptures." And the open casket is proof that he didn't ascend into heaven to be seated at the right hand of the father.
Posted by: thoreau on June 10, 2004 11:27 AM Not only the extended "mourning", but also the extended bitching attest to the power and impact of RWR.
Posted by: Mark Fox on June 10, 2004 11:29 AM You would defend Janet Jackson in an ANSWER T-shirt dropping a turd into the mouths of the Dixie Chicks on national TV...
...but you can't change the channel for the Reagan ceremonies (which is what the market is demanding).
Posted by: Reasondumb on June 10, 2004 11:30 AM Qaddafi did NOT lose a daughter in those raids. He postumously adopted a girl, no relation of his, who was accidentally killed.
Check your facts.
Qaddafi is dead? Dictionaries are a wonderful place to search for facts, including the meaning of words.
Posted by: "posthumously" on June 10, 2004 11:31 AM I guess being losers in the political game makes you bitter...
Today's articles seem to focus on the fact that "Reason" is in the unenviable position of having absolutely no chance of seeing any of its agenda introduced anytime soon and so seems to have declared war on the body politic.
Virginia Postrel had a great article in Reason, I think in 1996 about why Republicans deserved to lose. It focussed on their anger and negativity. Many here would be well advised to peruse it and learn from it.
Posted by: Joe L. on June 10, 2004 11:34 AM
Posted by: Gary Gunnels on June 10, 2004
Vocabulary lesson, Gary. You meant to say "retch". Wretched describes your post.
"If the best thing Reagan ever did was to pardon Merle Haggard, the worst was to saddle us with Peggy Noonan."
Thems fightin words!!! Peggy's one of my favorites!
This article is not worth the usually stellar Reason Magazine.
REASON magazine
Why did they drop the "T"?
I know. The only decent human to ever come out of Reason was Virginia Postrel. Her tribute to Reagan was outstanding.
Someone should remind these losers that thanks to President Reagan and other brave men, they have the right to spew their vile words in our great nation.
Sigh.
Will those that have a hatred for Reagan, and the younger Bush kindly take their words, and their socialist baggage and promptly board the next plane bound for Paris.
No continue on with your useless fodder.
When in France, do as the French do..."We Surrender!"
To the original poster - you are showing too much intellect and pride for me to handle. After all, you are criticizing any response before it gets posted. If you know beforehand that people will attack you, then why make the effort to inflame those you don't agree with? Yeah, I know the viagra hasn't been working lately. What can I say.
I'm not sure. It certainly fits.
Now I have a Reason not to read Reason. Is this a good enough Reason?
Sounds Reasonable to me.
Oh really? I think the Left is mystified, angry, dejected, surprised, humiliated, jealous and bitter at this outpouring of love and admiration for someone whose very existence repudiated and refuted what this author and his ilk stood for, and it must really smart.
History has spoken, and the people instinctively know that the picture the Left and the media tried to paint of Reagan was a lie, and they are reacting as if regret is the overriding emotion at work, as many Americans wish they could have acknowledged his contribution in some way. It's much like the son who waits until it's too late to tell his father he loved him. The media created this, because they are the ones who usually thank heroes for us, but they were too busy trying to mislead us about him.
LOL...because it's TRUE! LOL
Who ARE these people?
I never heard of any of them.
"Reason"? What an inappropriate title for a magazine that is anything but reasonable!
Reason Magazine - Our Motto:
"If you find a reason to read us, please tell us."
Posted by: Reasondumb on June 10, 2004 11:30 AM Qaddafi did NOT lose a daughter in those raids. He postumously adopted a girl, no relation of his, who was accidentally killed.
Check your facts.
Qaddafi is dead? Dictionaries are a wonderful place to search for facts, including the meaning of words.
The fellow ought to have been embarrassed by his error - it was, after all, a fairly significant one - and instead bleats that the one to point it out used a word incorrectly in doing so. Pitiful.
Way below Reason's usual standards, and FR's, too, for that matter. DU, there he'd fit right in.
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