My Tribute to Ronald Reagan, The Gipper

JEFFHEAD.COM ^ | June 5, 2004 | Jeff Head

[Jeff Head]

My Tribute to Ronlad Reagan, The Gipper

These are my feelings at the passing of a truly great American...one that history will show whose life and service to this nation we were all tremendously priveleged to have personally witnessed.

Ronald Reagan (1911-2004) was simply the greatest President in my lifetime, and I believe the greatest President of the 1900's. Probably among the greatest three Presidents this nation has ever had.

He epitomized the traditional American spirit of positive, can-do attitude, reliance on fundamental moral principle eminating from faith in God, dedication to the principles of individual liberty and a commitment to the soveriegnty and independence of this great, free Republic we call the United States of America.

His foreign policy "brought down the wall" and curtailed one of the greatest menaces to freedom the world has ever known. Contrary to revisionist and liberals/marxists/socialists who would want to bestow some of that glory and honor on the likes of Gorby...the world knows...God knows...that it was Ronald Reagan and his drive and vision that ended that particular incarnation of the Evil Empire. History shall record it so.

His economic policy turned the misery index into a boom for American industry and into personal opportunities for growth for the individual American citizen. I lived through Carter's misery index, having gotten married as a young 22 year old during that disasterous administration...and having grown up seeing the Rockafeller Republican mechanisms before Reagan...I personally saw and lived through the unbelievable difference Ronald Reagan made.

We were proud of our nation, proud of ourselves, proud of the flag and proud to be called American citizens under Ronald Reagan. His enthusiasm was contaiguos...his optimism was inspriring and his ability to communicate and get even many who did not initially agree with him to come around to the "American" way of thinking was legend.

In some ways I feel as though a sterling light, a great shining beacon on a hill has gone out...even though his administration ended years ago.

Despite that, his influence has remained...and it is now up to us to ensure it continues.

We have several challenges in our time...the great challenge of terrorism based on Islamofascism and the even worse evil (IMHO) of one of its chief abettors and manipulators for its use against America...another evil empire in our time, the Red Chinese and those globalists who are enabling them. We also have the even more insidious challenge of the continued encroachment on personal liberty, on our national soveriegnty and independence that many enemies and sappers amongst us, within our own perimeter, us continue to foist on our Republic. They do it under many names, in the name of the UN, NGO's, globalism, choice for death, so called third ways that are nothing more or less that the way of tyrants past and present, Environmentalism, sustainable habitats that are in reality controlled habitats...and the list goes on and on. I pray we can follow in Reagan's footsteps and resolutely meet these challenge head-on as the Gipper did.

God bless and rest you Ronald Reagan...and God comfort and keep you Nancy.

[Old Professer]

All truly great men are born the day they die.

[Jeff Head]

Well...thank you very much for those kind words.

[Jeff Head]

Thanks for those two stories...I was unaware of Reagan's role in Monroe's "discovery" and the line by Bette Davis is a real keeper.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Thanks for the ping, John.

Outstanding essay, Jeff, thanks so much.

Go thy great way!
The Stars thou meetst
Are even as Thyself --
For what are Stars but Asterisks
To point a human Life?
~Emily Dickinson

[Jeff Head]

Thank you...and thanks for that pic and the wonderful poem.

With all the great comments, pics, thoughts, poems...this thread is going to be a real keeper for me...it has brought a lot of comfort to me this day.

[Victoria Delsoul]

You're one of the nicest writers here at FR. Nice all around. (I hope that sounds right lol) you know what I mean.

[budwiesest]

His foreign policy "brought down the wall" and curtailed one of the greatest menaces to freedom the world has ever known.

WTG Jeff. A nice tribute. Seems we're at it again though, doesn't it? As often as humanity stumbles and falls, it is encouraging to know that someone may come along and 'lift' it, and it's spirits, back up.

[Luis Gonzalez]

BUMP!

[Snake65]

Great post, Jeff.

I'm sad, but proud that I lived and watched this great man as President. The first vote I ever cast in a Presidential Election was for him. He helped shape my vision of America.

[Jeff Head]

Thank you for those kind words...and that tag line.

I've noticed that everyone who is for abortion has already been born ~ Ronald Reagan

Awful convenient for them too isn't it?

[Jeff Head]

As long as we are faithful and true to our heritage and the fundamental moral principles this nation was founded upon...I believe some such someone will always come along in our hours of peril.

Those principles come from the same source as the unalienable rights they are based upon.

II Chron 7:14

[Jeff Head]

He was a great man...and he led from the front and with a natural, donw home quality that endeared him to you.

He simply went about doing right to the best of his ability with an absolute conviction abut the goodness of America and her people and an absilute faith in them.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Awful convenient for them too isn't it?

Yes, it is easy to deny the most fundamental human right…the right to life to the most vulnerable human beings. Those who can't protest and cry out for help. (Gosh, this is making me cry again)

[noodler]

Thanks.NFT

[reaganite]

Thank you, Jeff. God graced us with the leadership of this great man, Ronald Wilson Reagan. Words cannot adequately express my gratitude for his vision and example, nor for the grief I feel with his passing.

[philman_36]

A man who bucked the system and who should've never even been nominated, much less elected, to the office of POTUS was and America, even the world many would say, was changed.
Closely consider the alternatives if the 1980 election year had been different. The imminent cliff would surely be 8 years closer.
So as "Taps" plays...Thanks for the brief respite Mr. Ronnie which allowed many of us to come to political maturity and may you RIP.

[noodler]

My sincere condolences.This has been aHuge thread and many great posts.Loss of this magnitude are something outa here. No Words left>We lost Dad in 2001 and it was,difficult.Very,Very difficult.I'm just sorry. so sick and sorry never never but the tears.Never but it does.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Bill Clinton's self-loving tome, "My Life," will look all the more putrid after what will be America's loving remembrances and goodbyes to Ronald Reagan, a man who truly loved his country.

[John Lenin]

Correction:



President Reagan's last day saluting as he boards the helicopter at the U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC. 1/20/89

[wai-ming]

Great tribute to a great American.

Thanks for posting.