Post a thought or remembrance for Ronald Reagan

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Reagan taught us a valuable lesson: Annoy a liberal - work hard and be happy. Thank you, sir, for reminding us that there is no free lunch! Rest in peace.

Realist, Everywhere

To all the leftwing tree hugging liberals this is a day of joy, but for any red blooded American this is a day of mourning. Ronald Regan stopped communisim dead in its tracks. If it wasn't for his boldness and belief in freedom and true democracy we as Americans would not have the freedoms we have today. Before he took office the world feared what he would do with the middle east and the hostage crisis because they knew he was no nonsense and prior to his sweaing in the hostage takers and there countries started lobbying for a way out. He knocked down Mother Russia so communisim would not spread its tentacles into America. And as far as Iran Contra read the truth. Regan hated communisim and understood its dangers. He supported the Contras and wanted to help them overthrow a communist government in Nicaragua headed by the Sandanistas (Cuban commies) but it was the Democratic party who controlled congress who passed the Bowland Ammendments not allowing the U.S. to support the Conrtas with arms. Ronald Regan and his administration was brave in taking the monies from arms dealing with Iran for the release of our hostages and use it to support democracy in Nicaragua for the Contras. God Bless Ronald Regan and everything he stood for.

Brian, Lowell

President Reagan legacy is one of total failure. His only saving grace was his foreign policy abilities. Trickle down economics has only widened the gaps in our social structures and favored the rich people in the US. My only hope is that the congress will change the two term limit and then we can re-elect bill clinton.

Slim Pickens, Cambridge

Come on, now, Reagan tried to get away with saving money on the school lunch program by declaring ketchup a vegetable. I'm sure Nancy didn't tell their children to eat their ketchup as part of a well-rounded and nourishing meal. His trickle-down economics never trickled past the top (wealthy) tier; the weekly labor statistics on the radio declared week after week that the unemployment rate for non-whites was abysmally low (40-50% unemployment, when the overall national average was in the single digits or low teens). Eventually, those breakdowns by race stopped because they were regular reminders of just how badly people in this country were doing. The "little people" were invisible to him.

Judy, Boston

I was 17 in 1980 and could not vote for Ronald Reagan. God knows I wanted to. I witnessed thr transformation of America from a doubtful nation to one full of confindence and pride. President Reagan did that. When I hear people talk about his views and ideals I realize that they are mine too. God Bless You Mr. President, Farewell and Rest inPeace.

Greg, Wakefield

I can't believe people are using this remembrance page to bash a man who has died. Shame on you. He will be missed, may he rest in peace

Carolyn, Boston

Ronald Reagan fueled the Cold War, organized dozens of massive, widespread human rights abuses in every corner of the world, and propped up dictatorships and death squads along the way. He promoted coups, counter-revolutions, right-wing insurgencies and death squads. He sold arms to virtually every dictator in the globe, often to armies on both sides of a conflict (e.g. Iran and Iraq). Reagan's foreign policies directly caused hundreds of thousands of deaths. He set in place policies (and reversed others) that sped-up environmental degradation on an unparalleled scale (at least until our current president, who is admittedly worse.) He presided over a massive and unprecedented increase in government spending and federal deficits that will burden our children and grandchildren. He twiddled his thumbs and refused to acknowledge the AIDS epidemic for YEARS, contributing to a widening and deepening of the tragedy. Over and over, Reagan said one thing publicly and then did the opposite privately/secretly. One example: "We will NOT negotiate with terrorists!" Meanwhile, the Reagan White House did indeed "negotiate" with terrorists, in both Iran and Iraq, and even made a deal with the radicals in Tehran, trading military supplies and securing the release of the hostages after Carter had lost the election. Reagan's folks (Oliver North the most notable) made deals with and allowed for the smuggling of cocaine into the US, a major factor in creating the crack cocaine surge that decimates many inner-city communities to this day. He blocked the distribution of condoms and birth control to poor, under-developed nations, contributing to population explosions and the spread of HIV and other STD's, simply because conservative "Christian" groups in the US were religiously opposed to birth control. He opposed every single minimum wage increase, meanwhile reducing taxes on the rich, despite the aforementioned massively growing federal deficits. He appointed people like James Watt to be "steward" of the environment, when in fact James Watt believed that it was our inspired duty to deplete the world of resources because Christ was coming soon anyway and would be unhappy if we hadn't used them. (Both of them thought that pollution was caused by trees. Hello?!) He appointed ultra-conservative Supreme Court "Justice" Scalia... no more need be said on that one. When questioned under oath during the Iran Contra investigation, Reagan responded with the answer "I don't recall" ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY THREE TIMES in a single deposition. (And this was before the Alzheimer's started.) I could go on. And on. And on. Is this disrespect for the dead? Perhaps. I didn't respect him when he was alive and I don't respect him now. I think he has done incalculable damage to this country. But the job of the media and commentators is not to say pious and sycophantic words about the dead. That's the job of funeral orators. What the media ought to be doing -- and what they would claim they ARE doing -- is examining his legacy. He was the President of the most powerful country on earth for 8 years, and that's the only reason why he's all over the TV and news right now. Let's be straight about it. Public figures get a kind of scrutiny that you and I won't get when we die. We need to evaluate the effects of their public life, and in this case -- those effects are odious.

Judith

Regardless of your political views he was a president that honorably served 2 terms. He deserves respect for his contribution and work for our nation. This is not a time to compare him to Bush or even Kerry. It is a time to remember a good man that led his nation for 8 years with dignity.

Tom, Shewsbury

"De mortuis nihil nisi bonum ... speak no ill of the dead." Sorry Vanessa, but when it comes to politics, Reagan's presidency ought to be debated and discussed both in life and death. While Reagan may have restored a sense of dignity to this country, he also instituted policies that many continue to question. Squelching debate, especially the tactful kind, is un-American--and Reagan himself may have agreed.

Matt, Somerville

I don't wish to speak ill of the deceased, especially in a forum where I don't think it's been asked for. If people want to think of the man Reagan in a negative light, then its their right, but it's a little too late to change the minds of people who wish to remember him fondly. So, bashing a man in death serves no purpose or agenda. I am 41, and I was working at a "Star Market" when Reagan took office. I remember when he came into office, virtually overnight an overwhelming conservative business ethic took hold. More conservative attire and practices were implemented nationally. Being quite the liberal and even more of a rebel, I was not thrilled about this, but I can't dispute the effect of the man on the culture of America at that time. One statement that's been made is that he almost single-handledly brought back conservativism, and, while I dispute its necessity, I do think that's an accurate assessment. Did he "end communism"? No. Some look at the video of him saying "Mr. Gorbechev, Tear down this wall" as if it were an order and thus, it fell. Reality was that the decision had ALREADY BEEN MADE to tear it down by the time Reagan had made the statement. Communism ended because it had run its course, not because of anything Reagan did. But people will associate him as the architect of its fall because that is the way they WANT to remember him. And we won't change anyone's minds here. But while future history won't see the image of Ronald Reagan up on Mt. Rushmore, I can acknowledge and respect the man for sticking to what he believed in his lifetime. I often think of George W. Bush as a "yesterday's man", meaning that while he doesn't "inspire" in the way that Reagan or Clinton did during their elections (and please - no Clinton bashing, this information is based upon election campaign results and is not in dispute), he DOES appeal to those who hold yesterday's conservative values and want to return to those values, many of which were espoused by Reagan. Unfortunately, even Bush's strongest supporters don't see the same level of support behind Bush as they did for Reagan during his toughest times in office. Let us hope forward-thinking prevails for America in November. Rest in Peace, Mr. President. I may not have always supported you, but you will always have my respect. Kevin

Kevin, Worcester