Lifestyle > Train of Thought

Anyone watching the Ronald Reagan farewell?

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Montana00:
Im not gonna even bother arguing over this. Hes obviously a young person, who doesnt know anything about whats going on in the world.  


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ZILLA THA GOODFELLA:

Fuck Reagan's legacy....but R.I.P regardless, seeing Nancy on TV was really moving, god bless her and the rest of the Reagan family....

Lincoln:
I saw a bit on the TV @ the bar at work but I had to stop watching, too emotional.

Trauma-san:
I haven't said much about Reagan, but I'll gift yall with my thoughts.  I don't care if they sound melodramatic, they are what they are, and that's the kind of person I am.

The U.S. was in shitty shape in 81 when Reagan took office, there was a depression going on, there was the threat of a Cold War that had been growing basically since the end of the 2nd world war, Communism was on the march around the globe, etc. and America felt like it had rough times ahead... Jimmy Carter was telling everyone to "turn down the thermostat and put on a sweater" (saying that there was nothing to do to fix the rough times, we would just have to ride them out)... Along came Ronald Reagan, who was an eternal optimist.  I won't get much into his politics because almost all of you are fucking democrats, but Reagan famously had his 'Reagan Democrats', Democrats who were tired of the negative tone the world was casting on the people of America, and tired of weak presidents who had Congress questioning if maybe the job of President was too great for 1 man.  Along comes Reagan, telling everyone that America was a shining City on a hill, and acting, standing, looking everybit the man you would expect to be running the world.  He was a normal guy, he knew how to relate to people, and nearly ALL of America loved him.  Even when he disagreed with people, he did so with respect and never had a bad word for anybody, something I myself find impossible.  I can't stand ignorant people, but Reagan not only tolerated them, he made them love him.  They say in the capitol, you could always tell if Ronnie was headed that way, because you'd hear people in the hallway laughing.  He always had a quip or a joke or a nice word to people, had a beautiful smile, and everyone around him couldn't help but grin when they saw him.  
    Contrast that with the perception the rest of the world had with him.  He was determined to end communism, something no other president would be bold enough to attempt, and something others didn't even believe possible.  He of course didn't do it singlehandedly, but without him, it never would have happened.  World leaders everywhere thought he was just crazy enough to blow the shit out of them with nuclear weapons if they didn't bow to his will, and he got shit handled.  He said he was going to do something, and he did it.  When the air traffic controllers threatened to strike in America, Reagan simply fired them all.  He stood behind what he believed in, and never wavered, even when others thought he was wrong, and when he left office, he had done every fucking thing he said he was going to do, and hadn't shot a bullet, and hadn't said a cross word to 1 person.  If that's not the definition of a fucking GREAT man, I don't know what is.

When he developed alzheimers, he told the world, and warned us what would happen.  10 years later, he passed away quietly at 93 fucking years old.  

They say, and if you don't want to believe this, then I pray for your soul; his daughter said that although he hadn't recognized anyone for years, when he took his last breath, he opened his eyes, which had been shut for 5 days, and stared at Nancy with a recognition and Love for her strength and sacrifice for him that words can't even describe.  Eyes that had been cloudy and away for years, and shut for 5 days; he somehow from somewhere got the strength to open his eyes one last time, clear, kind, blue, and stare lovingly at his wife whom he hadn't recognized in years, as a thank you, one last effort for the person that meant the most to him in the world he owned.

The greatest thing I take away from having experienced the enigma that is Ronaldus Maximus, is the love story between him and his wife.  She is ONE HELL of a woman to stand by his side all that time, never complain, and be with him for 10 long years of this disease.  I'm not the only one, either, you could see the love and respect, and the fucking ALL OUT CLASS this woman has in the entire funeral yesterday.  They were lucky to have each other, and I'm sure powers greater than me will reward their committment some day.

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