We are remembering Reagan for the wrong reasons
Permalink +Thu, Jun 10, 2004, 5:10 pm // John Servais
and we will suffer for it. Reagan did not win the Cold War. Communism was systemically fatal - just as all the conservatives kept saying. Reagan did do the right things to end the Cold War - and he deserves our thanks and admiration for that. As does Russian leader Gorbachev.There is an excellent short article in Slate about this. As time goes by over the next few years, I predict we will learn more of Reagan the dove. He was effective in his efforts to end the Cold War because he backed away from threatening the Soviet Union.
Domestically, Reagan was a Neanderthal. He cut social programs and put mentally ill people on the streets where they continue to cause us problems. He thought AIDS would punish gays and allowed it to spread - when it could have been stopped with social and health programs. He totally ignored the gains and needs of blacks and other minorities - figuring in his simplistic way that they needed to lift themselves up despite the prejudices and barriers set against their progress. He was intolerant of those who had values different from his own. He allowed the environment to be trashed. He talked of smaller government while he built the Federal government up. He oversaw the huge transfer of wealth from the middle class to the very wealthy. He started the process whereby multi-national corporations control the media. He was the hero of all who want simple answers to complex issues.
However, Reagan was a genuine person and I think much of his popularity is because of that. He acted from his own convictions - and was his own person. He deserves the honors as a past President who acted as he saw best for his country. I think that is why he is still so popular.
In the end, he and Gorbachev deserve credit for ending the Cold War. And that is more important than anything else. We humans stepped back from the abyss. If only our present leaders could see how to do that, as they take us towards the abyss again.
Related Links:
-> Slate: Ron and Mikhail's Excellent Adventure
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