President Reagan
I was at the lake this weekend when I heard about the news that "MY" president had passed away. 1980, I'd had 9 years behind me and politics were the farthest from my mind. A movie star had won the White house supposively bringing in a new age where actors would play president. March 30, 1981 I remember coming home and seeing the news that President Reagan had been shot. I remember being terrified that he would die. I can't explain why I felt that way, but that day I became a Reagan fan. He was my leader and I felt proud when the news showed him waving and smiling his famous smile from the hospital window. 1984, I was a total conservative and probably drove my teachers crazy campaigning for Reagan/Bush. My school picture has my round Reagan/Bush pin in it just to seal my politics at the time in history. I remember riding a Trailways bus from Baton Rouge to Kansas City to see my mother and somewhere a bunch of black guys got on and started chanting 'REAGAN, REAGAN, HE'S NO GOOD, SEND HIM BACK TO HOLLYWOOD!'. I was furious at the time and probably thought things that would make David Duke cringe. What I find looking back is amazement. I'm amazed that the media, in all their bias, couldnt shake the gipper. This was way before the internet and all we had was bias, but the gipper shone through it all. Even today, every media tribute has to include Iran contra and Reagan's itchy trigger finger. As if Reagan was simply the dummy and the world transformed around him. I read some Jimmy Carter quote where he said something like, the people really liked his policies. Yes, Jimmy they sure did and you arent really even qualified for getting your quote printed. God has finally called him home and his legacy will forever be ingrained on the 80's generation. May one day we do you proud, Mr. President. On another note, I noticed that the USS Jimmy Carter was sent to sea yesterday. What a difference between the two... the Reagan being an aircraft carrier and the Carter being a submarine... yep that about sums it up. RIP.
