Ronald Reagan's Oscars
UNITED NATIONS Ñ Ronald Reagan the movie star never won an Oscar in Hollywood.
Now with his passing at age 93, sources from within the Pearly Gates reveal that Ronald Reagan the President posthumously won these Oscars for services to the nation and the world between 1981 and 1988.
His engaging enthusiasm and infectious optimism was a needed antidote to the dour and dismal years of the late 1970Õs. While Jimmy Carter imbibed piousness and gloom, Reagan exhuded pride and positivism. This became contagious spirit for a country which still endured the post-Vietnam trauma, the Iran hostage crisis, and deep economic woes.
After winning two electoral landslides, President Ronald Reagan stood at the helm during the largest peacetime economic expansion in American history. Economic prosperity and job opportunities abounded. What fewer recall was the sorry state of the economy he inheritedø 16 percent inflation and 18 percent interest rates, high taxes, and the infectious pessimism promoted by his critics. Indeed during his first few years in the White House, the recovery was quite slow until his tax cuts.
As a disciple of the free market economy Reagan changed the global debateÑalong with Margaret ThatcherÑon the role of enterprise and the role of government. He overturned the accepted statist approachÑwith an appeal to the common sense conservative principle of enlightened individualism. His humor inspired his friends, conquered his foes, and brought coast-to-coast confidence to America.
Vice President Richard Cheney called him a ÒGraceful and Gallant manÓ
In foreign affairs, Reagan would simply not the accept the status quo of a Soviet Empire holding Eastern Europe and expanding its imperialism into Africa and Central America. Thus beyond traditional containment of the Soviets, he confronted them with moral clarity, and active support to anti-communist forces.
Through an extraordinary and fortuitous combination of a Polish Pope in the Vatican (also a former actor), and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in Britain, Reagan helped win the Cold War without firing a shot! Peace through strength and defense deterrence became the winning combination. The collapse of communism became the encore.
Even today the smirky pseudo intellengencia doyens of the left shrug ÒWell, he was just an actor. He was not an intellectual. His cowboy anti-communism could start a war. Imagine calling the Soviet Union the Evil Empire!Ó But despite all their disingenuous attempts to rewrite the history of the 1980Õs, the people remember their President.
I never met the Gipper but had seen him on many occasions. During his memorable addresses to the United Nations, Reagan received thunderous applause even though he wasnÕt telling the General Assembly audience what they wanted to hear!
Ronald ReaganÕs passing on the eve of the 60th anniversary of D-Day was as ironic; here was the man who stood for freedom and liberation from tyranny who decided to bow out, and in a way, steal the spotlight on the D Day commemorations. In one sense, but his life was about D-Day not only liberating Normandy form the Nazis, but of the Screen Actors Guild from communist influence, the American economy from over regulation, and Eastern Europe from Soviet domination.
On a visit to West Berlin in 1987, President Reagan issued his famous challenge; ÒMr. Gorbachev Tear Down This Wall!Ó ReaganÕs proactive political policies set in motion the epic events of 1989 which sounded the Joshua Trumpet heralding the fall of the Berlin Wall. Amid the joyful celebrations and popping champagne corks celebrating the collapse of the Berlin Wall was really Ronald ReaganÕs ÒOscar night.Ó
Ronald Reagan posthumously received these Oscars in Heaven for his Presidency:
John J. Metzler is a U.N. correspondent covering diplomatic and defense
issues. He writes weekly for World Tribune.com.  |
