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In Memory… by Jeff Jackson (3/14/04)

With the passing of former President Ronald Reagan I have turned to reflect upon what, if anything, he taught me. I never met the man. In fact I was not even very politically minded until 1988 when he was already leaving office. Sure, I remembered seeing him on the TV speaking to America but it was not about 1990 that I realized what he had done despite having witnessed his actions unfold before me.

In truth, as I reflect, Ronald Wilson Reagan taught me nothing. To claim otherwise would be a lie. He did however reinforce in me lessons that were taught to me by my father, my mother, my God and that I had learned through that guidance.

A perfect man? A perfect “conservative”? No. Perfection comes in only one entity and that entity was not Mr. Reagan. But, despite faults and failures he DID indeed show me many things; many things that not until years later I even realized that I had learned from many places.

Ronald Reagan was, I believe, an eternal optimist. He believed, and reinforced in me that there is not a single thing within the power of mankind that they cannot achieve if they so desire. He toughened my resolve that the will of good men and the power they have to change the course of those walking upon the path of evil should never be underestimated. He showed me that it does indeed take but one man with a vision to change history.

But he also helped me to see that indeed in order to be that one man you have to surround yourself with others that are willing to perform the tasks you set before them and who are willing to carry out that vision without tarnishing it for their own ends. That a true leader must delegate for he cannot do everything. And that while that delegation may indeed project the appearance of detachment, that that appearance is a false one.

He allowed me to see in practice that to stand up for what you believe in and to stand up against evil that suppresses the freedom of the hearts of man you can indeed destroy that evil. Further he showed me that those that do not recognize evil or who are either in league with evil or evil themselves will rise up and inject their venom into the situation to attempt to deter action against them. And that these people will fight tooth and nail to keep their evil as law of the land.

He reinforced in me that in order to destroy evil you must enlist the hearts of good men and that when these hearts cry out and battle against the evil and unite they can push back darkness.

The former President enforced in me that we, as Americans, should strive for nothing less than that which we are capable of attaining as a country united under the grace of God. That to settle for less than that is to succumb to slothfulness and to not fulfill our duty to God and that clear and unwavering vision is essential as a leader.

He enforced in me that while government is a necessary evil, it is still an evil that attempts to subdue a man under its heavy boot. Further that to contain government and to say “no” is a virtue when dealing with it no matter how many people will call you callous and uncaring for not giving them what they want beyond the Constitutional power of government and that concentrated power destroyed liberty.

He reinforced in me a belief that all life is precious, not just the life of those that are “wanted”.

And for all those lessons reinforced, I pray that God shine His grace upon this former President’s soul as he is received into Heaven. And may His blessing protect him for an eternal rest, well deserved. Farewell Dutch.

Ronald “Dutch” Reagan
1911 - 2004