The current spin from the anti-American left is that President Reagan was just fortunate enough to be at the helm when the Soviet Union's house of cards began waver and fall.
Clearly, the record says otherwise.
But if a picture is worth a thousand words, then this one is worth history itself.
The vanquished honors the fallen Victor, and does so with Honor, Dignity and Respect.
Mr. Gorbachev remains to this day an ardent, self-proclaimed Socialist. He once gambled on ways to keep at least Mother Russia a communist enclave, but the fall of the U.S.S.R. was so rapid and uncontrollable that he lost even that.
And he knows why. And he knows who.
Mr. Gorbachev might still and always be; a communist. But he is neither a fool nor a vapid, shallow man.
Here, he gives homage to his Victor, bearing all the class and dignity of the great people he once led.
The rest of the left would benefit to learn from his sterling example.
UPDATE: 23:58 hrs. To learn just how completely and totally President Reagan mastered the final, effective head of the USSR, go here and read Misha's totally unique and incredibly personal account of said Evil Empire's demise.
Who other than the ones he humbled would know the greatness of a man like Reagan? "Some" here in America could learn from Gorby.
Posted by: Marcus | June 11, 2004 at 12:10 AM
Thank you for that picture, Jim.
It reminds me why I, even though he was my enemy, always respected him. I didn't quite understand it at the time, but this picture explains it perfectly.
Posted by: Emperor Misha I | June 11, 2004 at 12:19 AM
Powerful, cogent picture.
Wordlessly, I'm touched, moved and inspired.
My fear of the USSR grew and grew, from the under-desk atomic-bomb self-defense exercises as a child in 1957 London, through years of headlines, radio talk, TV explanation and outright worry...
Then, while living in Korea, close to an actual remnant of the mind-set which brought us the ugliness of Communism in the USSR, Reagan took the helm, and steered America toward 'that light on the mountainside' towards which we 'pilgrims' were hurtling...
May God Bless America with MORE Reagans, people of conviction and clarity, moral fiber and courage!
Posted by: Sharps Shooter | June 11, 2004 at 03:42 AM
While I was watching the service at the National Cathedral last night, the camera switched briefly to an absolutely amazing sight. Mikhail Gorbachev and Margaret Thatcher sitting side by side to honor Ronald Reagan. In 1985, that would have been literally inconceivable.
Posted by: Steve Teeter | June 12, 2004 at 09:58 AM