Substance of Greatness • La Substance de la Grandeur

Fired from France by the dissident frogman

To me, the great misery of our time is that there is not enough men and women like him: not an ordinary politician, but a statesman (as defined by J.H. Hallowell), and one of the greatest in history. I could go over and over on his achievements, as a governor and as a president, at home and abroad, I could go on the forces that were driving him, on his genuine attachment to freedom and small government, but rather than the drivel of a French who remembers that the Soviet tanks never reached the West coast of France thank to this man, I would suggest that you go and read him in his own hand. Because that's what I'll be doing anyway. « Nothing can cover his high fame but Heaven; No pyramids set off his memories, But the eternal substance of his greatness, -- To which I leave him. » Godspeed Mr. President.

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» The surly bonds of earth from Ghost of a flea
We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved good-bye and "slipped the surly bonds of earth" to "touch the face of God." -Ronald Reagan, January... [Read More]

Tracked on June 6, 2004 05:10 AM

» The surly bonds of earth from Ghost of a flea
We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved good-bye and "slipped the surly bonds of earth" to "touch the face of God." -Ronald Reagan, January... [Read More]

Tracked on June 6, 2004 05:10 AM

» Redefining Greatness from Watcher of Weasels
Succumbing to a recent battle with pneumonia, Ronald Reagan passed away earlier today...  this saddens me to no end, but I try to take some comfort in knowing that he and his family will no longer have to suffer through... [Read More]

Tracked on June 7, 2004 03:48 AM

» Redefining Greatness from The Axis of Weasels
Succumbing to a recent battle with pneumonia, Ronald Reagan passed away earlier today...  this saddens me to no end, but I try to take some comfort in knowing that he and his family will no longer have to suffer through... [Read More]

Tracked on June 7, 2004 03:50 AM

Comments

Thank you for the heartfelt tribute. It takes a good man to know one.

Posted by: John Van Laer | June 6, 2004 05:27 AM

In Memorium Ronaldus Magnus
Requiescat in pace
Reagan Akhbar!!! (I stole this one from Allah at Allah Pundit)
Long Live Reagan

Posted by: MVictoria Hernandez | June 6, 2004 09:30 AM

Merci, M. Frogman.

Posted by: julie de maupin | June 6, 2004 01:51 PM

Godspeed, Dutch.

Thanks for saving the world.

Posted by: Richard R | June 6, 2004 11:10 PM

Thanks, President Reagan was,and shall remain, one of the greatest in History. I think that most thinking Frenchmen will come to this sooner or later.

Posted by: Dave | June 6, 2004 11:33 PM

One Frenchman, writing in the Dallas Morning News, has already come around. The Sunday edition had a piece by a Parisian named Fred Gion; I can't find it all, but I found a quote from it: "The next week will certainly be filled with sadness, which is not Reaganesque at all! ... Then everything will be quiet again and we will remember the fighting spirit, the moral clarity, the optimism, and the jokes. 'Reagan, dead' is an oxymoron." That last small sentence is as fine an epitath as you're likely to see. RIP, Mr. President.

Posted by: Nightfly | June 7, 2004 03:15 PM

We're All American Cowboys!

Europeans say he was a bumbling, stupid, simple, American cowboy. When will they understand, that to be compared to an American Cowboy, is one of the greatest compliments one can give an American. (Thereagain, let's hope they never understand, so they can continue to underestimate us.)

Gipper, I hope you meet some of our other great American Cowboys, on your eternal ride into the sunset ; Teddy Roosevelt, Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, Daniel Boone, Sam Houston, Samuel Colt, Roy Rodgers, Gene Audrey, John Wayne, Gary Cooper, etc., etc. Tell them - Hi -

From a fellow American Cowboy who's very grateful for all you did for this great country,

May God always hold you in the palm of HIs hand and may you RIP,

Annie aka Annie Oakley.

Posted by: anne bright | June 7, 2004 04:37 PM

Farewell Ronnie, your legacy will be remembered and one day, everyone will recognize the effect of your policies.
Merci d'avoir sauver ce bas monde!

Posted by: Julien | June 7, 2004 10:01 PM

After Carter he was a breath of fresh air. He will be missed.

Posted by: Mike H. | June 8, 2004 05:34 AM

Et pour ceux que la langue anglaise rebuterait, les "Ecrits personnels de Ronald Reagan" ont été traduits par Guy Millière (Editions du Rocher, janvier 2003)
cf. http://www.guymilliere.net/publications.php

Posted by: Maryse | June 8, 2004 09:48 AM

I put up a portrait of Pres. Reagan in my living room just 3 months ago. The only other non family member there being Sir Winston Churchill. They both shared lifes most heroic work, the freeing of slaves.

Posted by: John | June 8, 2004 10:12 PM