The Longbow Papers

Link to Main Blog Page

Monday, June 07, 2004

I Cannot Mourn His Passing...

5:15 AM

Leave it to a 3rd-rate actor to upstage a 4th-rate president during the commemoration of the most defining day of a uniquely 20th Century force for freedom and justice that had as its hallmark a brotherhood of nations unlike any this world has witnessed before or since, a bonding internationalism--a concept that both Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush repudiated every day of their lives, and worked diabolically to ensure it would never happen again. No two American leaders have ever done more to divide our world into camps called "us" and "them," with the only distinction between the two being an unquestioning obedience to a singularly skewed ideology that is as faulty in logic as it is in simple human empathy.

Of course, for Bush, some might say it was a bit of a blessing that Reagan, whose sense of timing was indeed that of a professional actor, died on a weekend that saw Bush have to sit quietly and squirm during verbal spankings from world figures such as Pope John Paul II, and French President Jacques Chirac.

There are surely many of you who will find my harsh words at this moment inappropriate, after all, compassion alone calls for kinder words when any human dies. In almost all cases I would agree--but this time, at this moment, at this passing, I cannot be anything less than harsh, lest I be a hypocrite of the first order.

I do grieve for those who grieve for him, those humans who were his loved ones and friends, those who are truly in pain this weekend. I grieve for my dear friend Dominick Dunne, who was close to the Reagans, particularly Nancy Reagan, for many years. Many's the time that in spite of myself I listened happily as with all of the excitement of a child Nick would breathlessly recount tidbits from one of his just-completed luncheons with Nancy and one or two of her other illustrious friends squeezed in between morning and afternoon sessions of another high-profile murder trial we were working. I am certain that Dominick is hurting tonight--for him, and for other notables I know who do not share my deep animosity for Ronald Reagan, I do grieve.

Why is there so much coldness in my heart for Reagan, even at the time of his passing, when at the passing of another presidential disgrace and arch adversary--Richard Nixon--I did grieve and even weep a bit? There are an almost incalculable number of reasons--the man's time in office was a mockery of the American Way like none other; he never met a right-winged dictator or racial bigot he didn�t nourish and pamper--but just one reason is so egregious that it will suffice:

How can I mourn the death of a man who traded the freedom of the American hostages in Iran for his election as the 40th President of the United States, the "October Surprise"? For me it is not just a largely held "belief" that he did this as it is for so many of my colleagues; for me it is not just the two or three very good books that document much of the evidence that he did this. No, for me, as the biographer of Leonid Shebarshin, the last Chairman of the KGB, who was Station Chief in Tehran during those terrible days of the Iranian Revolution, it was the indisputable proof I learned from a source who had no horse in the race. Messages were intercepted in Tehran, France and in Moscow; meetings were observed; assets reported. Then two devils struck a deal.

A very good and moral man, President Jimmy Carter, was defeated for being "too weak" in his handling of the Iranian hostage crisis by an ambitious, amoral actor who would do anything he could to assure he was cast in the biggest role of all. He got the part. And almost all of the civil rights and human dignity gains won at great cost by many during the activists years of the 60's and 70's were scuttled. May he never rest in peace.

5:15 AM / Editor / permalink 9 comments

Links to this post:

<\$BlogBacklinkControl\$> <\$BlogBacklinkTitle\$> <\$BlogBacklinkDeleteIcon\$>: <\$BlogBacklinkSnippet\$>
posted by <\$BlogBacklinkAuthor\$> \@ <\$BlogBacklinkDateTime\$>

9 Comments:

Thanks for that awesome post, Joseph. I, too, cannot feel any sadness. While I admired his communications abilities, I found him a singularly dangerous and dishonest president, and one who in his last years in office was probably being manipulated by his always busy handlers. Also, knowing through family experience what Alzheimer's can do to a person, I think his death will mean an end to a lot of misery for his loved ones. I wish you were here to see the 24/7 grief fest in which our nation is wallowing, totally drowning out any news about Bush, who I suspect is secretly fuming.

It's great to see you back. I hope you had a good trip.

By richard, at 12:59 PM

Thank you, Richard; your kindness, understanding, compassion and insight into the human condition are examples for all citizens of our world to emulate.

By the by, I just sent a long-overdue e-mail winging your way. Keep up the good fight.

By Joseph, at 2:45 PM

The most polite respone I am capable of is "Phhhhhttttt!"

Conrad

P.S. I don't think much of Blogger's comment registration set up either. Double Phhhhhttttt!

By Anonymous, at 6:53 PM

Conrad,

You of all people have no obligation to be polite in your response to anything I write--after all, if friends can't tell each other they're full of crap, then who can?

I was not expecting much agreement to this post; I know I am bucking a very large tide of positive sentiment. However, being of a leftist persuasion, it is impossible for me to praise anyone who successfully moved the political mainstream of America solidly to the right, which "The Great Communicator" unquestionably did.

Gee, I just paid President Reagan a mighty compliment. I must be more careful; and always keep in mind what he did to President Jimmy Carter, a man for whom I have so much respect and fondness, even though we differ greatly over the not-so-small matter of the divinity of Jesus Christ.

Seriously, thanks for dropping by; but never feel that you have to treat my politics politely. You see, I respect your thoughts greatly, perhaps most when I disagree with them.

Oh, I am also quite unhappy with Blogger's comment exclusivity and corporate-boosterism. I want to replace it but I have yet to find anything that will work with Blogger, not run ads and has a preview feature. Any suggestions?

By Joseph, at 7:32 PM

I used to use Haloscan with blogger -- it's certainly the program of choice for most blogspot blogs.

By richard, at 10:56 PM

I tend to find that a lot of the powerful people who come out to big gatherings like a the death of a president fake their sadness to some measure, it is generally considered to be polite to say nice things about the dead no mater what you say when they are alive, making the dead heroes and the living two faced baboons.

People usually wait a while and then write a book about how bad somebody was.

It is actually quite rare to get somebody who can write something so eloquently about not overflowing with sorrow when a president dies, most of the articles that I have heard of either threw on the fake sorrow until the words became meaningless, or loosed a torrent of left or right political abuse that shouldn't appear in a serious publication.

I would however dispute the dividing of the world into us and them, Margaret Thatcher of Great Britain, a lady so different in personal history, seemed to be a permanent diplomatic fixture with Reagan in great contrast to Britain�s size, wealth and influence on the world, or lack of it.

For my bit, he wasn't the greatest president in the world and he didn't do anything earth shattering, but he crept along with a series of events where other presidents would have either stood still or run on ahead. Leading to something a whole lot worse than actual went on.

He will probably be remembered by polite historians for the things that happened while he was president, rather than the things he did as a president.

People voted for him, and the people must always be right or democracy couldn�t be considered any better than the alternative system.

Http://angrychineseblogger.blog-city.com/

By Anonymous, at 8:48 PM

How can I find a copy of your biography of Leonid Shebarshin. It sounds absolutely fascinating!

By Anonymous, at 11:29 PM

It is a work-in-progress. It could still be some years before the General and I finish our work. Thank you for your interest.

By Joseph, at 11:53 PM

How can I get a copy of your biography of Leonid Shebarshin? It sounds absolutely fascinating!

By Anonymous, at 5:17 AM