Bulletin Board of Bad Behavior

I followed up with this:


Reagan's Social Legacy
... or lack thereof seems to have stirred up quite a lot of vociferous opinions in the Blogwurld. This is mainly due to the Reagan Administration's inaction at the begining of the AIDS crisis. Most who are espousing opinions for or against Reagan were not old enough to really remember anything about that time directly. As such, their opinions have been subsequently formulated from life experiences and knowledge culled over their own personal growth into adults with ideological and political opinions. I think this is an important fact to take into account as adult ideologies certainly shape a person's views of past events by pointing them in the direction on the spectrum correlating to where their ideologies lie. In essence, no matter what I or anyone else says, people on the right are going to hail the passing of Ronald Reagn in mournful tones with assumptions pronounced as facts that he will go down as one of the greatest American leaders once the dust has settled and history has had a chance to glance upon the totality of his legacy. At the same time, no matter what I or anyone else says, people on the left won't shed the slightest tear at his passing and many will routinely pronounce him to be one of the worst leaders of all time who blatantly and intentionally ignored the onset of AIDS in America and the world due to it's initial impact being primarily on that of the gay male community. Nothing is ever quite so cut and dried. No one politician can cure any specific ill in such a large society. However, it is not hard to argue that the Administration's outlook as a collective conscious was one of apathy and would not likely have been so had the virus mainly affected a community other than gay men. Was Reagan "evil" because of this? Probably not but he certainly does deserve blame for the policies that his administration espoused. After all, doesn't the 'buck' stop with the Commander In Chief on all major policy issues? Perhaps a cure wouldn't have been found quicker and maybe even the rate of the disease's spread might not have been curtailed, but there can be no doubt that awareness would have been greater, the public at large might have been more sympathetic and less caustic toward those who contracted HIV, and someone, somewhere might have been more safe in his or her actions and not have died as a result of AIDS. Even that one life having possibly been saved is enough to pronounce the Reagan Administration's social legacy a failure.

wow that is big

oh, that last post was from me. i always forget to log in before posting things. maybe the bb of bb should have a login start page? or maybe i should just start using my head.

Saw the Hitch on telly last night. He was in fine form refusing at every turn to say that Ronnie was a great man just because he was dead. He also brought up the point that most of the "great" speeches that Ronnie brought us were not written by him. Including, of course, the phrase "Mr Gobachev tear down that wall." (Which some folks will have you believe was all it took to end the cold war.)

Yeah I thought the same thing when someone said he had great speeches: he didn't write them!! Hello!

nabi that picture made my day!

Here in Cincinnati the Ronnie story plays much larger than life. I am not suprised but can't help feeling depressed in the face of the endless tripe. The elevation of Ronnie is nothing compare to the the elevation of Nancy Reagan. Remind me again what this evil shrew contributed to the greater good of american life. I can't for the life of me recall an act that wasn't designed to place herself or her dingbat spouse in a good light.

I listened to the service in washinton on NPR while I ws driving in the car. For Englishman of my vintage it was eerie to listen to the tones of Margaret Thatcher . You could tell where the tape had been spliced or stopped as she was recording the speech. She was not allowed near the mike in person on the advice of her doctors - spin or medical they didn't say. It has been well known that her own battle with (what used to be called) senility has been going on for some time now. I think it is worth remembering that both Ronnie and Maggie instigated policies that turned thousands of the mentally ill poor out onto the streets. How sad that their personal fortunes sheilded us from them wandering the streets ranting and soiling their pants. It would have given us a better understanding of that journey into the sunset that Ronnie went on and that he did so much to make a descent into living hell for others.

And don't forget (because I haven't) McC thinks Bill Clinton was a great president.

Right, but you don't like any of them. You hated Jack and Bobby, you hated Carter- who worked hard and did little, you hated Big Bush, I understand that one. And I don't think you likeed Nixon. I don't know past that, but I heard a rumour that these guys Washington and Lincoln were all right, but I wasn't around and I don't believe history books so I'll never really know.

Why dodn't you take out Clinton and then we'll see head lines. I bet Kerry would even win if you plan the thing right.

note to FBI and CIA and anyone else who could take out McCutcheon and make it look like a crossing the road accident...everything McCutcheon types is really the ideas of a certain Larry Z. who lives in Seattle. He is big and hairy and looks like a Sloth. Ya can't miss him.

Glad to see you are signing in TM.