Since Ron Reagan, son of former President Reagan, secured a speaking spot at the Democratic National Convention the media and political minds of the left have leaped for joy. This story has found the usual media spin having numerous articles with such titles as “Reagan Blasts Bush!” and “Son of Republican ‘Hero’ Supports Kerry.” Naturally, this news has given many democrats and liberals a “joygasm” of pleasure and press attention. Some feel as if Republicans and Conservatives should feel embarrassed. Yet some hope that establishing a link between the great name of “Reagan” to “Democrat” in a positive manner may bring votes. They are simply highly mistaken on all counts. They only wish that they carried the prestige and patriotism that Ronald Reagan did.
Before I dive too deep into this issue, the facts of the current situation must be placed on the table. Ron’s address dealt with stem cell research. He has stated that "I'm not going to the convention to make a political speech" and that “If they had asked me to say a few words about throwing George Bush out of office, I wouldn't do it.” Ron has at least clarified what his speech will focus on, stem cell research.
Oddly enough, scientifically, a cure for Alzheimer’s from stem cell research may never be linked. Benefits may exist, but no specific diseases may be cured as a result. Ron himself admitted this fact by stating: "Alzheimer‘s is a disease, ironically, that probably won't be amenable to treatment through stem cell therapies." Stem cell research is a debate in of itself. I have a strong personal opinion that if pitted with saving his own life via a cure from stem cells versus death by Alzheimer’s, Ronald Reagan would not choose the stem cell route nor promote it. Ron Jr. has stated "The conservative right has a rather simplistic way of characterizing it as baby-killing. We're not talking about fingers and toes and brains. This is a mass of a couple hundred undifferentiated cells." The simple fact is that “mass of a couple hundred undifferentiated cells” is a potential life; I am sure his father would agree.
Ron Reagan is simply an outspoken liberal and always has been. Regardless of his last name, he is not a Republican and surely is not a conservative. Ron never saw eye to eye with his father, despite the media currently downplaying his liberalism. There was a significant drift between the two for years until the affects of Alzheimer’s began to take its toll. He always thought his father's policies were bad for Americans. He never even gave his father credit for the fall of the USSR. He considered it would be fitting to display his anti Reagan/conservative political views by using his last name to have an appearance on Saturday Night Live to mock his father while he was in office.
Who could forget the sneaky dig made regarding religion at his father’s eulogy to politically pit Reagan against Bush. One must wonder if Ron Jr. is simply stepping out of the darkness to exclaim his far leftist opinions again given the media attention of his father’s recent death.
This is no “mild embarrassment for the Republicans who revere the late president as conservative icon” as the media claims. His son has his own view of the world. Ron protested when his father was President and now he is protesting again now. He was wrong then and he is wrong today. Regardless of what he does, he has tried to escape the inescapable shadow of his father and will continue to do so. The legacy of President Reagan lives on through true conservatives. Your last name does not need to be Reagan to have the faith, conviction, and strength of ideals that President Reagan embodied.
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