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Intellectual Conservative PoliticsIowa.com Weekly Weblog No Runny Eggs
This is the personal weblog of Aakash Raut, established Sept. 2002. It will cover current affairs, worldwide & national topics, local & university events, and provide insight and commentary on contemporary issues and the news from his perspective. Enjoy! --------------- ARCHIVES Sept 2002 - Now -------------
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Saturday, June 26, 2004
This is my entry from June 26th of last year. I had wanted it re-published around that time of year this year, but that didn't work out. Then, I thought I could perhaps publish it on the one-month anniversary - July 26th (which would correspond with a 'Happy Birthday' weblog wish posted by the great conservative leader Dan Flynn, who I've mentioned before, and who I just discovered has a new website... which has been blogrolled here, of course). Well anyway, I'm publishing this entry today, July 28th. Better late than never. Today is June 26th. There have been several important people born on this day. Renowned athlete Babe Didrickson Zaharias in 1914, music manager Colonel Tom Parker in 1909, distinguished author Pearl S. Buck in 1892, Civil War Major General Abner Doubleday, the man who invented baseball (or so we want to be true), in 1819. Among those living famous Americans with today as their birthday are singer Billy Davis, Jr., who is 63, Nobel Prize-winning physicist Klaus von Klitzing, who is 60, singer Chris Isaak, who is 47, Aakash Raut, who is 22, legendary biker Greg Lemond, who is 42, actor Chris O'Donnell, who is... Wait a second, one of those birthday guys isn't really famous...! (Well, at least, not yet.) Yes that's right, today is the 22nd anniversary of a momentous occasion in history. On June 26, 1981, Aakash Raut came into this world at Saint Vincent's Hospital in New York City. And the world would never be the same. Whatever... Anyway, on June 10th, when Josh Claybourn turned 22, he posted this entry with famous things that happened on that day. Others in the Blogosphere were trying to figure out what they were doing on Josh's birthday in 1981. (Feel free to do that with this date, though, being so close in time, it may be something similar for most.) Many notable things have happened on June 26th in recent and past American history; some good, some not so good. The positive (or neutral) things first: 1819: The bicycle is patented by W. K. Clarkson. 1870: The first section of the Boardwalk in Atlantic City is opened along the NJ beach. 1923: The first race of the 24 hours of Le Mans is held. 1924: U.S. forces leave the Dominican Republic, after eight years of occupation. 1959: The St. Lawrence Seaway is opened. 1963: President John F. Kennedy says the famous words "Ich bin ein Berliner." Did he call himself a jelly doughnut? Maybe not...) 1964: The Beatles release their album A Hard Day's Night. 1979: Muhammad Ali, 37, announced his retirement as world heavyweight boxing champion. 1987: Dragnet, the movie, opened in the U.S. 2000: The first map of the human genome is created. Unfortunately, some negative things have also happened on this day. These include: 1945: The charter of the United Nations is signed at a conference in San Francisco. An interesting note: Who presided as Secretary-General during this founding conference? None other than Alger Hiss, one of the highest ranking member of the U.S. State Department. We now know that Hiss was secretly working for the Kremlin as a Communist spy, and stealing top secret information, passing it along to the Soviets. I recently heard that they actually named something after him... at a college or something. What is this nation coming to?... 1975: Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of India declares a state of emergency due to "deep and widespread conspiracy." 1977: Elvis holds his last concert. 1993: President Clinton orders cruise missile attacks on Iraq after his administration concludes that the Iraqi Intelligence Service was behind a plot, discovered about two and a half months earlier, to assassinate ex-President George H.W. Bush while he was in Kuwait City. Claiming that "compelling evidence" showed that Iraqi intelligence orchestrated the assassination attempt, Clinton ordered airstrikes against what he claimed was their headquarters in Baghdad. Twenty-three Tomahawk missles, each costing over one million dollars, were fired from the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. In addition to destroying the buildings, several of the "smart" missiles went off course and landed in neighborhoods, killing innocent civilians, including Laila al-Attar, one of the most talented female artists in the Middle East, who was helping to promote the work of women artists throughout the world. 1996: The U.S. Supreme Court rules that the Virginia Military Institute must admit women, or else lose state support. 2002: A federal court rules, by a vote of 2-1, that the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional, because it includes the phrase, "under God." I recall being upset at this ruling, but in a way, it could end up having some benefit. Those of us who are constitutionalists and republicans could be able to point this out as a reason why we need more "strict constructionist" judges on the federal bench, and the U.S. Supreme Court. 2003: Former SC Governor and retired U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond passed away at the age of 100. I was somewhat shocked when I saw the news. It wasn't that long ago that I had wished Strom 'Happy Birthday' on this blog, and now, he passes away, on mine. This is very sad. I had an entry last year wishing fellow conservative collegiate blogger Josh Claybourn a happy 22nd birthday - I also did an entry regarding my own birthday, sorta modeled after his pertinent post... something that I'll do again this year. Right however, it is nearing 12:00 AM, my day is almost over, and my computer is acting stupid, and I am getting even more "outraged" than I've been all freakin' day. (I know how you feel, Ellen....) Friday, June 25, 2004
Still Remembering... I was at the Capitol yesterday (thanks to the special session, courtesy of Governor Blagojevich), and I saw that the exhibit set up by the Illinois State Historical Society, in remembrance of President Reagan, is still up. That was good to see. A large guestbook, where people can sign their names and write messages, is there. (There was a controversy regarding this recently, involving the gay activist Rick Garcia... A woman who works for our great local television station took him to task for the nasty message he wrote in that book. [Go Julie Go!] ) It is great that, even now that a little time has passed, we are still having the remembrances of Mr. Reagan, the greatest president of our time. I wish that there was more of that going on... We need to keep the spirit of remembrance alive. There was something that I wanted to post here, regarding this, and I wanted to do this on the weekend of June 10th and 11th. What I wanted to say then was: The official week of remembrance has concluded, but let's keep the spirit of honor alive. I spent time that week paying my respects to the Gipper, but I wish that people would continue to honor the memory of President Reagan, and to recognize the lasting legacy of his presidency. Here are some ideas on ways to continue the spirit of honor, recognition, and respect that has been resonating throughout the nation, and across many parts of the world, since President Reagan's passing. 1) Watch TV. There was a great deal of television coverage of the events and ideas regarding President Reagan after June 6th. There is still some of this going on (I wish it were more), and it would be good to see... Also, a lot the television coverage from the past few weeks, including video and transcripts from interviews, discussions, and the state funeral, is available on the web. It should not be that difficult to find. 2) Read the papers. By now, the major newspapers have moved on to different issues, but every single daily paper in America had news, opinions, photos, and more in the days following June 5th. As I indicated in one of the entries below, I was actually a part of that... The photo of me at President Reagan's statue at Eureka College was put on the AP wire and, in addition to being the front page feature in the Peoria Journal-Star, it also appeared in the Jacksonville Journal-Courier, and in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. It may have been in other newspapers... If anyone knows which ones they are, please let me know. The news articles on President Reagan will mostly still be on the internet, and many of them should be available for free (without having to purchase the articles, or registering at the newspaper's website). Many media websites have special sections dedicated to President Reagan. Also check out Google News; many of the articles are still there; you can also do a search for specific aspects of this topic, such as Reagan and Illinois, or the Berlin Wall. 3) Learn. I knew a lot about President Reagan before this month, but there is a lot more that I can still find out about him. Many Americans, especially those of my age (I was born in the first year of the Reagan presidency), should try to find out more about the issues and events regarding Mr. Reagan, and regarding his presidency (economic, social, fiscal, foreign policy, etc...). Find out about the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), about the Cold War, about Reaganomics, about Gorbachev, about Q/G/Kaddafi and Libya, about the Space Shuttle Challenger, even about Beirut and Iran-Contra. It would have been great to be able to remember more about the Reagan era, but alas, I was born too late. 4) Talk to people. While I do not recall first-hand what was going on during the Reagan administration, and what was going on, with regard to Mr. Reagan, before that, many people who I come into contact with on a daily basis obviously will. For those who are around my age, it would be a good idea to talk to others - Parents, grandparents, co-workers, local party officials and politicians, historians, professors, etc. If you live near one of our state's areas that Mr. Reagan was connected to, you may be able to speak to people who grew up with the future president. If you are a student in Springfield and wish to discuss this subject, you can even contact me... 5) Debate other people. Many liberals and Democrats will want to discredit the legacy and reality of the Reagan Revolution, and to mischaracterize the nature of his presidency, and of all that his policies accomplished. We must be able to set the record straight, regarding these matters. The Left relies on tactics of deception and falsehood to promote their claims - they do this for many types of issues and policies, and they will definitely attempt to do this with regard to President Reagan. (They've been doing so for a long time already.) But it won't just be those on the Left, and those who are Democrats, who will be making misleading or false claims about President Reagan. (In fact, many Democrats like him, and voted for him, including - according to what he said - our very own Governor Blagojevich... see my entry below.) Due to the fact that he was against the GOP Establishment, and was considered a right-wing fringe candidate, many of those who opposed President Reagan were those in the Republican Party aristocracy - though those same people now try to embrace his legacy, and even attempt to use it to their advantage. Also, those who support the geopolitical philosophy of neoconservatism... They often try to claim Reagan as one of their own, attempting to link their globalist, internationalist, liberal interventionist foreign policy vision to that of his presidency. I had wanted to address this issue in one of the February entries I did on President Reagan, in connection with his birthday being then, but I did not end up doing that entry (though I did do one on Reagan administration members who opposed this Iraq war; that entry will have to be updated soon, with more names). I will likely be doing a series of entries in the future on the attempted hijacking of the Reagan legacy by those who wish to misuse and misconstrue his ideals and beliefs to conform to their political agendas. 6) Go to the library. (Or the bookstore... Either physically, or virtually.) There have been so many books written on President Reagan... some have been negative, but many have been quite good. Here are just a few selections: When Character Was King, by Peggy Noonan ~~~ [David Limbaugh review] How Ronald Reagan Changed My Life, by Peter Robinson [NRO interview] ~~~ [Kevin Holtsberry review] President Reagan: The Role of a Lifetime, by Lou Cannon A Different Drummer: My Thirty Years with Ronald Reagan, by Michael K. Deaver I Love You, Ronnie: The Letters of Ronald Reagan to Nancy Reagan, by Nancy Reagan Reagan: A Life in Letters, by Kiron K. Skinner, ed. Ronald Reagan: An American Life, by Ronald Reagan ---> More Reagan books... ------- The Reagan Revolution Continues, Hans Zeiger - new We Shall Not See His Like Again, Pat Buchanan, The American Conservative - new Saturday, June 12, 2004
Note (6/24/04): I have a lot of new entries slated for publication... The only problem is, finding the time and energy to do so. I want to still put up some material on President Reagan, and his legacy. Please stand by...
Happy Birthday, Mr. President! On the day after the official day of mourning for former President Ronald Reagan, the person who served as his 2nd-in-command, and who went on to fill his predecessor's shoes in the White House, turned 80 years old. A very happy birthday, and best wishes, to former President George Herbert Walker Bush. Update (1:24 PM CST, June 13th): "41" is jumping now... Actuallly, he's floating alone now, down to earth. Good luck, Mr. President. 
Last chance to bid farewell I am leaving shortly for Eureka College (again) for the memorial service for President Reagan. Unlike the event described below, which was for College Republicans, this is going to be a major, public event. The memorial service starts at 1:00 PM today, and will be held at the Reagan Peace Garden (the same place that I was at on Sunday, where I was photographed by the Peoria Journal-Star reporter... My photo appeared on the front page of that paper the following day, as well as in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, and maybe elsewhere as well). This event will be called "Remembering and Celebrating Ronald W. Reagan." For more information on this and other Reagan events at Eureka College (President Reagan's alma mater), please visit the their home page, at: www.eureka.edu The page on this memorial service is: www.eureka.edu/Reagan_Memoriam/memorialservice.asp Here are a few news articles about the memorial service: www.nbc5.com/news/3391728/detail.html www.pantagraph.com/stories/061104/new_20040611025.shtml www.pjstar.com/news/topnews/b37veet0028.html That first article also mentions the memorial service that was held in Dixon (President Reagan's former hometown) the day before yesterday. Governor Blagojevich spoke at that event, and actually called himself a Reagan Democrat. From Capitol Fax:
Note (6/16/04): I had been thinking of something, with regard Gov. Blagojevich saying this: In my February entry from this year that wished President Reagan 'Happy Birthday,' I added a news item about how 25 state governors had issued a proclamation for "Ronald Reagan Day," honoring President Reagan on his 93rd birthday. I was thinking about how Governor Blagojevich wasn't one of those governors (despite what he is now saying); I had thought that the only Democratic governor on that list was Kathleen Blanco of Louisiana. However, I just looked again at that article, and I see that our governor was indeed one of the 25 governors to listed there, who honored President Reagan on February 6th... That article says "In Illinois, President Reagan's birthplace, an annual Ronald Reagan Day has been enacted by the state legislature and the Ronald Reagan Trail has been created to showcase events and places important to Reagan in his years as an Illinoisan.." In addition to Governors Blagojevich and Blanco, Governor James McGreevey of New Jersey was the other Democrat who chose to honor the Gipper on his day. Also, from Governor Blagojevich: June 8, 2004 Governor Blagojevich names Interstate 88 “The Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway” Governor asks Illinois State Toll Highway Authority to name Tollway portion of I-88 for Reagan as well June 7, 2004 Governor Blagojevich proclaims June 5, 2004 until July 3, 2004 “Days To Commemorate The Honorable Ronald Wilson Reagan” SPRINGFIELD – As the nation prepares to mourn the death of Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich issued a proclamation today ordering all state facilities to fly flags at half-mast. The proclamation instructs Illinois state offices to fly flags at half-mast starting on June 5, 2004 throughout July 3, 2004, and return flags to full-mast on the morning of July 4, 2004. Thanks to Governor Blagojevich for recognizing the greatness of President Ronald Reagan, and for helping our state to honor this great hero (who was, by the way, actually the only U.S. president to be born here). From that 2nd article listed above, I see that this service tomorrow is being held on the 17th anniversary of President Reagan's famous "Tear down this wall!" speech at the Brandenberg Gate in Berlin. You can check out that historic speech here: www.reaganlegacy.org/speeches/reagan.brandenburggate.htm (June 12, 1987) Many people have left items at President Reagan's statue in the Reagan Peace Garden. On Sunday, I left there a print-out of a speech (the first page of it on our UIS CR stationery) that President Reagan delivered on November 2, 1984, at the State Capitol here in Springfield, IL, a few days before he went on to win the greatest landslide presidential victory in U.S. history. That speech is available here: www.reagan.utexas.edu/resource/speeches/1984/110284c.htm Towards the end of that speech (delivered at a Reagan-Bush '84 campaign rally here in Springfield) President Reagan talks about young Americans, and about how important we are to him, and to our country. It is our generation that grew up during the Reagan era, and we are fortunate enough to have reaped the benefits of his administration's policies. Once again, I'm running late for Eureka... Gotta go! Even after this week is over, please remember President Reagan, and keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers. Our state, and our nation, were blessed to have a leader like come along at just the right time, to help make our communities, our country, and our world better places in which to live. Thank God for Ronald Reagan. "We've done our part. And as I walk off into the city streets, a final word to the men and women of the Reagan revolution, the men and women across America who for 8 years did the work that brought America back. My friends: We did it. We weren't just marking time. We made a difference. We made the city stronger, we made the city freer, and we left her in good hands. All in all, not bad, not bad at all." - Farewell Address to the Nation, January 20th, 1989 Saturday, June 05, 2004
This is quite upsetting...  I was planning on waiting for awhile before posting new entries at this blog; I don't do spontaneous posting much, but instead plan out series' of entries, and then publish them. That is what I was going to do, but this afternoon's news requires me to post something now. Check out the latest at: MSNBC - CNN - FOX NEWS - NPR - C-SPAN Illinois Leader - American Daily - TownHall.com - NewsMax.com - World Net Daily - Human Events - National Review - Washington Times Young America's Foundation - Young Americans for Freedom - Empower America - American Conservative Union - Conservative Caucus - CATO Institute I don't want to say much right now about this. Tomorrow afternoon, some of the College Republicans in Illinois will be meeting at Eureka College, which was The Gipper's alma mater. Those who are there will be laying some special items at the statue of the President in the Reagan Peace Garden. I plan on being there (I now have to figure out how to get to Eureka...). This is a sad day. Update (6/7/04): I went to Eureka yesterday... It was good being there, but I wish that I could have done more. I was upset because I an argument with someone on the way there, and my temperament was not good upon arriving. I had put together something to lay at President Reagan's statue, and it took a little while to prepare (I'll post something about that item soon). By the time I was able to make it to Eureka College, most of the tour that the College Republicans were taking was over. I spent a little time in the Reagan Museum, and then spent some time in the Reagan Peace Garden. A reporter for the Peoria Journal-Star was watching me (I was probably looking distraught and upset, due to several factors), and he later came and interviewed me, also saying that he had gotten a picture of me there.  The day before yesterday, around the same time that I posted this entry, I posted a similar one at the new blog of the UIS College Republicans. I will be posting more material there and here about President Reagan. Our state provided the roots for the conservative revolution led by the man who would become the greatest president of our time, and this is a somber and poignant occasion for Illinoisans, and for millions throughout our country, and for many across the world as well. GOD BLESS RONALD REAGAN. Entry published on Wednesday, June 9th: 
Reagan Round-ups - Latest news and viewpoints on President Reagan - On the funeral (going on right now) As indicated above, I'll be posting some good material here on the greatest president of our time. For now here is a good compilation of Blogosphere reactions to the passing of President Reagan, from the great conservative blogger Dr. James Joyner. And here is a subsequent entry of his with media tributes. Note: As I've said at this blog before, posting links to materials in my entries does not necessarily mean that I agree with those articles and opinions. Viewpoints: Ronald Reagan Defined A Political Generation, Brady Creel Remembering President Reagan, U.S. Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) Reagan's distinctly American character is what made him great, Debra Saunders Reaganomics Won the Day, Stephen Moore Thanks From a Grateful Country, Peggy Noonan Goodbye to 'The Gipper', Patrick J. Buchanan (White House Communications Director) How an Actor Changed the World, Paul Craig Roberts [annotated column here] (Treasury Official) In Memoriam: Ronald W. Reagan, Peter Brimelow My Ronald Reagan Moment, Michelle Malkin Memories of Reagan, An interview with William F. Buckley For the Great Communicator, presidency was about big dreams, Bob Novak The underestimated leader guided us through the storm, George Will Reagan's influence felt across the world, George Will Eastern Europe will remember Reagan with respect and affection, Srjda Trifkovic We loved you, Mr. President, Jack Kemp A child of the 'Reagan revolution' grateful for inheritance, Dinesh D'Souza (senior domestic policy analyst) Optimistic Advocate of Freedom: We are living in Reagan's world, Doug Bandow (Special Assistant) A New Deal: The Reaganomics Record, William Niskanen (Council of Economic Advisors) Alone with Reagan, Linda Chavez The Ronald Reagan I Knew, Lt. Col. Oliver North Farewell President Reagan: A True Friend of America's Armed Forces, Rear Adm. Jim Carey Behind every hero..., Ed Koch So Now They Think He Was Charming, Ann Coulter The Reagan Legacy: A Mixed Success, Sam Francis Debating Reagan's Legacy, Thomas Fleming This Idea is on the Money, Grover Norquist GOP Immigration Stance Far From Reagan Reforms, Matt Hayes Reaganism not consistent with pro-intervention neoconservatism, Justin Raimondo Reagan's influence on world events came from his heart, Georgie Anne Geyer Reagan championed pro-life causes, Jon Dougherty President Reagan felt fetal pain, Jill Stanek 'Our whole nation grieves', President George W. Bush 'Our Friend Was Strong and Gentle', Former President George Herbert Walker Bush Reagan Won the Cold War by Turning Enemies Into Friends, Former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher Text of Tribute to Ronald Reagan, Former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney Reagan, a hawk who made peace, Former President Mikhail Gorbachev Illinois Leader: Special section on "Reagan Memoirs" NewsMax.com Hot Topics: Ronald Reagan Conservative Battleline (American Conservative Union): Ronald Reagan Memorial Issue Jack Ryan (our U.S. Senate candidate): America has lost one of its finest sons Nation's capitol mourns Ronald Reagan Illinoisans Reminisce about Reagan College Republican discovers his idol in 'man who changed the world', USA Today Conservatives now realize Reagan was really 'right' Bloggers Attack Reagan Even staunch Democrats shed tears for Reagan Tuesday, June 01, 2004
For yesterday (when I was at the Capitol till past "midnight madness"): [what a way for our legislators and staffers to spend their holiday!] A Time for Reflection I'd like to link here to my entry for this occassion from last year. For this year, until I get more free time, I would like to just say that I agree with our friends at the Illinois Leader... "Thank you." |
