Every So Often, Politicians Show Grace And Dignity

[struggle4progress]

Published on 6/14/2009
By John Diaz

... Pelosi did not just go through the motions. She spoke of the late president's appreciation for bipartisanship and civility, and his sense of humor. She noted that his statue contained chunks of the Berlin Wall, a “symbol of his commitment to national security and his success.” She credited former first lady Nancy Reagan for her role in her husband's achievements, as well as for the impact of her advocacy of stem-cell research.

Some of Pelosi's San Francisco constituents no doubt recoil at the thought of giving the 40th president his due. Reagan remains a detested figure here for many reasons, and justifiably so, from his lethal indifference to the emergence of an AIDS epidemic to the brazen illegality of his arming of the Contras in Nicaragua. The placement of the Reagan statue itself was a bit of a San Francisco slight, because it replaced one of Thomas Starr King, an elementary school teacher from the city and Unitarian minister who was credited with persuading state lawmakers not to secede from the Union during the Civil War.

Pelosi was obviously aware of all that, yet she saw fit to recognize the moment - and the reality that the California Legislature had approved the statue replacement with just one dissenting vote - with class and perspective.

The contrast of the Reagan ceremony with the tone of contemporary politics could not have been more striking. Pelosi herself has been a target of an overwrought Republican campaign to discredit her as a “hypocrite” because she failed to speak out about the Bush administration's plans to waterboard terrorist suspects after supposedly being briefed in 2002. So let's get this straight: The Bush gang stretches the law to authorize and inflict torture, and the most vigorous supporters of that policy want to deflect the heat on Pelosi, who - even if she did remain silent after classified briefings - clearly opposes the practice? It's a twisted political world ...

http://www.theday.com/re.aspx?re=da8766fd-3392-41aa-8f50-91a3e42f7631

[goddess40]

1. It was wrong to replace a statue to put up this one

" The placement of the Reagan statue itself was a bit of a San Francisco slight, because it replaced one of Thomas Starr King, an elementary school teacher from the city and Unitarian minister who was credited with persuading state lawmakers not to secede from the Union during the Civil War."

If it was a Christian minister there would be an uproar.

When past officials honor someone with a statue (naming a road, building, city....) future generations should honor their work. If it is proven that the original honoree did something heinous that was unknown at the time then and only then should the honor be removed.

Such as if a school is named after someone and it is later found that he was a child molester. Replacing a dedicated honor with another is never a valid reason.

[Nipper1959]

2. As a response the Obama administration should

rename "Reagan" National Airport after the teacher. At least the teacher was a positive influence on society, unlike that asshat Reagan. National Airport will always be just that to me, I refuse to call it Reagan.

[norepubsin08]

3. Good thinking

Reagan at best was nothing more than a diaper wearing, blithering idiot peace of shit at worse he was bastard who committed crimes against humanity..FUCK him and that prune of a wife of his! The sooner she dies the better it will be for the American taxpayer!!!

[mulsh]

4. Ms.Pelosi is free to do as she like., I, too lived under Reagan's

governorship for 8 years and his presidency for an additional 8 years. I have nothing good to say about his ability or his wife. I have a very low opinion of people who have any praise for the Reagans. California, the USA and the world became a worse place in part due to those people.

[TankLV]

5. Here here - I don't understand all these fools even THINKING of not condemning that CRIMINAL...

let alone less than b grade has been actor...