The Elusive Emerald Flash

Ronald Reagan, when diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, had this to say, "I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life." The sun has set for Ronald Reagan, and though Alzheimer’s denied him the elusive emerald flash, at least President Reagan did not make a spectacle of himself because of his former position (ya got that Clinton and Carter?).

The follwoing quote by Reagan, posted by Radley Balko, from a Reason interview, is one of the reasons I respected Reagan.

”...I don’t believe in a government that protects us from ourselves. I have illustrated this many times by saying that I would recognize the right of government to say that someone who rode a motorcycle had to protect the public from himself by making certain provisions about his equipment and the motorcycle–the same as we do with an automobile. I disagree completely when government says that because of the number of head injuries from accidents with motorcycles that he should be forced to wear a helmet. I happen to think he’s stupid if he rides a motorcycle without a helmet, but that’s one of our sacred rights–to be stupid."

Posted by on 06/06 at 06:15 AM

Name:

Email:

Location:

URL:

Smileys

Remember my personal information

Notify me of follow-up comments?

Submit the word you see below:


Next entry: D Day - Sixty Years Ago

Previous entry: Shaking My Head in Disbelief

<< Back to main