Ronald Reagan has been laid to rest, but a legacy stands.
In the past days, the nation has been inundated with recollections of America’s 40th president. People have spoke of Reagan’s success in bringing the Cold War to a close; his impact on today’s political structure; and his lasting legacy as a President and man. We have also been deluged by video and audio clips detailing Reagan’s life, including perhaps his most famous words at a 1987 Berlin Wall speech in which the President said, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.”
A line that changed history. A line that almost didn’t happen.
Presidential speechwriter Peter Robinson drafted the now famous speech and was met with immediate resistance from both his superiors and other government agencies, including the State Department and the National Security Council. The point of contention centered on Robinson’s—and ultimately Reagan’s—direct language in addressing Gorbachev and the Berlin Wall.
Despite concerns, Reagan said he didn’t want to drift around the topic. No, the President wanted to make it clear to Gorbachev and others that the wall must vanish if peace was to prevail.
Up until the final day, NSC and State Department officials submitted alternative drafts, most deleting the wall reference or at best relying on vague, pretentious language. Reagan, however, remained committed to the truthful and sincere diction.
“The boys at the State are going to kill me, but it’s the right thing to do,” he said.
We can speak of Reagan’s leading role in ending Cold War hostilities or his action in the oval office. Yet, what we must always remember about Reagan is not his foreign policy or legislation, but rather a man who acted on deeply rooted principles. True, we cannot all change history as Reagan did, but we can lead our lives based on values and truths we hold dear.
And that should be Reagan’s enduring legacy.
