Reagan's Virtues No Longer Common

Cal Thomas | Syndicated columnist | Published: Jun 09, 2004

Reagan's Virtues No Longer Common

June 9, 2004

The tributes for Ronald Reagan mostly contain information about his values, what he believed, how he conducted himself with opponents -- and his optimism.

Where do you suppose he developed these concepts? Did he catch them like one catches a cold? Were they ideas he learned? If so, should the same concepts be taught to succeeding generations?

Ironically, the very same values and virtues we claim to admire when someone reflects them we now refuse to teach to young people.

What we now call "political correctness" has completely dulled our senses to what we know matters most. We have allowed a tiny clique of individuals and groups to determine for the rest of us what can and cannot be taught in schools and in the wider culture.

And so we get less of what we say we want and more of what we say we don’t.

Does this sound like the equivalent of trying to get in shape while eating double burgers and smoking cigarettes?

Reagan was taught the right stuff. Many now admire him for that. And we would admire others, as well, if we taught them what he learned and believed.

I'm Cal Thomas in Washington.


Watch "After Hours with Cal Thomas" on the Fox News Channel, Saturdays at 11 p.m. Eastern Time.

 

Reagan's Virtues No Longer Common