Monday, September 06, 2010

When Reagan was a Democrat

Folks, you've just GOT to listen to this. Really. It seems to be making the rounds on some of the progressive blogs out there and it certainly speaks to issues that need to be pondered on Labor Day:

What happened to this man?

Here are some thoughts:

This speech was given in 1948. This was before the Supreme Court ruling of "Brown vs Board of Education" and before the Civil Rights Movment of the 60s. Yes, Reagan briefly mentions civil rights in his remarks here but I'm wondering if maybe he wasn't expecting the Black Power and Black Pride movements. This speech was also before LBJ's "Great Society", anti-poverty efforts. I'm wondering if a certain racism prompted his move to the Republican Party. It is widely considered that his visit to Philadephia, Mississippi in 1980 was a deliberate racist appeal through code words and symbolism.

Remember, too, that he supported the apartheid government of South Africa.

Also worthy of note is that Reagan was married to Jane Wyman, a liberal, when this speech was made. He later married Nancy Davis, a conservative.

Pity.
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