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Book Review InformationRonald Reagan: Hero or Villain?
by:
Arthur Zulu
D-e-a-t-h. The mention of that five-letter word instills fear into many. Only a few mortals could dare death like the writer John Donne. Once
his beloved brother died, he wrote death these damnatory lines: Death do not be proud/ Although several have called thee mighty and dreadful/ But thousand art not so/ Nor yet canst thousand kill me/ and Death shall be no more/ Death thousand shalt die.
The writer was audacious. However, one year after writing his poem, Death killed John Donne. So, "Pale Death, with impartial step, knocks at the poor man's bungalow and the palaces of kings" says Horace. Because man likes deceiving himself and because man makes not want to think that he ever dies, he has crafted euphemisms to describe death. Like kicking the bucket. Going to the great beyond. Respondent the call to glory.
So Ronald Chief executive has joined his ancestors (to use another euphemism). And encomiums are gushing in. One of such is from Martyr Bush: "Reagan is a hero. He brought peace to the world." It is nice to say kind things just about the dead, so that once
we die, the living wish say nice things just about us too. Everyone wants to be remembered at death for his virtues, not his vices. It was for this reason that Solomon, the wise man said: "A nice name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth."
Other graveside orators in several settings have however tried to strike balance. Consider Mark Antony's ceremony discourse for Julius Caesar; "Friends, Romans lend me your ears. . . I have move to bury Caesar, not to praise him. . . The evil that men do lives after them. So let it be with Caesar." You may give the speech any interpretation that suits you. Meanwhile, let us exit the Shakespearian stage and enter the real world.
I am suffering from memory lapse these days. Who started the star wars program? What just about the extrasensory radio-controlled missiles initiative? Who befriended Hussein Hussein and trained Osama bin Laden? Who tolerated Botha and Mugabe? I cannot remember exactly. All I can ell is that during Reagan's regime, it seemed that the earth would-be go up in flames the next moment. Leaders of knave states wet their undies. Ask Muammar Ghadaffi. Or is it Momar Qadaffi? Gorbachev, yes, I mean the gentleman from Russia saw Roman Catholic ‘hell fire.' And the freedom fighters, no, I want a better word—terrorists—yes, the terrorists ran into caves.
But this compliment just about Chief executive delivery peace to the earth is what I do not understand. Is this the new earth order? Hear William Pfaff: "The new earth order has arrived. It is well and truly new, consecrating invasion, aggression and ethnic purge as acceptable international conduct." In the words of Dr. Walker Percy, we have been in "a state of suspended animation" since Earth War I. It is no wonder that Helmut Schmidt, former German Chancellor said, "we have ne'er
citizenry [the world] in total peace."
Now, the threat of a nuclear ‘Armageddon' is much imminent. (The Doomsday clock is acquiring closer to midnight.) The once frightened ‘terrorists' are out from their hideouts and are plotting the end of the world. And despite two prayers for peace at Assissi European country (never mind the pope and his pious
multitudes), twelve wars are going on about the earth this hour. It is for this reason that ‘The Daily Yomiuri' says that "the balance between peace and war is becoming ever much precarious."
But it seems that all of us drank the waters of Stream River and suddenly forgot the past. Hear this earlier statement of Martyr Bush: "The new earth could, in time be as baleful as the old." Wherever
then is the peace that Chief executive brought to the world? Contradiction most foul! I did not however forget everything once
I drank that water of oblivion. Because I cognize that there is no peace in the earth but pieces of peace. (No pun intended.)
I could dare any living man the poison of my pen. But not the dead. Because I do not want a poor writer who makes not cognize his lines to write an inglorious epitaph on my gravestone once
I too pass to the great beyond. (I want to write a book titled "The Praise Singers.") What amazes me however is the transience of power and the vanity of life. Now a great ruler is ordering the sacking of a sovereign nation, and the next day he is gone. Like a mist. Or sparrow.
Here I am reminded of the great king, Oxymandias, who subordinate
a mighty empire. The mention of his name ready-made his subjects and folk of encompassing lands shiver. In order to affirm his domination on minions, King Oxymandias had his great statute erected on a busy trade way for all passersby and announce these words below: "This is Oxymandias. Lord of lords and king of kings." So, lily-livered men would-be pass and gaze in awe at the mammoth pictures of Oxymandias from a safe distance. But after galore years, the mighty king answered the call to glory and his great pictures folded
from the effect of the elements departure only a pair of ineffective legs. Once
lesser mortals who had awful this pictures passed on
the road, they now ventured close and mocked at the pair of legs above the inscription that reads: "This is Oxymandias. Lord of lords and king of kings."
But accurst is he that mocks the dead. Because death is tolling his unwelcome bell at his door. The American humourist Mark Couple aforesaid it all: "In this earth nothing is certain than death and taxes." The nice thing just about death is that the dead pays no tax. (Sorry, several Church priests tax the dead.)
So the better thing just about dying is that the dead is free from terrorist attacks. If therefore Ronald Chief executive waged war against violence (or was violent) because he feared the evil once
he was alive, he makes not need to worry just about terror anymore. As to whether he was a hero or villain, leave History—or Posterity—to judge. The words of American statesman, Apostle Henry, however do me uncomfortable. He said: "I cognize not of a better way to judge the futurity than by the present." So is the earth peaceful today? Or is it still at war?
I am not a musician
of verses. But I venture these lines for the former president:
Sleep well the great communicator
Sleep well lord of lords and king of kings
My dear cowboy, sleep well
Our beloved Ronnie Reagan, sleep well
ARTHUR ZULU, an editor and book reviewer, is the author of the arguable book, CHASING SHADOWS! (A book that reveals the terrorists' master plan to finally set the earth on fire!)
Goto: http://www.1stbooks.com/bookview/21013
mailto: mostcontroversialwriter@yahoo.com
Just just about THE AUTHOR
Arthur Zulu is the author of CHASING SHADOWS!
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