Ronald Reagan Pens Letter Clarifying His Views on the Ku Klux Klan

Ronald Reagan

Pol Light Moment #137 occurred on April 30, 1984, when Ronald Reagan sent a letter to the Chairman of the Commission on Civil Rights concerning his views on the Ku Klux Klan. Ronald Reagan was the 40th President of the United States, serving from 1981-1989.

Below is the content of the letter that Ronald Reagan sent to The Honorable Morris B. Abram, the chair of the Commission on Civil Rights, on April 30, 1984.

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April 30, 1984 

Dear Morris:

While in China, I have been distressed to learn that some individuals back home have questioned whether my views on the Ku Klux Klan have somehow changed since 1980. Nothing could be further from the truth.

In 1980, I said that I have no tolerance for what the Klan represents, and would have nothing to do with any groups of that type. If anything, my feelings on this subject have only grown stronger. The politics of racial hatred and religious bigotry practiced by the Klan and others have no place in this country, and are destructive of the values for which America has always stood. Those of us in public life can only resent the use of our names by those who seek political recognition for the repugnant doctrines of hate they espouse.

I firmly believe that there is no room for partisanship on this question. Democrats and Republicans alike must be resolute in disassociating ourselves from any group or individual whose political philosophy consists only of racial or religious intolerance, whose arguments are supported only by intimidation or threats of violence.

We must, and will, continue our unified rejection of such elements of hate in our political life, for while there are many issues which divide us, it is fundamental principles such as this which will always draw us together.

Sincerely,
Ronald Reagan


[The Honorable Morris B. Abram, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, 1121 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20425]

Source: Reagan Library Archives

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Ronald Reagan has been featured on other Pol Light posts. To view all Ronald Reagan posts search with the Ronald Reagan label at Pol Light.

Pol Light does not endorse political candidates. We present a brighter side to politics when they are found on either side of the aisle. We don't have to agree with all of a person's politics to recognize these bright moments.

The photo of Ronald Reagan is in the Public Domain.

Ronald Reagan Writes Letter to 7th Grader With Messy Bedroom

Ronald Reagan

Pol Light Moment #84 occurred on May 11, 1984, when Ronald Reagan sent a letter to a 7th Grader named Andy Smith who had a messy room and had written the President to ask him to provide funds to clean up his room since his mother had declared it a disaster area. Ronald Reagan was the 40th President of the United States, serving from 1981-1989.

Andy Smith, a seventh grader in 1984, had written to Ronald Reagan saying, "Today my mother declared my bedroom a disaster area. I would like to request federal funds to hire a crew to clean up my room (Letters of Note)."

Ronald Reagan responded back to Andy Smith's note with this letter.

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Andy Smith
Irmo, South Carolina 
May 11, 1984 

Dear Andy,

I'm sorry to be so late in answering your letter but as you know I've been in China and found your letter here upon my return. 

Your application for disaster relief has been duly noted but I must point out one technical problem: the authority declaring the disaster is supposed to make the request. In this case your mother. 

However setting that aside I'll have to point out the larger problem of available funds. This has been a year of disasters, 539 hurricanes as of May 4th and several more since, numerous floods, forest fires, drought in Texas and a number of earthquakes. What I'm getting at is that funds are dangerously low.

May I make a suggestion? This administration, believing that government has done many things that could better be done by volunteers at the local level, has sponsored a Private Sector Initiative program, calling upon people to practice voluntarism in the solving of a number of local problems. 

Your situation appears to be a natural. I'm sure your mother was fully justified in proclaiming your room a disaster. Therefore you are in an excellent position to launch another volunteer program to go along with the more than 3,000 already underway in our nation—congratulations. 

Give my best regards to your mother. 

Sincerely, 

Ronald Reagan 

(Source: Reagan: A Life in Letters, 2004)

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This letter above by Ronald Reagan was also featured on the Letters of Note website on June 19, 2012.

Ronald Reagan has been featured on other Pol Light posts. To view all Ronald Reagan posts search with the Ronald Reagan label at Pol Light.

Pol Light does not endorse political candidates. We present a brighter side to politics when they are found on either side of the aisle. We don't have to agree with all of a person's politics to recognize these bright moments.

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Photo: The photo of Ronald Reagan is in the Public Domain.

Ronald Reagan Addresses Nation After Challenger Disaster

Pol Light Moment #14 occured when Ronald Reagan addressed the shocked country following the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster on January 28, 1986. Ronald Reagan was the 40th President of the United States, serving from 1981-1989.

On January 28, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart over the Atlantic Ocean 73 seconds into flight, and the entire crew of 7 members were killed. The Challenger was on mission STS-51-L. Crew members lost included Greg Jarvis, Christa McAuliffe (the first school teacher to travel in space), Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, Dick Scobee, and Michael J. Smith.

Ronald Reagan cancelled his scheduled address on the State of the Union and instead chose to comfort the nation following the Challenger disaster, which was the first time the United States had lost a crew in space. Here is the address Ronald Reagan made following the Challenger disaster.
 
 

The entire text of the speech is at this link. In the closing part of his speech Reagan quoted from the poem "High Flight" by John Gillespie Magee, Jr.:

We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye and 'slipped the surly bonds of Earth' to 'touch the face of God (Source).'   Here is another video surrounding the Challenger Disaster. In the piece George H.W. Bush, who was the Vice-President at the time of this Pol Light moment talks about how well Ronald Reagan handled this tragedy.

Ronald Reagan has been featured on other Pol Light posts. To view all Ronald Reagan posts search with the Ronald Reagan label at Pol Light.

Pol Light does not endorse political candidates. We present a brighter side to politics when they are found on either side of the aisle. We don't have to agree with all of a person's politics to recognize these bright moments.

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Photo: The photo in this post is in the Public Domain.

Ronald Reagan Announces He Has Alzheimer's Disease

Pol Light Moment #9 is when Ronald Reagan announced he had Alzheimer's Disease. It is a bright moment in politics not because any decent human being was happy to receive the news, but because when Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy elected to reveal his Alzeheimer's condition to the public, it raised awareness for an incurable and debilitating health condition that impacts millions of people by robbing them of their memories and eventually the ability to function. For more information on Alzheimer's see the Altzheimer's Foundation of America.

Ronald Reagan was the 40th President of the United States, serving from 1981-1989. 5 years after the end of his Presidency, Ronald Reagan revealed he had Altzheimer's on November 5, 1994.  Reagan lived with the progression of Alzheimer's for 10 years until he died on June 5, 2004.
The following is the text of a handwritten note Ronald Reagan released to the public about his condition.

Nov. 5, 1994 

My Fellow Americans,

I have recently been told that I am one of the millions of Americans who will be afflicted with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Upon learning this news, Nancy and I had to decide whether as private citizens we would keep this a private matter or whether we would make this news known in a public way.

In the past Nancy suffered from breast cancer and I had my cancer surgeries.  We found through our open disclosures we were able to raise public awareness.  We were happy that as a result many more people underwent testing. 

They were treated in early stages and able to return to normal, healthy lives.

So now, we feel it is important to share it with you.  In opening our hearts, we hope this might promote greater awareness of this condition.  Perhaps it will encourage a clearer understanding of the individuals and families who are affected by it.

At the moment I feel just fine.  I intend to live the remainder of the years God gives me on this earth doing the things I have always done.  I will continue to share life’s journey with my beloved Nancy and my family.  I plan to enjoy the great outdoors and stay in touch with my friends and supporters.

Unfortunately, as Alzheimer’s Disease progresses, the family often bears a heavy burden.  I only wish there was some way I could spare Nancy from this painful experience. When the time comes I am confident that with your help she will face it with faith and courage.

In closing let me thank you, the American people for giving me the great honor of allowing me to serve as your President.  When the Lord calls me home, whenever that may be, I will leave with the greatest love for this country of ours and eternal optimism for its future.

I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life.  I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead.

Thank you, my friends.  May God always bless you.

Sincerely, 

Ronald Reagan" (Source of Letter's Text)

Ronald Reagan's revelation that he had Alzheimer's has been impacting others living with a similar condition in their lives since it occurred in 1994.  It should be noted that the courage to reveal to the public that he had Alzheimer's was not without sacrifice for Ronald Reagan, because it fueled speculation on whether he had the condition while he was President of the United States. The Ronald Reagan Foundation said that:

As for the topic of Alzeheimer's, this subject has been well documented over the years by both President Reagan's personal physicians, physicians who treated him after the diagnosis, as well as those who worked closely with him daily. All are consistent in their view that signs of Alzheimer's did not appear until well after President Reagan left the White House (Source).

Ronald Reagan has been featured on other Pol Light posts. To view all Ronald Reagan posts search with the Ronald Reagan label at Pol Light.

Pol Light does not endorse political candidates. We present a brighter side to politics when they are found on either side of the aisle. We don't have to agree with all of a person's politics to recognize these bright moments.

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Photo: The photo in this post is in the Public Domain.