There are only a few reasons needed for me to conclude that Ronald Reagan is the greatest President of my lifetime. One obvious reason is the critical role that he played in ending the Cold War. He rightly is given a lot of credit but no single man can claim all the credit for such a historic accomplishment. There is another great man who had already started paving the road that Reagan traveled to the end of the Cold War.
My thanks go to Peggy Noonan for reminding me of some of the most historic days in the history of the 20th Century in her call to Make John Paul II a Saint. I will never forget how historic it was to have a Polish cardinal elevated to the papacy. However, I had forgotten his dramatic visit as Pope to his Polish homeland in 1979 while Poland was still behind the Iron Curtain. I had forgotten how millions of Poles attended his celebratory Masses despite being under Communist rule. And I had forgotten how millions went to Rome to honor him at his death years later.
I leave it to others to determine if he should be declared a saint. I don't understand the process and I don't know how that is determined. But I know and I agree with Peggy Noonan that he is a man who made political history.
Those who follow me on Twitter know that I often tweet one of the several hundred quotes that I have collected through the years that are meaningful to me that I hope might inspire others. On April 27 I tweeted this quote:
None who have always been free can understand the terrible fascinating power of the hope of freedom to those who are not free.-Pearl S. Buck
I think that provides me some understanding of the courage and bravery of the Polish people energized by the remarkable life of Karol Wojtylwa, the cardinal of Krakow, who will forever be remembered by millions as Pope John Paul II and now as Blessed John Paul II. Thank you again to Peggy Noonan for helping me to remember him and his contribution to mankind.
