Teflon corpse

Reagan's canonization will probably make him a "teflon corpse", too. His "benign neglect" of the AIDS crisis was pivotally responsible for the deaths of hundreds of our closest personal friends.

Besides his neglect of the AIDS crisis and diabolical scape-goating of the Gay Community, his "plausible deniability" of the Iran-Contra fiasco and his blatant manipulation of the Iran hostage crisis when he came into office will all be quickly swept under the rug. The departure of those hostages from Iran at the moment that Carter's plane departed from Washington is errily similar to the way GW Bush has been timing and managing the war news from Afghanistan and Iraq for his administration's political gain!

Rush Limbaugh is a bleating disciple of Reagan's arrogance. And Reagan taught all subsequent Presidents that leadership only needs to be smoke & mirrors & showmanship. When GHW Bush said "READ MY LIPS - NO NEW TAXES" he was attempting to play Reagan (but fortunately, the voters saw through that act). Reagan's "evil empire" comment was obviously reprised as the "axis of evil" comment by GW Bush.

Closer to home for me was the pain watching Reagan as a father stuff Ron, Jr.'s truth into the closet. If anyone wants to know about an "evil empire" all they need to do is imagine what it would be like to be the dancer son of a conservative politician. I remember the day that the Joffrey's press spokesperson made the preposterous announcement that "there are no homosexuals in the Joffrey Ballet".

The way Reagan's former detractors are gushing over him now is making me nervous.