Words to Live By

Diversity

Today, we hear comments regarding the policy of DEI - Diversity, equity, and inclusion which are organizational frameworks. And the intent is to promote the fair treatment and full participation of all people, particularly groups who have historically been underrepresented or subject to discrimination based on identity or disability. As the United States reckoned with racial inequality during and after the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, many saw Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs as a way to address the issues in higher education. As part of the trend, many schools began requiring candidates for teaching positions to submit DEI statements. In these statements, potential hires explain how they would advance diversity, equity and inclusion in their teaching and research activities. One 2021 study found that about one-third of job postings at elite universities required them.

Walter Cronkite

In Walter Cronkite’s last, official interview for CBS before being replaced by Dan Rather, he chose to interview one man: The President of the United States. Not in the Oval Office, but in Normandy, France, and just moments after the President delivered his historic addresses on Omaha Beach and at Pointe du Hoc. Today, we evaluate how a President will be interviewed based on the interviewer. From a certain news agency, we know there will be softballs. From other news agencies, there are curves, sliders, and fastballs coming from left field. But Walter Cronkite represented the best of what journalism does. He sought genuine answers, longed for enlightenment, and never revealed his personal political preferences. The chronicler and historian, David Halberstam, called Walter Cronkite “the most significant journalist of the second half of the twentieth century” in the way one might say, “George Washington was the most significant politician of the second half of the 18th Century.”

Education and Respect

After the recent uprisings at many of America’s collegiate institutions, we thought we’d look back on how Governor Reagan handled the situation, 50 years ago in the late 60’s and early 70’s. In his 1966 campaign for California governor, Republican Ronald Reagan promised to "clean up the mess at Berkeley." At the time, he was referring to the unrest prevalent not just at the University of California, Berkeley, but on college campuses throughout the state. Students and faculty alike were engaged in protests, demonstrations, and strikes related to issues such as the draft, civil rights, discrimination, and women’s liberation. In one 1966 campaign speech, Reagan declared that many leftist campus movements had transcended legitimate protest, with the actions of "beatniks, radicals and filthy speech advocates" having become more to do "with rioting, with anarchy" than "academic freedom." His core message was, "Anarchy in the name of academic freedom on the campus or on our streets, will not be tolerated...."

Pointe du Hoc

On June 6, 1984, President Reagan delivered remarks in honor of the 40th anniversary of the D-day invasion. Earlier in the day, he delivered a riveting speech at Pointe du Hoc which will be the subject of today’s podcast. So today, we are remembering the D-day invasion of 1944, 80 years ago. Of the many tributes given by President Reagan in honor of American veterans, perhaps the most memorable was the one delivered on June 6, 1984, at Pointe du Hoc. Its critical importance was not underestimated by those tasked with preparing a draft, to be delivered on the 40th anniversary of the Normandy invasion. Ben Eliot, head of the White House Speechwriters Office, knew just the person he wanted to compose the address. He gave the assignment to Peggy Noonan and commented that “They’d like it to be like the Gettysburg Address."

Eulogies in Honor of President Reagan

On June 5th this year – 2024, it’s hard to believe that 20 years have passed since we laid President Ronald Wilson Reagan to rest. In this podcast, we’ll reflect on the ceremonies and speeches celebrating his life and legacy. In his honor, President George W. Bush declared June 11, 2004, a national day of mourning. A ceremony at the Capitol began with tributes from Senator Ted Stevens, Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, and Vice President Richard Cheney. Let’s listen to a few excerpts, starting with Senator Ted Stevens.

The Olympic Torch

On Friday, April 26, the Olympic flame for the 2024 Paris games was officially handed over to a delegation from the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee during a ceremony in Athens Greece. The ceremony took place at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens where the modern Olympics were first opened in 1896. At that time, the Olympic flame was passed to the delegation representing the country that will next host the games. And that is, of course, France. But to reach France from Greece, the torch will cross the Mediterranean on board the Belem, the majestic 3-masted ship owned by the Belem Foundation. It will cross the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans as part of the Oceans Relay to reach six French overseas territories: Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, and Reunion Island. Once in France, the flame will travel to the Lascaux caves, the Alésia archaeological site, the medieval city of Carcassonne, the Palace of Versailles, and many other sites. It will light up many of France's architectural masterpieces, beginning with the world-renowned site of Mont Saint-Michel. It will also visit places of remembrance, such as the Verdun Memorial and the D-Day Landing Beaches. 40 years ago in 1984, the Olympic torch crossed America to reach the West Coast, Los Angeles, for the official games. One of its first stops was Washington, DC where it stopped at the White House. In this podcast, we’ll listen to the President’s wonderful remarks delivered on the South Lawn.

Central America

Why should we care about Central America? Today, almost half of the 2.5 million migrants who crossed our southern border in 2023 were from Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, or Nicaragua. In this podcast, we’ll talk about those neighbors to the South, and hear what the president said in 1983 and 1984.

Truman and Reagan

On May 8, 1984, the White House honored Harry Truman’s 100th birthday. Sadly, Harry died in 1972 at the age of 88, but Ronald Reagan who had admired, respected, and campaigned for Harry Truman, was staunchly in favor of celebrating this honorable man. His remarks, delivered at the White House with Truman’s daughter Margaret as a special guest, were simply captivating.

The United Nations

President Reagan’s disappointment in and distrust of international organizations is vividly apparent in his radio commentaries from 1975-1980. Today, when we look at the situation in Ukraine, and the tragedies unfolding in Gaza, we can’t help but wonder what, if anything, the organization has accomplished in bringing peace to the world. On March 25, just a month ago, the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan, in addition to the immediate and unconditional release of hostages and "the urgent need to expand the flow" of aid into Gaza. There were 14 votes in favor with the United States abstaining. As of this writing, despite their demands, the parties involved - Israel and Hamas - have not heeded. It was Dag Hammarskjöld, the tragic second UN secretary general, who said it best. The United Nations, he said, “was created not to lead mankind to heaven but to save humanity from hell”. So in this podcast, we’ll listen to two of Ronald Reagan’s speeches - an excerpt from a 1983 address where his aggressive rhetoric was criticized and a radio address from 1978, both clarify why he believed that the UN, despite its lofty goals, is impotent.

Star Wars and SDI

40 years ago, the Russians were still on the march, just like today. Then, of course, it was known as the Soviet Union, and the threat they posed to the United States and Europe was unrelenting and terrifying. European leaders were begging President Reagan to do something, complaining that the presence of SS-20s armed with nuclear warheads felt like the Russians had a gun to their heads. But European leaders were afraid to speak out against the Soviets, publicly, because they were afraid the Russians would cut off their energy as Europe relied on them for natural gas. And the Soviets knew that their power over Western Europe was based on energy. So, President Reagan was determined to define a new path for the American people: one to eliminate the threat of nuclear war for the entire human race. In this podcast, we’ll talk about a dynamic new exhibit at the Reagan Library that combines artifacts and information on President Reagan’s plan to protect America - known as the Strategic Defense Initiative, and actual artifacts from George Lucas’ film series, Star Wars. The exhibit is open now, entitled: Defending America and the Galaxy: SDI and Star Wars. In addition to SDI artifacts, there are Star Wars treasures like a land speeder, a Dykstraflex camera, Princess Leia’s dress, and more fascinating items.