TheAuldGrump
First Post
My vote remains unchanged. I'm in it for the Benjamins.
The Auld Grump... Ronald Reagan?!!!...
The Auld Grump... Ronald Reagan?!!!...
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Greatest American? (All Over on Page Eight)
- Thread starter Mark
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Dark Jezter
First Post
All 5 are good choices, but Washington remains my choice.
Gentlegamer
Adventurer
Washington, the indispensable man.
RangerWickett
Legend
Now, I was born in 1981, so I was alive during Reagan's presidency, and not at all during the lives of anyone else on the list, but I'd have rated any of them above Reagan.
Did they give a reason why Reagan deserves to be up there? I mean, sure, end of the Cold War and all. That is impressive, and we can rightly say that Reagan was more likely involved in saving the world than the others were. Whether he actually did save the world is debatable. Kennedy actually was involved in a much more tense near-apocalyptic conflict with the Cuban Missile Crisis, and Kennedy also got Americans to go to the moon. How can a martyred hero like Kennedy lose out to Reagan?
But what did Reagan do that represents the American ideal?
Washington - A symbol and leader of the nation, and he made a good sign of handing over power after two terms to show that America would have an elected leader, not a king. He fought for American freedom.
Franklin - An inventor, very educated and witty, and was involved in establishing America as an actual nation, not just a rebellion. He coined a lot of phrases used today, things that are distinctly American. Personality-wise, I think he's the one I would have gotten along best with. He was fond of telling people when they were idiots.
Lincoln - A little controversial. He kept the nation together because he valued the nation over the rights of the states, which at the time got him compared to a tyrant. In a way, he set a new standard for America. He also is a symbol for the freeing of the slaves.
MLK - Martin Luther King, Jr. is like a modern founding father, combining all the traits of those early great Americans - keen intellect, a belief in the fundamental equality of human beings, incredible oratory skills, fearlessness - with a new devotion to non-violence that sadly . . . well, EN World is not a place for politics. MLK got my vote.
Imagine if Thomas Jefferson had managed to get a few thousand Americans to sail over to England and convince the British to give them their freedom, without violence. The sheer scope of what Martin Luther King, Jr. accomplished, and the amazing amount of decency he demonstrated in doing so without violence, is what made me vote for him.
Perhaps he's the greatest person who is an American. Perhaps it's just that he doesn't reflect the modern American ideal as much anymore.
Did they give a reason why Reagan deserves to be up there? I mean, sure, end of the Cold War and all. That is impressive, and we can rightly say that Reagan was more likely involved in saving the world than the others were. Whether he actually did save the world is debatable. Kennedy actually was involved in a much more tense near-apocalyptic conflict with the Cuban Missile Crisis, and Kennedy also got Americans to go to the moon. How can a martyred hero like Kennedy lose out to Reagan?
But what did Reagan do that represents the American ideal?
Washington - A symbol and leader of the nation, and he made a good sign of handing over power after two terms to show that America would have an elected leader, not a king. He fought for American freedom.
Franklin - An inventor, very educated and witty, and was involved in establishing America as an actual nation, not just a rebellion. He coined a lot of phrases used today, things that are distinctly American. Personality-wise, I think he's the one I would have gotten along best with. He was fond of telling people when they were idiots.
Lincoln - A little controversial. He kept the nation together because he valued the nation over the rights of the states, which at the time got him compared to a tyrant. In a way, he set a new standard for America. He also is a symbol for the freeing of the slaves.
MLK - Martin Luther King, Jr. is like a modern founding father, combining all the traits of those early great Americans - keen intellect, a belief in the fundamental equality of human beings, incredible oratory skills, fearlessness - with a new devotion to non-violence that sadly . . . well, EN World is not a place for politics. MLK got my vote.
Imagine if Thomas Jefferson had managed to get a few thousand Americans to sail over to England and convince the British to give them their freedom, without violence. The sheer scope of what Martin Luther King, Jr. accomplished, and the amazing amount of decency he demonstrated in doing so without violence, is what made me vote for him.
Perhaps he's the greatest person who is an American. Perhaps it's just that he doesn't reflect the modern American ideal as much anymore.
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Mark said:
goes to show you that Americia does not know its own history, nor what whats a person great.
Eosin the Red
First Post
I disagree with the Reagan naysayers. Not that he was my top choice but he deserves his honors as much as any on that list. He inspired a generation of Americans, me included, to believe in America much as JFK did for the generation of my parents. And inspiration is a powerful thing.
Sure he had flaws, much like JFK, but it isn't the flaws that we remember it is the things he did right. If we are to measure based on flawed characteristics then many of these "great" Americans would fail to make the list, including all of the top five with the exception of MLK.
PS - this is ENworld and while we are each entitled to our opinion it goes against the grain to tear down a figure that others hold in high regard. Talk about the poll and the effect popularism has on all of these polls but leave the ideology at the "submit" button.
Sure he had flaws, much like JFK, but it isn't the flaws that we remember it is the things he did right. If we are to measure based on flawed characteristics then many of these "great" Americans would fail to make the list, including all of the top five with the exception of MLK.
PS - this is ENworld and while we are each entitled to our opinion it goes against the grain to tear down a figure that others hold in high regard. Talk about the poll and the effect popularism has on all of these polls but leave the ideology at the "submit" button.
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