News & Analysis

Len Munsil's Memories of President Reagan

I never met President Reagan, but he had a profound impact on my life. I was surprised by my emotion at learning of his death Saturday. Like many of you, I have watched the highlights of his life and career these past few days with a profound sense of loss, yet with an optimism and hope that Reagan inspired in many of us. 

I was a high school senior when he was first elected to office. Four years later, I was the editor of ASU’s newspaper (the State Press) during his re-election and wrote a point-counterpoint editorial in which I explained why President Reagan was going to be reelected in a landslide in 24 hours. 

After graduating, I spent the summer of 1985 in Washington D.C., working as a tiny cog in a small corner of the Reagan Revolution. My office window had a view of the White House, and I would take my lunch and sit in Lafayette Park across the street and thank God that President Reagan was at the helm of our nation. 

My future wife Tracy was a conservative journalist in Washington, and together we attended political and social functions at night, experiencing the joy and idealism of being young conservatives in the capitol city during the Reagan years, believing that America could again become a great and a righteous nation. 

Three years later, I stood in the front row, 10 feet away as President Reagan delivered one of his final speeches as president to a conservative legal conference in Washington. 

President Reagan was not a perfect man or a perfect president, but his pro-life, pro-family vision and his commitment to the defense of America and the freedom of all nations was rooted in his faith in God. 

Four years ago we did a tribute to President Reagan, in which we highlighted many of his pro-life, pro-family and pro-God speeches, as we remembered the bold stand he took on so many social issues that political candidates today tend to shy away from. You won’t see any of those speeches on the news retrospectives of his life. 

If you are too young to remember, or if you have younger family members, please take time this week to watch some of the coverage and remember this man who believed America could be that biblical image of a “shining city on a hill.” And take comfort that today, through his professed faith in Jesus Christ, President Reagan is healthy, strong, his memory restored and his joy complete.

Schools: No-Religion Zones

 America’s schools are fast becoming no-religion zones.  Here in the Valley, Pinnacle Peak Elementary School recently invited parents and community members to purchase a tile for a special personal message to be displayed on one of the school walls. The “Tiles for Smiles” program was popular and many people chose encouraging messages for their kids. Paul and Ann Seidman, bought tiles for their two kids with a message that said, “God bless, We love you, mom & dad.”

The school district said it would not post the Seidmans’ messages unless the word “God” was removed – illegal discrimination against religious speech. With the help of the Alliance Defense Fund and The Center for Arizona Policy, the Seidmans sued to protect their constitutional rights and the rights of all people of faith to speak freely. On Monday, CAP attorney Peter Gentala will argue their case in federal district court, asking the court to rule that the First Amendment does not allow school officials to treat the Seidmans’ religious message as second-class speech.  Please pray for Peter, and also pray that this case will help protect the rights of Christians to live their faith in the public square.