Mamamontezz's Mental Rumpus Room

Observations

Over this last week, I've watched as much of the Reagan funeral coverage as has been possible. Yes, as I've stated in a previous post, I admired President Reagan, what he accomplished and what he stood for personally, professionally, and politically.

But this was more than morbid curiosity or hero worship. This was history, no more or less than the grand state funeral of either JFK or LBJ, and it was compelling.

My husband, my parents and I sat in the livingroom of the Palatial Parental Estate and watched hours of the almost silent, Talking-Heads-Free coverage on C-Span. What a relief that was, not having to listen to the constant drone of people who's love of the sounds of their own voices superceeds anything remotely resembling respect, knowldge, or wisdom.

I just want to make a couple of observations about the week. Nothing grand or earth-shattering, just a couple of things I wanted to make note of here.

The first is about the tall, gentle, and elegant general who guided and watched over Mrs. Reagan during all of her public appearances over this funerial period. He was attentive and from all indications extremely kind to her as he lent her his support across runways, into limosines, up airplane stairs, and beside the flag-draped casket of her life's partner. Major General Galen Jackman by his actions was a beautiful, tender example of that side of our fighting men and women that many simply refuse to see and acknowledge.

Second, perhaps it is just the paranoia of the time, but I waited on tenterhooks for what I truly believed was the inevitable interuption of some aspect of the funeral, either by raging domestic moonbats or by some manner of terrorism, whether actual or threatened. I was so very relieved that any incident that may have been threatened was squashed, and that someone convinced the lunatic fringe into maintaining relative invisibility on the various motorcade routes. No thrown eggs, no profane or obscene signs, no insults hurled at the grieving as they passed utterly exposed and vulnerable; from motorcade to service to rotunda and back I saw nothing but respect.

Oh, and a third: Whomever it is that selects and trains the members of the ceremonial units of the five branches needs to be thanked for their outstanding accomplishment in what has to be a difficult and thankless job. The results of their work over the last week was breathtaking. The artillery units, the rifle units, the various members of each colorguard, all of the men and women who served as honor guards and pall bearers perservered. They each did their jobs with precision under the great weight of not only a mahogany casket, but also the weight of responsibility for the remains of a man who was once considered the most powerful man in the world.

How any American could watch and not be filled with pride in these men and women is beyond all of my ability to reason. From the Joint Chiefs of Staff, down to the Airman First Class who stood at the foot of the flag-draped casket, they all deserve our thanks and appreciation.

Posted by Mamamontezz at June 12, 2004 11:53 AM