GayPatriot

The Internet home for American gay conservatives.

Jeane Kirkpatrick: A Great American Passes Into The Ages

by

Jeane Kirkpatrick — one of America’s premier political thinkers and Cold Warriors — has died at age 80.

[I]t was an essay written for Commentary magazine in 1979, “Dictatorships and Double Standards” (later expanded into a full-length book), that launched her into the political limelight. In the article, Kirkpatrick chronicled the failures of the Carter administration’s foreign policy and argued for a clearer understanding of the American national interest. Her essay matched Ronald Reagan’s instincts and convictions, and when he became president, he appointed her to represent the United States at the United Nations. Ambassador Kirkpatrick was a member of the president’s cabinet and the National Security Council. The United States has lost a great patriot and champion of freedom.

I had the pleasure to meet Ambassador Kirkpatrick at an event in Chester County, PA.  It was an honor to shake her hand and thank her for her service to for our nation.  Knowing I would never meet and shake hands with Ronald Reagan, the fact that I was fortunate enough to meet and talk with Jeane Kirkpatrick makes that one of the highlights of my life.

Ambassador Kirkpatrick’s “Blame America First” speech, a rebuke of Democrats in 1984, rings very close to home today in a time of a world war. (h/t – Mary Katherine Ham)

But then, they always blame America first.

The American people know better. […]

The American people know that it’s dangerous to blame ourselves for terrible problems that we did not cause.

They understand just as the distinguished French writer, Jean Francois Revel, understands the dangers of endless self- criticism and self-denigration.

He wrote: “Clearly, a civilization that feels guilty for everything it is and does will lack the energy and conviction to defend itself.”

With the election of Ronald Reagan, the American people declared to the world that we have the necessary energy and conviction to defend ourselves, and that we have as well a deep commitment to peace.

And now, the American people, proud of our country, proud of our freedom, proud of ourselves, will reject the San Francisco Democrats and send Ronald Reagan back to the White House.

Another beacon of American hope and resolve for freedom and liberty has dimmed in the universe today.

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

Comments

  3. My favorite memory of Ms. Kirkpatrick was in September of 1983 (right after the KAL 007 disaster). She put the smackdown on that Soviet guy as he turned away from the giant screen that showed the words “the target has been hit”. We had our chance for a first female president back in the ’80s. Her name was Jeane Kirkpatrick. She will be missed.

  5. The same Kirkpatrick who thought it was best to cozy up to authoritarian leaders like Pinochet or, gulp! Saddam Hussein instead of standing against them?

    You mean THATbeacon of American hope and resolve for freedom?

    She was nothing but the one who sewed the fabric that covered up the naughty bits of Reaganism that the world would have called obscene.

  6. As a native Bay-Aryan I was at first surprised by her recognition of the Blame America First Democrats and their centrality to San Francisco — and that it had been going on for so long.
    But upon thinking about it, “San Francisco Democrats” goes back pretty far and is really code for Socialists. Even full-tilt communists are common around here – I had them as High School teachers in Palo Alto in the 70’s. There’s a weird bunch of trust-fund-baby Peninsula-Communists, with plenty of money who point out every body else’s faults (and wealth), and fund every anti-American cause and effort to reduce US influence. A lot of BIG money for Democrats is raised in Atherton, Belmont, Hillsborough, and Palo Alto where some serious semi-old money exists – it’s not very Republican around here…

  7. At first I was surprised that she noted the Blame America First element of the SF Democrats, and that it went recognizably back in time so far – but on consideration I wasn’t surprised. It goes way-back. “SF Democrats” is actually code for “Socialist,” and even full-tilt Communists are common around here, they were my teachers in High School in Palo Alto in the 70’s. There’s a weird bunch of Peninsula and SF trust-fund-baby Socialists with enormous wealth who fund every anti-Americna cause and effort, and money for Democrats is easily raised in Antherton, Belmont, Hillsborough and Palo Alto – but not for Republicans.