Ronald Reagan's 1984 Speech Would Enrage Today's Republicans

Conservative super hero Ronald Reagan gave a speech in 1984 the GOP wants you to forget.

Modern conservatives sure do love Ronald Reagan. Some might say they’re even a little obsessed with him. The Facebook page Being Conservative features a profile picture of Reagan.

Visit any conservative page or site and you’ll probably see some whining about the good ol’ days when Reagan was president and how much better off we were.

Isn’t it ironic that these very same conservatives who praise Reagan, as if he were a god, seem to overlook the former President’s core message? (Kind of like the way they cherry-pick the Bible to suit their hatred and fear of anything they don’t like.)

God’s Reagan’s 1984 speech to Temple Hillel and Community Leaders in Valley Stream, New York promoted equality and acceptance. Whether it was about civil rights, religion in government or bigotry of any kind, Reagan’s words sound more like a modern-day liberal than almost anyone in today’s Republican party.

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again: As President, I will continue to enforce civil rights to the fullest extent of the law.

That’s why I have appointed to the Civil Rights Commission people like Commissioners Clarence Pendleton and Morris Abram and Staff Director Linda Chavez. They recognize that you cannot cure discrimination with more discrimination … And as long as I’m President, we’ll have a Justice Department which argues for the rights of individuals to be treated as individuals, whether the case involves hiring, promotions, layoffs, or any other matter subject to the law.”

He then brought up the separation of church and state. Ted Cruz, Rick Santorum, Mike Huckabee, Ben Carson and all of the other theological politicians might want to pay special attention to this paragraph (emphasis mine):

We in the United States, above all, must remember that lesson, for we were founded as a nation of openness to people of all beliefs. And so we must remain. Our very unity has been strengthened by our pluralism. We establish no religion in this country, we command no worship, we mandate no belief, nor will we ever. Church and state are, and must remain, separate. All are free to believe or not believe, all are free to practice a faith or not, and those who believe are free, and should be free, to speak of and act on their belief.”

He also had a thing or two to say about bigots: (Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Ben Carson, Rick Santorum, Mike Huckabee and most of the GOP in Congress, pay attention.)

We must never remain silent in the face of bigotry. We must condemn those who seek to divide us. In all quarters and at all times, we must teach tolerance and denounce racism, anti-Semitism, and all ethnic or religious bigotry wherever they exist as unacceptable evils. We have no place for haters in America — none, whatsoever.”

I was never a fan of Reagan but I’ll bet the current Republican party has him rolling over in his grave.

Read the entire speech HERE or watch the speech below:

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Ronald Reagan’s 1984 Speech Would Enrage Today’s Republicans – Because It Made Sense

Conservative super hero Ronald Reagan gave a speech in 1984 the GOP wants you to forget.