What I learned from my German father about politics
“What do you think of your president?”, asked my German father Alfred one day while I was living in a small town in the Black Forest of Germany as an exchange student with AFS Intercultural Programs. The year was 1986 and Ronald Reagan was the United States President. I hadn’t thought much of politics before this but I liked Reagan. I told Alfred this and he asked why? I told him Reagan seemed like a good guy, down to earth with a wonderful sense of humor. I said Reagan was a guy you could easily relate to and could enjoy his company.
Alfred said something to me that I truly didn’t get at the time but over the years I began to understand and agree. He said, “Don’t look at the man. Look at what he stands for and his policies.” Alfred had a unique perspective growing up in the aftermath of a great world war instigated by his country that was infatuated by one charismatic man, following that man to destruction.
As I matured and became more interested in politics (majoring in Political Science) I saw Reagan not just as a likable man but a man who stood for freedom through a reduced federal government, but also a man not being afraid to stand up against tyranny, such…
