Archive for year: 2015

When I was told that we were going to the Ronald Reagan Library I imagined an actual library with books (which made me really excited because I love books), not a museum. However as I walked through the museum and I realized that I didn’t agree with many of his ideas. Although he did seem to be a more progressive Republican in some aspects he is also well known more for his conservative Presbyterian church going values.

One of the video excerpts from the museum shows Ronald Reagan’s views on higher education. Ronald Reagan believed that higher education was a privilege not a right. Regan believed that it was the parent’s obligation to provide for their and their college costs. As a fellow college student now I can see the flaws in that theory, the amount of debt a college student racks up after college is $35,200 in loans and credit card debt, Reagan lowered the amount of financial aid because he wanted to lower the deficit but people are still in debt and so is the country. By raising tuition costs and lowering financial aid the gap between the higher and lower class widened.

There was also a video excerpt from Ronald Reagan on his views towards the Russians. Reagan felt they were “god-less savages” and “the evil empire” he wanted to have the more nuclear arms than Russia as to show intimidate Russia into not going to war with the United States it was also so that if the Cold War did turn into a nuclear war the United States would be ready. Reagan ended up out-spending Russia and tripling the nation’s debt by the time he left office in 1989.

As I walked through the museum the suit Ronald Reagan wore during his assassination attempt intrigued me very much. It was ironic to me that Reagan was shot by a bullet that ricocheted off of the limousine that was created to protect the president from harms way. As a Republican Reagan still pushed to ban guns, most likely because he had experienced first hand what it was like to get shot and the damage that guns can do.

It was also very interesting to see how Nancy Reagan directly influenced Ronald Reagan’s presidency and his two presidential campaigns. Nancy Regan was described as the opposite to Ronald Reagan but was also described as “everything Ronald needed” Nancy Regan helped with campaigning and with pioneering drug abuse programs but she also helped Reagan win his elections by reigning in the women’s votes and the familial votes.

I also found the Ronald Reagans’ presidential campaign pin to be interesting because I realized that George H.W. Bush was his vice president and it amazed me how that Bush would end up being their next president and would then have his son become a president as well. It really blew my mind how a Vice President could become president and then have his son or sons continue his legacy.

I believe when the curator chose to add the video excerpt of Reagan’s distaste towards the Russians he or she was trying to exemplify Reagan’s world views. The curator might’ve added this video to show the beginning he ‘Red Scare’ and how Americans were reacting or better yet overreacting towards the idea of communism. The video’s authenticity is proven as there are multiple copies of this video and Reagan was known for his distrust of the Russians.

The video represent Reagan in a both favorable and unfavorable way, it highlights the strengths and the flaws in his ideology. Reagan distrusted the Russians and it reflected during his speeches but the distrust in Russian led the Reagan administration to further their anti- communist agenda. It was a smart move to instil fear in the country because it was a way to push their agenda further because fear is a great motivator for people and Reagan took advantage of that.

On Friday September 25th our University 198 class went to the Ronal Reagan Muesum/Library. Though we had been planning to go the week before there was a presidential debate happening that week so we ahd to reschedule which in the end worked out really well, since when we went there wasn’t that many people as there would have been if we had gone the week before. It was nice to have had experienced this moment with all of us together because it will be a moment we won’t forget.

Air Force One Pavilion: I thought the Air Force One Pavilion was really interesting because we got to see the actual airplane the president used when he had to travel all over the world for issues concerning our country. When we h
ad the tour she explained to us how the president really was and how kind he was. She also told us that he had a massive sweet tooth and that he enjoyed eating jellybeans everywhere he went so the pilots knew to leave him a bowl of jellybeans, just for him. The fact that they went out of their way to give him some jellybeans when they had no obligation, just proves how likable Reagan was. The air force relates to his travel through his presidency and give us information on Reagan as a person not just a President.

Oval office: We got see an exact replica of the oval office, it was extraordinary how accurately they represented the office in which Reagan worked in through his Presidency. The reason why I choose it as an object to reflect on because I could honestly imagine Reagan working in the office and that was interesting to imagine. What I thought was fascinating was that they put in the tiniest detail into the exhibit they put all the doors that lead to the oval office. And they also put a bowl of jellybeans in the middle of the room and I thought it was really funny that through out the exhibits they kept mentioning the fact that he loved jellybeans. In a way I felt like they kept telling us how much he loved jellybeans to humanize him and to portray him as an oridinary human being.

Assassination Attempt: It was strange to see the weapon they tried to assassinate the president with. The fact that they kept the weapon and put it in a muesum was interesting. I thought it was amazing how he survived the accident and still kept a smile on his face. They showed us a video of him being shot and then after when he was getting out of the hospital, he was waving at the people and smiling. Honestly if it was me I would’ve been upset that someone tried to kill me but he took it really well which shows he was a very strong person. This was linked to his life as president and even though he had bodyguards he could also get hurt. And it shows that being President isn’t as safe as it sounds and is actually really dangerous and life-threatening.

Football Exhibition: I choose this exhibit because it was really fun to see. And even though I’m not a football fan it was amazing to see all the jerseys and the super bowl tickets. It was fun to see the love for football many people have. And in a way it connects many Americans together. It wasn’t really connected to Reagan specifically but more like it was linked to the Americans of that time.

Nancy: I really loved this exhibit, honestly it was my favorite. Nancy played one of the most important parts in Reagan’s life. They were the ideal couple, what reagan didn’t have Nancy did and what Nancy didn’t have Reagan did. They were complete with one another and for them their love was magical. The love letters they shared were so romantic and portrayed how much they loved each other. The “say no” campaign that the first lady started was inspiring because though before the first lady was beieved to not do much during the Presidency Nancy played a huge part and she helped many people just like Reagan did. Nancy was linked to Reagan even before his Presidency and after his Presidency as well. She was a huge part of his entire life.

I think the curator chose the object of Nancy’s exhibit was to show powerful their love was. And even though Reagan was the President and our leader Nancy was the one he always went to for advice so in a way it was both of them that were leading the country.

My thoughts on the video, were thst Reagan was an honest man. A man who knew what made him happy and knew that he would never do anything to hurt his ahppiness. i was glad they did an entire exhibit on Nancy, which showed just how important she was to Reagan.

My emotional response to seeing the love letters was happiness because, I’m glad they got to experience something as magical as their love. I feel like they were known as one person because of how perfectly they completed the other. Watching the video of they talked about how they felt to be together was very beautiful. Reagan wasn’t ashamed of saying how Nancy was her rock and how he always went to her in times of need, to be able to admit that, shows real love.

Our response to their love is able to show us the truth in how human Reagan was, and how wise he was to see love as power and not weakness. He showed his love for Nancy and how to him she didn’t make him weak but more powerful and a better person.

The truth of the exhibit was to portray Reagan as an ordinary human and even though he was President he was very much like us. He had ambitions and he had love and he was an honest man how had a pretty good impact on our counry not just as President but as a human being how acheived his dreams. Reagan was an inspiration to many he was able to become a man with power and still remain himself.

I think the truth was portrayed really well. The video they showed us was very specific in how close they were. When they were together they were like best friends and husband/wife all put into one. You could really see the love they had for each other even if they wouldn’t say anything, just by how the would look at each other was all the proof you needed to see they were madly in love.

Overall it was an amazing experience, I feel like I got to know Reagan in a more personal way then just his actions as President. It’s great to remember that we’re all the same in the one simple fact that we’re humans.

 

 

 

After going to the Reagan Library for the first time I was astonished by many artifacts. I’m not going to lie at first I though we were going to an actual library to look at books. As soon as we started walking into the museum my jaw dropped.

The picture on the left is one out of the five object I choose from the museum. Those were the outfits that Nancy and Ronald Reagan wore the day of his Inauguration. I’m a big fan of fashion therefore when I saw what they wore back in the day I fell in love with their clothing. Everyone has their own sense of style but I’m sure many people still like this style. This picture also has Reagan’s note cards of his speech.”Lets us begin an era of national renewal. Let us renew our determination, our courage, and our strength. And let us renew our faith and hope. We have every right to dream heroic dreams”  (Ronald Reagan). This  quote really stood out to me because it pretty much states that we can start over and have big hopes and dreams even if they seem impossible.

The picture below is a display of Ronald Reagan’s sport life. According to this display he was a very athletic person. I chose this as my second artifact because when you think of the president of the United States playing sports it sounds strange. Ronald Reagan loved playing sports and being outdoors. While he was growing up he would swim in the Rock River, hiked hills and cliffs around Dixon. When he was in high school he wanted to played football but he was too small his freshman year. By the time his Junior year came around he was ready to play football. He continued his football career when he went to Eureka College but also joined the swimming team. 

For my third artifact that I chose was the displays from when he got shot. Since there was more than one I chose this display because it states what happened that day. On Monday 30, 1981 Ronald Reagan was shot at by John Hinckely but didn’t die, one of his securities did for saving his life. Although Reagan didn’t die he still got injured. One of the bullets hit him in the ribs and went through one of his lungs. Luckily the bullet stopped an inch before it reached his heart. When Reagan arrived at George Washington University Hospital he was in critical conditions and they didn’t know if he would survive. That day he lost more than half of his blood but luckily the surgeons his surgery was a success and he was able to recuperate himself.

My fourth artifact is this display of when he died. On June 11, 2004 his family and close friends got together for his burial him before sunset and his interment that evening. In this image you can see the First Lady, Nancy Reagan, holding the American Flag. That flag was the one that covered Reagan’s casket. His casket was taken to the Reagan Library, the main lobby was filled with citizens and they were paying their respects to him. Its amazing to know that not only did Ronald Reagan have his own library but when he died he was there as well. I’m sure it was a good memory for Nancy Reagan. Seeing all those people in the main lobby paying their respects is a good way to close his private ceremony.

For my last artifact I chose this picture of me standing on the podium where Ronald Reagan gave his speeches. All this time I thought that he would remember all his speeches but he wouldn’t. They were all typed out on the screens next to the podium and would reflect on glass screens so that he would be able to read it. But it wouldn’t seem as if he was reading his speeches because no one can see the glass screens and the reflection of his speeches. Since the speeches reflected on both of his sides he would switch off what side he would read off of and it made it seem as if was making eye contact with the press.

My overall favorite object out of the five artifacts that I chose from the Reagan Library was the displays of when he got shot. I enjoyed this display for many reasons. One of those reasons is because they had multiple displays not just one. They had the blue suit he wore that day, it was the first and last time he wore it obviously because it got ruined. When he arrived at the George Washington University Hospital it was cut off from his body while the doctors were searching for his wounds. This suit was on display and I was able to see some blood stains and the bullet hole from his ribs.

Another reason why I enjoyed this display was because they had an identical gun to the one that John Hinckley used to try and kill Ronald Reagan. John had bought the gun on October of 1980 from a Texas pawnshop and used it on March 30, 1981. John had shot at Ronald Reagan from fifteen feet away. In this same display was a piece of the window of the Presidential Limousine. It was a bullet-resistant glass from the window. This was the reason why Ronald Reagan didn’t die because once one of his agents realized that there was shots being fired they immediately rushed him into the limousine. Sadly one of his secret service agents died that day for trying to save the presidents life.

This section of the Museum also had a picture of his x-rays and it shows the bullet almost reaching his heart. In my opinion they put all of these displays in this section of the museum so that who ever goes to visit it can see how bad his injuries were and how it was a depressing day for his family. When I was going through that section I was almost able to feel what his family felt that day. I was seriously about to cry. When I walked into that section I noticed the film playing and at first I thought it was going to be one of his speeches but it was the film of when John shot at Reagan.

After the museum I did some research on Ronald Reagan I found that Ronald Reagan carried a pistol with him in his briefcase everywhere he went, including Air force 1. It’s understandable because since he got shot at once, he wanted to be protected at all times. Even though he was being protected by the secret service he just wanted to assure more security. He never used the gun but I believe it just made him feel more secure just in case someone else would try to shot at him.

Since this section didn’t give much information about that day you can always investigate on your own more ways about it. As people call it “the truth” of what happened that day not just what is in display at the museum. You can always go online and look up the date, search up Ronald Reagan being shot at, or even John Hinckley. I’m more than positive you’ll be able to find out a lot more than the museum is showing us. You can also look at archives from Ronald Reagan and there most likely will be reports on that day but of course you will need special authority to access those files.

Overall this section of the museum really represents Ronald Reagan’s history of that day. Even though it wasn’t one of the best days of his presidency it was definitely one he overcame. Knowing that he was in critical conditions and that he lost nearly half of his blood but still managed to recuperate is a sign of how strong he is. Only a strong person would be able to overcome a day like he did and still be able to continue his presidency. Just to think of the fact that if President Reagan would have died that day then Vice President Bush would have been president in replacement of Reagan. Either way Bush still became the president after Reagan only Reagan was still alive then. Going to the Ronald Reagan Library was an education trip. It isn’t a library it is a museum of objects and facts from when Reagan was president.

The 1960’s marked a revolutionary era for The United States; during its former half, America faced a pivotal decision: the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Though the legislation ultimately came to pass not every citizen shared such conviction. After having read a multitude of letters to Harold T. “Bizz” Johnson, it is apparent that people found great discomfort in aspects of the bill — some parts more than others.

In the late 60’s, there was a great fervency of opposition against the bill; persons, such as Malcolm K. Hartwig, feared a loss of freedom, a rise in Communism, and most notably the fear of losing the “sacred right of private property.” Starting in the 1920’s, a great fear of Communism had taken hold of most Americans, and this bill had been viewed as a means of infiltrating the country and promote “civil disorder.” Mr. Hartwig had this to say to congressman “Bizz” Johnson.

Hartwig’s primary concern — as was the case with most Americans who had written to Bizz Johnson — was Title VIII of the bill. What this essentially meant was that no one person could be discriminated against in regards to sale, rental, and financing of dwellings based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Interestingly enough, the intentions behind the bill pertained only to a desire for equality and the spreading of freedom — of “American” ideals; however, many were not ready to bring others to their level.

Hartwig noted on the prevalence of Communist presence in the bill, but this was nothing more than an irrational presumption on the oppositions’ part. Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights activists had frequently been accused of either being or associating with Communists, but none of the relevant accusations pulled through. Though it is not directly mentioned in the letter, it is worth mentioning that the free love movement most likely influenced his train of thought, as the notion did promote anti-establishment policies.

Fortunately, the bill gained enough traction to pass. Originally proposed by President John F. Kennedy, President Lyndon B. Johnson would see the bill through. This letter — not written 10 days prior to Kennedy’s assassination — reflected feelings ubiquitous in many Americans, and it should be noted that remarks of impending doom in case of the bill’s passing were nothing but a mere fantasy.

Something that I thought was interesting about patient education with GI diet for diverticulitis. This came up for me about a month ago when someone close to me actually was diagnosed with acute severe diverticulitis and was not educated about what to do about dietary needs. For someone who has diverticulitis initially they are NPO with IV fluids, and possible nasogastric suctioning if vomiting or distention occurs. Oral intake is increased as symptoms subside starting with clear liquids with a LOW fiber diet. This can also be considered a low residual diet that consists of low fiber and no seeds. Dietary management as well as consulting with dietitians in acute settings is essential for patient care to make sure they are eating the correct texture of food to prevent further damage.