Embodiment Of A First Lady
When Ronald Reagan died, an ABC News report said that his and Nancy’s “love story has always been a part of the presidential story.”
Mrs. Ronald Reagan, as she wished to be known even when her husband died, was the 40th president’s closest confidant and a played a major role in his career and presidency.
Mrs. Reagan was a balm to her husband and he hated being on the road without her. His diaries recount on several occasions how much he missed her when she was traveling They were the consummate team, madly in love with each other and content to be alone with no one else around.
The world may have never had the man who won the Cold War if it was not for the driving force of Nancy in his life. Without Nancy, there would have been no Governor Reagan, no President Reagan.
With her passing, let us remember Nancy Reagan as the embodiment of what it means to represent America as first lady.
Brian J. Goldenfeld
Woodland Hills, CA
Trump’s Non-GOP Voters
Re “Trump’s Very Loud Dog Whistle” (op-ed, March 4):
Donald Trump is said to perform better in states that allow Democrats and independents to vote in Republican primaries because such voters tend to be receptive to Trump’s anti-establishment message.
A more logical explanation, however, would be that many Democrats and independents in such states actually want a Democrat elected president and are voting for Trump because they project him as a sure loser for the Republicans in the national election – and they are probably right.
Ironically, much of Trump’s primary success and the high voter turnout he is apparently generating may not be attributable to his projection of strength, as is commonly thought, so much as to his image, among Democrats, of weakness as a candidate come November.
To prevent future electoral circuses such as we have today, the answer may not be to excoriate Republican primary voters for being such a bunch of rubes as to support Trump, but rather to eliminate party primaries that allow non-party voters to skew the results with contrarian votes.
Zachary M. Berman
Bronx, NY
Responding To Reports Of Student Harassment
Re “Pro-Palestinian Harassment: Where Are the Public Officials?” (editorial, March 4):
The City University of New York has consistently and strongly condemned all forms of bigotry and discrimination, including anti-Semitism, and we will continue to do so. We have been deeply concerned with some recent activities on CUNY campuses and we are committed to ensuring that none of our students are subjected to conduct that would interfere with their opportunity to exercise their rights, obtain an education, and participate fully in the life of the University because of their religion, race, gender, sexual orientation or personal or political views.
We take seriously our responsibility to promote and encourage tolerance and civility and to respond to allegations of prohibited harassment or intimidation so that all our students may enjoy an environment in which they can learn and thrive. I have engaged highly regarded outside counsel to review incidents and University responses and provide recommendations following their review.
As a public university, CUNY cannot infringe the constitutional rights of free speech and association of its students, faculty, and staff. Indeed, as an institution of higher education, CUNY is committed to the principles of academic freedom and the free exchange of ideas, which are at the very foundation of American higher education.
The ideas and opinions of members of the University community will often conflict, and the University cannot shield individuals from speech they find unwelcome, disagreeable, or even offensive. To ensure that our policies appropriately, consistently, and clearly reflect these principles, I recently established a working group of administrative, faculty and student representatives to review University policies on speech and expression at CUNY and make recommendations.