i kinda thought it was sweet when ppl applauded her......i know that just being there shows respect for President Reagan, but i guess ppl just really wanted to show her how much they cared. i didn't think it was over the top. i admire nancy for loving her husband so much......but there's something off with her and her kids. i think she loved her husband more, and i think they knew that....which, i would think, strained the relationship.....i dunno. :confused:

she does look devasated, though, and it's heart-wrenching. :( my thoughts and prayers are with all of them.

I just saw the applause this morning, and I have to admit that, while it was inappropriate, I really think that it was genuine. At a funeral home, you would put your hand on someone's shoulder or whatever, but in such a public arena, I do think it was meant as "thank you" or "welcome home" type thing. I don't think that there were any evil intentions meant by it.

Thanks for the info about Blair House! With all the dignitaries who will be there, I was wondering who would be where!

I'm not saying that the applause was meant to be offensive - it just seemed tacky to me. I think a salute would have been more appropriate.

Times are changing. People applaud in some churches these days. That would never have happened in my youth.

I think that the applause was meant as a heartfelt show of compassion and also a thank you for her service and perserverance as well.

I do hope, before I die, that I will hear a round of applause without the "whoo's and whoo hoo's." That, in many cases, I find disrespectful.

Sympathy
 

Our prayers are with his family

I agree with this -- people couldn't reach out, as previously stated, and that was their way. I probably would have also. I thought it was really touching when the man yelled "God Bless you, Nancy" -- she smiled and waved, I thought that was really genuine on both parts.

I believe this is the last time a President will ever get such a farewell. I don't think Carter, Bush, certainly not Clinton, and GWB would deserve it considering that all did more to divide the country rather than unite it.

It was quite impressive to watch on TV. I wish I could get to DC to pay my respects. Reagan was a great man, IMO, and I hope that Nancy and his family will get some much deserved rest now.

Okay, I'm sorry... I don't mean to beat a dead horse. But what do you think you did by calling her a disgrace to her organization? I think you were attacking someone who disagreed with you! I said earlier that I agreed with you that it was inappropriate to post that story in a mourning thread, but that your reply was equally inappropriate. It seems as if you are the one who is being stubborn. And no, I'm not standing up for "my sister." I'm not a DG. I'm just a person who doesn't appreciate hypocracy. In other words... Practice what you preach!

Oh... topic... right...

I think that all of them will get a huge fanfare. I mean, they were all popular enough to get elected (well, maybe one of them wasn't... but that's another joke entirely!). They all served their country and the world in the highest position of power, and they will all get huge state funerals.

I don't think the clapping was horrible, either. I think the people there just wanted to show support and they didn't know how else to do it.

As civilians, we aren't entitled to salute the president. That is reserved for military only. The applause to me was ok. Peggy Noonan, a speech writer for Reagan, thought the applause was great!

R.I.P.
 

My prayers are with the Reagan family at this time. The former President was suffering for quite a while, but he is finally in the confines of his "Celestial Chapter".

To Ronnie:

Thanks for helping to get rid of that ol' Iron Curtain.

I truly hope you're wrong. I would hope that when it comes to the death of a (former) president, the powers that be would put partisanship aside. State funerals should not be predicated on what a president accomplished but on the solitary fact that he (or she someday) served this country in the office president. Period. And anyone who has served in that very demanding and difficult office, unless he was removed from office or resigned in disgrace, deserves respect, some gratitude, and an appropriate burial.

Not that accompishments should be left out of the picture -- this is a time to remember and celebrate them. But making decisions based on criteria like who divided/united the country can be so subjective. I can assure you that there were many, many people in the 80's who would have rejected the idea that Reagan united the country and who would still reject that idea. Right or wrong? I don't know. And Carter may not have been the most effective president we've ever had, but, as someone who has managed to use his post-presidential status to work for the good of many and not for his own self-aggrandizement, he has to rank as one the best former presidents we've ever had.

You can take just about any president and you will find those who think he is the Messiah and those who think he is the Antichrist. Neither is true -- they're people who do some good and some not so good, some we agree with and some we don't.

I hate to see us becoming a country where simple respect for the president takes a back seat to partisanship.

[/soapbox]

Okay - before the flaming starts on me - I wasn't trying to say that I felt like I have the final say in who or who does not get the honors.

The news reported that very few Presidents get all the honors that Reagan is getting -- and none since Kennedy have received such pomp and circumstance surrounding his death.

So - I hope that that clarifies my post.

I wasn't meaning/trying to flame, and I hope it didn't come across that way. Sorry if it did.

But I think there is some sense that much of what we are seeing with Reagan's funeral is somewhat unique. This may stem from the fact that this is the first State Funeral in 31 years -- the only president to die since LBJ (1973) was Nixon, and his burial was kept quiet and private at his family's request, given the circumstances of his leaving office. And of course, JFK's State Funeral is etched into our minds because, again given the circumstances, we've seen parts of it so many times. But much if not most of what we are seeing -- including the procession through Washington and lying in state in the Rotunda -- is indeed part of the tradition of a State Funeral, at least "recently," according to what I've been reading in the Washington Post and elsewhere. And I think that's good -- while a family may have specific desires regarding where the funeral proper will be held (Kennedy's was at St. Matthew's Cathedral in Washington, other presidents' have been elsewhere including their hometowns), I think it's rights for us to have traditions that say "when a president dies, this is what we do." (ETA: It should be noted that permission of survivors is required for a body to lie in state in the Rotunda -- I don't know whether the survivors of any presidents in the last 100 years or so, other than Nixon's, and declined.)

Again, sorry if it sounded like I was trying to start a flame.

Applaus being disrespectful?

I was surprised about it as anyone when I heard it on TV!

Then, I realized, this was out of respct for not only The Deceased President, but for his Wife Nancy who has been there by His side for these many years.

Yes, I did say something about the costs, sorry, tounge in cheek, it is the pomp and circumstance that is befiting a Man, No matter who, He was as a Leader of a Great Country.

Ronald Reagen was the Man for the time and place He was in!

I hope that He has His Greek Fraternity Badge, Tau Kappa Epsilon placed over his heart.

A Greek in life, A Greek In Death.

Thank you Yom...
 

Indeed...

TKE - fraternity for life, and in the CHAPTER ETERNAL...


Goodness, you guys ABSOLUTELY DESTROYED THIS THREAD!

It's absolutely ridiculous and TACTLESS!

Anyhow, let's honor his life...

Like I said, no president was perfect - and NOT EVERY PRESIDENT had to face THE BRINK OF NUCLEAR WAR on a daily basis...

So let's give him credit where credit is due - Americans became proud once again, the Soviet Union collapsed, we all felt safer...

Great man with great character, great leader, great husband, great FRATER OF TAU KAPPA EPSILON...


Once again, Rest in Peace Frater Reagan...

Well...
 

We probably would be out of Iraq by now ... ;)

LOL... J/K...


We'd be in good hands, that's for sure...

Remember that Frater Reagan faced the brink of nuclear war on a normal basis...

He ended up helping to collapse the Soviet Union, bringing pride back to the American People, and helped us feel safer...

Honor where it is due, that's what we should be giving right now...


Thank you Tom for honoring our Frater in Tau Kappa Epsilon with your posts...

It's very uplifting, yet solemn...


Once again, RIP in the Chapter Eternal Frater Reagan...

I really don't like the shots they keep giving of Nancy Reagan. I truly feel that at a time like this, we should respect her privacy b/c only she knows the grief she feels. We can have all the empathy in the world but the pain is hers and hers alone. Everytime they show her, I start to cry for the loss of her beloved.

CASIGKAP,

Although I agree with you, isn't that the unfortunate trade-off when you have a state funeral?

I will never forget President Nixon's grief when Pat Nixon died (even though it wasn't a state funeral)....I felt like cameras shouldn't have been there.

But, they are/were public figures....so unless the family demands privacy, I don't think we'll see "respectful" and "respectable" coverage.

The funeral was really touching. The bond markets are closed in his rememberance and I'm happy I had the luxury of seeing the speeches. Bush Sr. gave the best one for him.

-Rudey

Question
 

I didn't see the funeral and I'm not sure if this has been answered and I don't feel like searching.:p

But..did the fraternity have a burial ceremony for him?

Re: Question
 

Good question. Is TKE doing anything special for him? I'd like to know as well.

-Rudey

I thought the Bush Jr's speech was really good but I only got to hear the end of Bush Sr's. Can anyone find the transcript of that or of the whole funeral?

Re: Re: Question
 

http://www.tke.org/

Has alot about him and all the plans where TKE's can go to memorialize him. We already have and award named after him. ( http://www.tke.org/tef/scholarships/sch_reagan.htm ) We changed our philantropy from special olympics to Reagan Research Institute Fund which deals with Alzheimers. I am sure some greater memorial is being planned and wil be approved at the next conclave.

Re: Re: Re: Question
 

Great dedication site!

Here are the transcripts of the other eulogies, but I haven't found the entire funeral. They were all really great speeches!

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,122457,00.html

RR at Eureka reunion
 

Posted on Fri, Jun. 11, 2004

Who says there isn't life after football?

By Mark Story
HERALD-LEADER (KY) SPORTS COLUMNIST


Stubborn idealists have long clung to the belief that college athletics should be more about college than athletics.

We realists long ago accepted that football players mostly go to college to play football.

The aspiring offensive lineman was among the latter.

Like so many college athletes, he came from a background of humble means.

There was never enough money. Today, we'd say his dad had a "substance-abuse" problem. Back then, the non-charitable just called him the town drunk.

Like so many of our athletes, he became especially close to his mom. In many ways, this God-fearing woman raised her two boys on her own.

Even though no one in his family had ever gone to college, the youngest of the two children decided that he would.

He had his heart set -- funny how this works -- on the very school his girlfriend, the preacher's daughter, had already chosen.

"I'd like to say I went to college for love of learning," he would say, "but probably I was more motivated by love for a pretty girl and a love for football."

On his campus visit, he went out of his way to look up the football coach.

I want to go to college and I want to play football and I want to do it here, but I don't have much money ...

A football program can NEVER have enough offensive linemen, of course, so the coach went to bat and found the aspiring guard enough aid money to get into school.

It all went wrong from the start.

The young player spent his freshman year glued to the bench, sat over there and fumed and sulked.

By the time the year was over, he had decided to quit. Not only football -- college.

So he went back home and got an outdoors job with a surveyor, was gonna work and make money and forget about this coach who, he was sure, had no use for him.

Yet, on the first day of college for what would have been his sophomore year, the now ex-college football player couldn't go to work.

The rain was falling so hard, several bearded men in robes started building Arks.

What the heck, he figured he'd go back to campus for the day, say hello to his old frat buddies in the TKE House, be with his girl.

When he got there, the pangs inside his chest felt like earthquake tremors. Only then did he realize how badly he wanted to return to school.

So, he went back to the football coach, Ralph McKinzie -- the man on whom he had quit -- and again asked for help.

God bless the college coach who really does put helping kids above his own ego. You never know if the player you save could go on to change the world.

McKinzie got a player to whom he didn't owe a darned thing back in school and with his financial aid intact.

Yet, midway through his sophomore season, the guard STILL wasn't playing -- had started the year fifth string.

And it was killing him.

Finally, one day in practice, McKinzie installed a running play that called for the right guard to pull, get out on the perimeter and put a defensive back on his bottom.

In practice, they were using an assistant coach as the "defender" to be blocked; problem was, even against a coach, nobody on the team could get out there in time to make the block.

At long last, the head coach turned to one of his scrubs, essentially said, let's see what you've got.

Nothing improves a football player's mobility -- nor his hostility -- like desperation combined with unexpected opportunity.

At 'Hut!' the lowly scrub roared around end and delivered a block so ferocious, the poor assistant coach/defender "ascended as if he'd been hurled by a shot-putter and seemed to dangle in mid-air for several seconds."

Next game, there was a new starter at right guard.

Funny thing. It was such a long struggle for him to win the job he coveted; but when he did, he was bullet-proof. For the rest of his college term, nobody could beat him out.

Of course, in the Hollywood ending, the blooming of his football career would've awakened an equal passion in the new starter for his schoolwork.

Instead, by his own account, the right guard worked just hard enough to stay above the 2.0 it took to keep him eligible for sports.

Give him this: In doing that, at least he remained in school and got an Economics degree. Many, many college football players don't even do that, of course.

Then, college -- football -- was over.

He took a job out of state. Moved way out west, got married, had kids, got divorced, re-married, had more kids, switched careers three different times, moved back east and then -- where does the time go? -- it had been 50 years.

And they were planning a celebration for his graduating class back at the old campus.

All his buddies wondered if the old right guard would show.

He did.

Stood up in front of every body, and delivered a mea culpa to satisfy even the most snooty academician.

He recalled that the graph of his college academic performance tracked much closer to the 2.0 needed to stay eligible for football than the 4.0 that represented genuine scholastic excellence.

Looking everyone in the eye, he said, "Even now I wonder if I had made better grades, what more in life I might have been able to accomplish?"

Which was when every soul in the place burst out laughing.

Now, it may help you to know the college in question was Eureka College.

And on May 9, 1982, when the old football player stood at his alma mater, tongue planted firmly in cheek, to lament his indifferent academic record and the opportunities it must surely have cost him ...

... Ronald Reagan was in the second year of his first term ...

... as President of the United States.

Rest in Peace, Dutch, Rest in Peace.

Our National Philanthropy has always been Alzheimers Disease but I truly feel that for many of us, it was a terrible disease but one we could not really personalize. After all this, I know that many of us now have a face to go with the illness & hopefully this will encourage everyone to find a possible cure for this.

To all those who just want to get picky with details, get a life. You know who you are.

Was Alzheimers even discovered when you were founded? :confused:

From the Alzheimer's Association website:

Alzheimer’s disease is one of several disorders that cause the gradual loss of brain cells. The disease was first described in 1906 by German physician Dr. Alois Alzheimer. Although the disease was once considered rare, research has shown that it is the leading cause of dementia.

From the Sigma Kappa HQ Website:

In 1984 Sigma Kappa responded to an increasingly critical problem facing older Americans by adding Alzheimer's Disease research and education to its philanthropic activities. Research grants are made each year to universities and other institutions actively engaged in the fight against Alzheimer's Disease.

The website also stated that Sigma Kappa was the first sorority to recognize the need for work on the study of aging (gerontology) in 1954.

1984=always

O.K. For you nitpicky bastards who obviously spend time on these boards not to actually give real insight into anything but instead to waste everyone's time on meaningless posts, obviously it's not always. That's just an expression in case you didn't pick that up.
This philanthropy was chosen for a reason. If I say always, it's b/c obviously no one previously thought it was worth the time or effort to do something about it.

Instead of finding reasons to rag on someone on these boards, why don't you do something constructive with your time and actually try to help YOUR philanthropies in constructive ways instead of knocking someone else.

Kelly & Heather, thank you for the links. While the week was a bit wearing on us all, today has been one of tremendous eulogies and patriotism. How moving!!

Oh Jeez. I have cried quite a bit this week but I have truly lost it. When I saw Nancy clutching his casket as if she'd never let go & openly weeping my heart broke for her all over again. She has held up so gracefully & dignified throughout this week.

I still am crying right now as I see the people gong up to pay their final respects to President Reagan.

I felt so bad for Nancy when she said goodbye and placed her head on the coffin and began to cry.

It was such a personal moment surrounded by her family and all you could hear was the clicking of the damn cameras. Would make anyone think twice about being a celeb/politician you truely do give up your privacy and become a public figure.

Wasnt Maggie Thatcher great today? Shes looking so old though. Sad.

Oh crap. These images are making me cry again. And I do agree that it was extremely annoying to hear the constant clicking of the stupid cameras when Nancy laid her head on the casket.
I need to stop crying but I can't seem to. He lived a good and fruitful life. It seemed that he accomplished things that the ordinary man can only dream of.
I don't know if my tears are tears of grief, tears for Nancy, or tears of joy over his wonderful life & the rest he so rightfully deserves after his long battle with his illness.

At first, I was disgusted by the applause...but then I realized, well, how ELSE can you show your love and support in a place that huge? I think it was heartfelt, and I am glad so many people were there to show their love.

To be honest, Reagan IMO wasn't the best President ever. Then again...are any of them perfect? No. But as a MAN...I have nothing but respect for him. What a wonderful man he was, and what a life he lived. I am glad America has shown such an outpouring of love and patriotism.

Rest in peace, President Reagan.

Ron Reagan summed up his father the best when he called him, "plainly decent". I think that was pretty good. Unfortunately, not many Presidents can be characterized that way.

Jono

I too was very moved by today's events - I cried several times. I thought Lady Thatcher's speech was lovely and that Mr. Bush Sr.'s speech was touching too. I have to admit that I cried when they carried the casket out from the cathedral and played "Hail to the Chief". :(

It was very nice to hear from the children as they recounted their happy memories and shared about their respect for their father. I'm with you CASIGKAP, it was heartwrenching to see Mrs. Reagan clutching the casket with tears in her eyes. As I lost my grandmother to Alzheimer's Disease, my heart goes out to the Reagan family.

Finally, special condolences to the brothers of Tau Kappa Epsilon on the loss of your brother.


.....Kelly

I didnt get to see all of the service from this morning, so I am watching it on CSPAN right now. Theyre showing everyone coming in and getting situated. Its so interesting seeing all the politicos, and world leaders, ex-presidents and candidates and justices and former staffers and senators and the such all together reconnecting. It has to be a huge social event where a lot of these people who dont interact that often or havent seen each other in years get to reconnect.

It is interesting to note the liberals are in one area kicking it, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Kofi Anan, Clinton, Carter, Al Gore, John Kerry and a ways away the conservatives are all together too, Guilaini, Jerry Ford, Maggie Thatcher, Alan Greenspan, Brian Mulrooney, Tom Ridge, Antonin Scalia, and interestingly enough, Mikahial Gorbachev. Gorby seems to be hanging out with the conservatives. It so wierd to see Gorby and Guilaini hanging out.