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Letter from AmericaDutch courageKnown affectionately as 'Dutch' (or the 'Gipper' after one of his movie roles), Ronald Reagan became the epitome of conservative politics in the United States. He was credited with having renewed the Republican Party, ended the Cold War, and begun a long period of economic prosperity. It is hard to overestimate the influence that Ronald Reagan has had on conservative politics in the United States. By all reports Reagan was an endearing character. His wife described him as someone with 'absolutely no ego', who was 'happy in his own skin' and, therefore, did not feel he had to prove himself to anyone. His correspondence to fans, friends and family speak of a person with a kindly heart, a consideration of others' perspectives, a winsome way with words, as well as an ample supply of down-to-earth common sense. The European, not to say British, perspective on Ronald Reagan is remarkably different. I still remember Spitting Image doing their worst on Reagan. Reagan was depicted in British culture as a bumbling idiot, with candy floss for brains, a big smile, good communication, the lights on but nobody home. All politicians face their fair share of detractors. Reagan received a particularly large dose of venom from the fangs of liberal critics. Perhaps it was his faith; Reagan clearly had a strong belief in God, though, as is often the case with such leading political figures, the exact boundaries of that faith were somewhat private. Moral courageAt any rate, at 93 Reagan has died. Whatever our opinion of the man, his legacy is impressive. What can Christians learn from his example? Perhaps the greatest lesson we can imbibe is the importance of moral courage. Reagan's most famous speech, and he delivered many a sound bite memorable in its own way, was given in Berlin while the wall separating West from East Berlin, capitalist from communist Europe, still stood. Reagan said: 'Tear down this wall!' I can hear his tone as he said it. There is a moral grit, a courage, a determination, a clarity that cannot be gainsaid. We need that courage today. There are innumerable issues upon which the Christian conscience needs not subtle intellectual prevarication, but thundering rhetorical declamation. Who is making these speeches for Christian conscience? Where is the voice of conscience declaring on matters of abortion in Britain? That is perhaps an American perspective, because of the party allegiance on either side, that is (perhaps mercifully) not determinative in Britain. Nonetheless, abortion is wrong. Who is saying so? Or take the issue of sexual slavery. Who is declaring in biting prose against the wrong of pornography-fuelled importation of sex slaves from poorer countries to do the service and the bidding of a corrupt capitalist culture? TerrorismAnd then, of course, we come to the most devastating of matters today: Islamic terrorism. We may feel strongly that the Bush-led war on terrorism lacks moral ballast because of its flouting of international laws. For the sake of argument, let us say that is so. Still: who is standing up against the brutal persecution of Christians by militant Islam? Who is saying that their treatment of women is simple evil repression? Where is the moral courage of a Christian conscience in all this today? Or let us take it out of the political arena entirely and bring it to the level of the church; not a lower level but in some ways a far more important level, for the church influences the culture and the people more than declamations on policy ever can. Who is sounding the bell of urgency, of organisation, of evangelical fire in force of further progress and evangelisation of Britain? Thank God there are some. Pray God for more. More 'Dutch courage'. Josh Moody,
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