76-08-A5
- Main Page \ Reagan Radio Commentaries \ 1977
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Television
TranscriptWhat does a symphony orchestra musician, a good car mechanic and a maker of fine sauces have in common? Plenty, if they're all the same fellow. I'll be right back. Not too long ago on this show, I was critical of the news media, particularly the TV news programs plus a few talk shows for what I called an anti-business attitude. In fact, while admitting I couldn't claim to have seen all the shows, I said I couldn't recall ever seeing any advocates of free enterprise holding forth on tv. Well now I can. Twas the night after Christmas Now forgive me for that, it's the season. I was watching CBS News and if you were to you saw a story about one of our fellow citizens who hadn't done any of the things for which a person usually winds up in the headlines. A goodly portion of the Evening News was devoted to 45 year old man, father of four, son of an immigrant father. None of that is what you might call earth shaking or even newsworthy. There isn't a headline in the fact that he was a high school dropout or even that he served in the Army. Too many Americans have done both. But to its credit CBS News did a heartwarming story about this resident of one of our eastern cities. First of all, he didn't settle for being a dropout. He took advantage of the educational opportunities the military offered and wound up with a college degree. He and his brother have an auto repair shop and they're the repairmen. He also has a talent in the kitchen which he's used a good advantage. In the evenings he cooks sauces for spaghetti, shrimp and so forth. His family helps and they package and sell the product to markets and other outlets. There are however some evenings when he isn't in the kitchen. He plays in the city's philharmonic orchestra and you can't do that without putting in a fair share of time at rehearsal. I hope I haven't given the impression that this American citizen is just a terribly energetic ambitious fellow, moonlighting and driving himself around the clock to keep up with the Joneses and the cost of living. No the subject of the CBS News special places a great importance on living. He enjoys what he's doing. Some way he's found time to develop an appreciation of fine wine, join a wine tasting society and accumulate knowledge to match his appreciation. A number of people aspiring to the same appreciation call on our citizen for help in acquiring the knowledge to go with it. Before that CBS News special feature ended this American citizen told the rest of us how much opportunity there is in this land in this way of life we call America and he made it very clear he wasn't just touting the babbitt line of how to make a buck. He was talking about living and he made us realize he truly enjoyed his life and everything he was doing and he made us realize the same joy is available to anyone who will take advantage of being an American. The last we saw of him he was putting the finishing touches on a fender in the auto repair shop. Thank you CBS News. This is Ronald Reagan. Thanks for listening. |
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