Memorandum for President Ronald Reagan from Anthony Dolan about Reagan’s recollections on the Fourth of July holiday for an upcoming article in Parade magazine, 04/07/1981

01940155 H0064 THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON April 7, 1981 MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT FROM: ANTHONY R. DOLAN aro Parade Magazine has a front cover picture and article by you scheduled for July 4th. They are looking for a piece about your thoughts on July 4th, especially any recollections you might have about July 4ths in days gone by. Mike Deaver suggested we ask you for any thoughts you might have on this matter or of a general patriotic nature for the article. Since our deadline is the middle of next week, Mike thought you might want to jot down a few lines over the weekend. To one who was born and green up in the small towns of the midurest there is a special kind of mostalgea about the 4th of July, d remember D as a day almost as long anticipated as Christmas. This was helped along eng the appracance in stree windows of all kinds of provided and colongure posters advertising same with vivid frictives of these give works in action, her later then the 3 rd of July - sorms times enlar ) Dad would bring home what he THE append to see ges up in smoke & flame. We'd count a recorent the number of fiverectous, display pieces etc. and go 15 bed determined to be up with the seen son as to offer the find thunderous notice of the 4th etway, Dim afraid me didnt give too much thought Is The meaning of the day. and yes there were tragic accidents to mm the dry resulting from careless (ones) handling of the Die sure NN are better off nom that fineworks are largely handled by professionals in great displays. 83 ,J there was a thrill mever to be forgation in seeing a tin can blown 30ft, in the an by a grant "cracken"- giant meaning it was about tinches long. E mough of nortalgia. some where in our growing up we began to be aware of the meaning of the day and with that anvarances came the birth of pateratism. July 4ᵗ, the brittday of crea nation. & believed then and even more in they - the greatest nation on earth. to recent years I've come to think of that day as more than first the birthday of a matron. It commemorates the only true philosophical revolution in all history. Oh there have BUT THOSE been revolutions before + since simply exchanged one set of subs for another. Ours was as revolution that changed the very concept of govt. Let the 4th of July always be a reminder that have in this land for the 1st time it was decided that ONLY man is born with certain Mord given rights; that givt. sva convenience created and managed by the people with men pervers. it's crun except Chose VOLUNARIALY granted to it by the people. (GREAT TRUIN We serve times tend 13 garget that and inc never should. Happy 4th & July.