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PERSONAL
FROM THE PUBLISHER
AResponsible
FirstLady
A
few months ago, 1 was
privileged to attend a luncheon in the
Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles,
California, and to meet briefly with the
United States' First Lady, Nancy Reagan.
Mrs. Reagan was in
Los Angeles to speak to
the World Affairs
Council about drug
abuse. The World Af–
fairs Counci l is the
main public forum for
dignitaries visiting Los
Angeles .
was governor of California. The ' 60s were a time
of unprecedented turmoil, frustration and rebellion
among the younger generation.
The older generation muttered to themselves,
"What's the world coming to?" Sorne hoped that
youth would grow out of it. Instead the rebellion
sowed the seeds of the massive problems
this
generation of young people must contend with
today. Drugs are just one aspect of it.
When her husband became the 40th President,
Mrs. Reagan realized she had a platform and a
position of influence. She told us that while the
President was recovering from the attempted
assassination of March 30, 1981, she began to meet
with doctors, teachers and experts in the field of
drug and alcohol abuse and learned the full extent
of the drug problem.
It is to Mrs. Reagan's credit that she has used
her influence to raise the nation's leve! of
awareness about drug use and
abuse. She let all who heard her
know in no uncertain terms that
each one of us has a moral
responsibility to do more than
recognize the problem. We all
have an obligation to take a
personal stand against drug
abuse.
How right she is!
All of us want things to
be
right , but few are willing to do
what we should to make things
right. To quote Mrs. Reagan
directly: "You do have the
responsibility to put your
conscience and principies on the
Mrs. Reagan movingly
pointed out that no one
can say thi s problem
isn't his or her concern.
1t affects us when it
destroys families.
It
af–
fects us when it costs
hundreds of millions of
dollars through accidents
and absenteeism in the
work place. It affects us
Los Angeles World Affairs Council hears from
Mrs. Reagan latest in battle to curb drug use.
~
line. You have the responsibility
to be intolerant of drug abuse
anywhere, anytime, by anybody.
You have the responsibility of
since there is a definite and direct link between
crime and drug abuse. It should affect us because
it is a tragedy that is causing untold suffering and
mental and emotional agony to millions of dur
fellow human beings.
Mrs. Reagan's personal crusade against drug
abuse dates back to the 1960s when her husband
October 1986
forcing the issue to the point of making others
uncomfortable and yourself unpopular."
Mrs. Reagan does just that. In her audience
were sorne of the most influential people in the
Los Angeles area. Many were undoubtedly personal
friends, since the
R~agans
are Californians. Mrs.
Reagan told them
(Continued on page 29)