My Reagan Years

Ben Linder, Clown and Martyr

Ben Linder was an engineer from California who lived in Oregon and Washington before moving to Managua, Nicaragua in 1983, four years after the Sandinista revolution. Among other activities, he entertained children as a clown, riding a unicycle. He was helping a rural community to build a hydroelectric plant when he and two Nicaraguans were ambushed by the Reagan-funded Contras and killed on April 28, 1987.

The next day in Oregon, Mike attended a memorial service for Linder, and left depressed. He now calls the poem he wrote at the time “too trite to use—it was penned on the spot in a very disgusted mood.” Mike is still writing and has published articles on various social issues. His poem is included here as a memorial to Linder and all of the people who struggled against Reagan’s foreign policies. Like they say in Latin America, la lucha sigue…. (-ER)

April 29, 1987

On cloudy night lightly sprinkled with rain
I saw a city of lights.
Lights not dimmed by the death of a good man
Nor brightened by the candles held by a multitude that
gathered in the square
To mourn his death.
To vent anger at a son's murder.
The crowd held candles in the rain
And sang songs with teary eyes
For a good man that was dead.

Away from the square people rushed,
  on their way to anywhere or nowhere.
Music blasted, cars roared and laughter rang
and a million people did not mourn the death
of a good man.

The lights of the city shown silently.
And a million people were silent.
Acquiescent in the killing of a good man.

- Mike F

Diana’s Reagan Years

I have been thinking and the only things that come to mind over and over again are the trickle-down economy and the fact that the only thing that trickled down to me was occasionally some cocaine. The other thing was that in 1980 when we found out that he had won the presidency I lost my mind. I actually did. A spider came out of my hand and everything. I could not leave the house for three months and when I could finally go out I would go to the grocery store and think that people could see into my brain because part of it was left open. Is this of any help? I've been thinking that finally since he is dead now I will be much better.    

- Diana

My Reagan Years 1 | My Reagan Years 2