Happy Birthday to the greatest President in my lifetime. As President, Reagan inspired a generation of Americans, won the Cold War, and stood up proudly in support of our nation’s traditional morals.

Throughout his time in office and public life, Reagan always had a positive outlook on America’s future.

Over at The Foundry blog they have posted a nice tribute honoring Reagan and highlighting the work he did for the pro-life movement while in office with his book “Abortion and the Conscience of the Nation” published in 1983. I highly encourage you to go over and check out the post for yourselves.

I do want to highlight this one passage from Reagan’s book.

Despite the formidable obstacles before us, we must not lose heart. This is not the first time our country has been divided by a Supreme Court decision that denied the value of certain human lives. The Dred Scott decision of 1857 was not overturned in a day, or a year, or even a decade. At first, only a minority of Americans recognized and deplored the moral crisis brought about by denying the full humanity of our black brothers and sisters; but that minority persisted in their vision and finally prevailed. They did it by appealing to the hearts and minds of their countrymen, to the truth of human dignity under God. From their example, we know that respect for the sacred value of human life is too deeply engrained in the hearts of our people to remain forever suppressed. But the great majority of the American people have not yet made their voices heard, and we cannot expect them to—any more than the public voice arose against slavery—until the issue is clearly framed and presented.

Reagan’s faith no doubt helped him remain optimistic about the future, and it should do the same for us. In the years since Reagan spoke out against the brutal and disgusting practice of abortion, we have seen many advances made for life.

Granted, the fight for life goes on, and far too many lives are still lost to abortion. But just as Reagan did, we must also do. Be positive, be optimistic, and hope that the people of this nation remember the human dignity under God of which Reagan spoke.

Happy Birthday Mr. President.

Consider this your open thread.