No one who laments the passing of First Lady Nancy Reagan will fail to acknowledge what has become perhaps her signature contribution to American life. “Just say no,” she famously replied to a young school girl who asked her what to do when presented with drug use.
Simplistic, say some, or even “moralistic,” as if morality and the risk of addiction were not central issues in the life of youth. But there was in the phrase a clarity, and even an advancement of a critical principle that came at a time when popular culture encouraged too many young people to try drugs. Governments can mount programs that seek to shape our choices and our lives. But unless they summon from each of us some willing agency—the power to resist pressure and choose for ourselves—they will not drive deeply.
