Frank, the USS Reagan's motto is "Peace through strength," maybe that's a possibility for an element to add. Also, the site http://www.reagan.navy.mil/ has a beautiful graphic of stylized "R"s on it's title page. (you have to skip the tribute to President Reagan to get to the next page). The back-to-back "R"s would make an excellent symbol for the ronin.

Oh, and first!

Color me Ronin, Frank J.

Honestly, I don't know that anything more than the Kanji symbol for Ronin on a flag background would be better.

Simplicity of message encourages action. Complicating the message encourages endless talk.

Hm, how about putting a Nuke behind the kanji?

And then to fight terrorism we, um, send the ACLU to the mid-East.

I, now being a ronin, bought five pounds of Jelly Belly jelly beans on the way to work today. I've been walking around offering them to everyone. Some people actually got it. Even the few wacko libs here are greatful when I walk up to them and offer them jellybeans. Once they eat them, I tell them that Jelly Belly was Reagan's favorite brand. Then I just smile keep walking, and ignore the smoke coming from their ears...

we probably won't be able to put his name in kanzi...his name in katakana is as follows

ranarudo re-gan sama then you can put ronin after that

the "R" has a sor of LD sound and the - gives a long sound and it appears in the katakana..i don't have the program on this comp to write it out but i cna e-mail that ot ya

also if you did want to use kanji the word tsuyoi stands for strong, fire is kazi

Sensei,
you honor me by posting my humble unworthy images.

(can I get a free t-shirt?)

Is there a kanji symbol for "cowboy"? Cowboy Ronin would be pretty cool ... it would be comemorative of Reagan and annoying to Europeans.

S

Oooh! It would be a subtle allusion to the connection between The Magnificent Seven and The Seven Samurai, too!

Layered meaning rocks.

S

--I will be proud to be among the ronin for President Reagan!

--I must, however, register my concern for the proposed insignia. Specifically, I don't think it is right to print the kanji over the flag. It really has my old USMC Color Sergeant (yes, there is such a thing) senses tingling...

--Instead, could we make it two sided? For the internet, maybe a .gif file that rotates from the flag to the kanji...? And for a physical "patch" or "badge", it could be two sided- flag and kanji...?

--I completely understand that absolutely NO disrespect was intended... it's just that sometimes, we let our motivation get the best of us and we forget old, forgotten rules of flag ettiquette. For example: wearing the flag as ANY article of clothing is not a good thing... even though we see well meaning people do it all the time.

--Anyway, that's my three cents...

--Ronin forever!!!!

Dog, I respectfully disagree 'bout wearing the flag as an article of clothing being not a good thing. There are lapel pins that are not only flags but things like the "I love NY" with the letters "cut out" of flag look. There are also numerous examples of stars and stripes based designs on sports uniforms.

Granted, this is my opinion, but I'd rather see someone wearing a flag-inspired article of clothing than to watch a tattered, faded, weather-stained rag hanging forgotten on a flag pole.

--Former Hostage, I agree with you. I am talking about things like Kid Rock wearing the flag like a robe at the super bowl, or shirts that are just a United States Flag. Pins, etc. are fantastic and I own lots of them.

--It is all spelled out quite explicitely in the U.S. Flag Manual.

--By the way, I TOTALLY agree about the tattered, forgotten flag! I have had many "discussions" with store managers about that very thing. ...and when they leave it up all night without any lights on it... that one pisses me off big time!!!

DevilDog, I agree and disagree. I gave my son an American Flag bandana, and he wears it with American pride. Just yesterday, I was telling my neighbor that I MUST get a flag before the 4th. I will display it proudly and keep my front porch light on all the time as to not dishonor it in the dark. I used to be responsible for the flag at my previous place of employment. We had 3 on the shelf at all times to replace tattered flags (the snowbelt of northeast MI, we went through a few). We had a place of respect for retired flags and a connection at the VFW hall to dispose of them.

As far as wearing the flag as an article of clothing, it's ALL in the attitude. DON'T make it a patch on the ass of your jeans. Proudly wear a pin, or earrings or t-shirt if it is respectful to Old Glory.

By the way DD, not to suck up or anything, but any number of your posts on the comment thread would be worthy of 1st Prize! I was crying.

Duh! I meant to say the number of the posts for the CAPTION thread..... (Friday night, etc.)

...(previewismyfriend)........(slinking away).....

OT, but "Onward Christian Soldiers" was what first brought me to tears. When GHWB choked up, and W's heartfelt words while looking at Nancy, I was very moved.

--Thanks, MarginMI... that picture really spoke to me (geez... it really did- I went crazy with that one).

--All I was saying about the flag is that the U.S. Flag Manual states, quite clearly, that it is NOT to be WORN as an article of clothing. Clearly, that does not preclude pins, patches, etc. I am sure it was intended for confused, would-be "patriots" like Kid Rock who would wear it as a robe during a rock and/or roll show, all the while rubbing their sweat and grime on it.

--Can you see the difference?

How many United States Presidents does it take to destroy the Soviet Union?

ONE.

There has to be symbols for "red" and "smasher". I always think of him as a 'Red smasher'.

I've got a few ideas on what can be done to fight terrorism.First, VOTE-the right way.
Second, buy as many guns & as much ammo as you can possibly afford,the more we have the less there is for them.
Third, start a boycott list of foreign & liberal owned companies,and then stick to it.

For a t-shirt idea how about a giant Reagan kicking the Berlin wall over.
Another way to fight terrorism is to watch Fox News Channel only for your news,don't give the libs the ratings & it'll keep your mind freer of propaganda.

"Ronin Gaijin"
masterless samurai, foreign barbarian.
But "Ronin cowboy" sounds much better.
How about the kanji with a bowie knife pointing up behind it?

Frank, you nailed the kanji characters, but I'd try for a different font. They look hand-drawn, which is unacceptable for a banner.

Master Reagan's name would only be in katakana, since he is not native Japanese.

(View in unicode or Shift-JIS to see)

レーガン・ロナルド主

The character on the end stands for master. So it is literally "Our master, Ronald Reagan."

I am only a filthy half-breed Jap/White mix, though and a native speaker might think differenly...but that's my 2 yen worth.

1) Sorry, I have to agree with Devil Dog. No image or text should overlay the flag. Ever.

2) You need to find a different version on the internet using ink & brush. The pencil does not stand a chance against the fury of the brush.

3) Frank copied it from About.com's entry for ronin. Copying and pasting this might look a tad better: 浪人

4) Western names are always written as pronounced; first name first, last name last.

5) I know you mean to show respect, but he was a president = daitouryou 大統領 is the proper honorific, I think. ロナルド・レーガン大統領 Minor point, I know, but not to the Founding Fathers.

6) Ronin Kauboi sounds ok, but I have always had problems 'inventing' words in Nihongo. Inventing words without a solid background in any language becomes problematic in authenticity and meaning. It just ends up sounding, well, like crazy English from Japan.

http://www.engrish.com/

Hey I just noticed that the add on you page has a B-1. Another fittng tribute to Reagan. That plane is another example of his military buildup. Without this buildup Gulf War 1, 2, and Afganistan would not have been possible. We have a lot to thank Reagan for including our impressive military

I have a question. Is there any requirement to be a Ronin for Reagan? See, I was born too late to be able to vote for him (actually, I was just figuring out how to walk during his first term), but I have always considered him to be The President that All Other Presidents Shall Be Measured Against (and was seeing red when Clinton was allowed to desecrate the office that Reagan once occupied).

Phoenix

How about "Shining City Ronin"? I have no idea what the Kanji for that would be.

Adamthemadman:

Western names are always written as pronounced; first name first, last name last.

In all the time I've lived in Japan, I've NEVER understood why Westerners do that. I certainly don't - my name in Japanese is always written family name - first name. I say it that way and go by my family name as well. When published, I ask for it to be published that way. A few other Westerners I know here do it correctly (i.e., Japanese style), but most don't. Why in the world do Westerners insist on following Western ways in Japan? Is is simple arrogance, thoughtlessness, what? It can't be ignorance. "When in Rome, do as the Romans do, but in Asia, oh, who cares" eh?

5) I know you mean to show respect, but he was a president = daitouryou 大統領 is the proper honorific, I think. ロナルド・レーガン大統領

Actually, that would be レーガン元大統領 - reegan motodaitouryou, or former President Reagan. But I think さま (-sama) is better in this case because 1. It sounds like an old samurai lord (and come on, no American president would, outside of Frank's World, accept the lifelong fealty of a feudal retainer, right?), 2. 元大統領 is kind of unweildy for a logo, and 3. This is a kind of tongue-in-cheek tribute, ne?

I do agree that brushwork is best, though. Anyway, I'll email Fleming-san my graphics and see what he thinks.

Jyaa nee.

I'll have the requirements for being one of Reagan's Ronin up on it's own page later. I was too young to vote for him too (my first presidental election vote was voting for Dubya).

Frank-
I don't know about you, but I know exactly what I'm going to be doing to help fight in the war on terror; I enlisted in the Army Reserve on Wednesday, and I'm going to be shipping on August 24 to Fort Jackson, South Carolina for Basic Training. My MOS will be Administrative Specialist. To be honest with you, I'm ready to ship out NOW, but I have to finish up with school first, and then I need a little time to say goodbye to my friends and family (actual and extended, such as those in my congregation).

It was my privilege to vote for Ronald Wilson Reagan in my first presidential election in 1980, and again in 1984.

I would be proud to be counted among Reagan's Ronins.

Jennifer, thank you for your service. God bless you and keep you.

Hi Adam-san, (or should I call you Themadman-san? ;-) )

First, sorry if I gave the impression I have Japanese ancestry. I don't. I just live in Japan.

[Note: For those not interested in the whole which-name-first debate, you can skip this whole post. Go Reagan's Ronin!]

On the name order thing, I don't think it has anything at all to do with going native or not. I don't wear my shoes into a Japanese house, I bow when I do kendo, I put my name in the correct order for the language I speak. It is logical, consistent, and respectful.

I maintain my American identity because I AM an American; I will never take Japanese citizenship, even though I'm likely to live here for a decade or two. I love Japanese culture, but have no desire to be Japanese.

On the other hand, you are right that it's simplistic of me to put the blame entirely on Westerners. The Japanese do like to make the foreign conspicuous. They don't know how to use our names properly, though. I used to work for the Self-Defense Forces and knew a Japanese guy who went around calling US Marines by their rank and first name -- "How are you, Major John?" Weird. He was shocked when I explained it to him because "Americans always go by their given names!"

You say we are all on the same page, but that isn't really true. Goosh, above, put Reagan's name into Japanese order. Japanese people who live in the US change their names around in English. In the news, Chinese and Korean leaders' names appear family-then-given name order, but Japanese leaders' names are given-then-family. This is very inconsistent, and illogical.

Let's think about the ramifications for a minute. When you see a name in English, do you know which is the given and which the family name? You won't if everyone follows different rules. You would have to memorize the name conventions for every culture in the world. Example: If I read that the Japanese prime minister is Koizumi Junichiro, and then I meet him (not likely, of course), wouldn't I naturally call him Mr. Junichiro? And wouldn't I get laughed at? If you want to stick purely to writing, then how would you cite a work if you can't tell the family name of the author? (Yes, there are ugly workarounds ...)

The alternative is simple: put every name in the order appropriate to the language being used. Then you will always know which name is which in English, and in Japanese, and in every other language you might speak.

This is simple, consistent, and culturally respectful. It is also NOT the way the world is going. :-(

So let me take a quick stab at this.

Warning. My Japanese is _VERY_ rusty and I'm looking for some guidance here...

レーガン (Reagan)

ロナルド (Ronald)

さま (-sama)

主 (master, suffix of a name)

の ('s (possessive when used after a noun))

浪人 (Ronin)

・ (whitespace)

レーガンさまの・浪人 (Reagan-sama's Ronin) (?)

Does this look correct? At all?

Hi, bloatboy,

That looks good to me, except Japanese doesn't use whitespace between words, so you can drop that.

I suggest a two-character combo of "Rei" and "Gun" (pro: "ray-goon"). Meanings of the characters are "respect" and "military" -- as in, "Reagan the Respectful Warrior", or "A little respect or we're comin' over there to kick your ass", or, simply, "Respect *this*, pal!"

The characters would appear as so:
礼軍

You could even run 'em all together "Reagan's Ronin"
礼軍浪人

Seppo

PS -- alternatively, "rei" can also mean "actor" or "spirit". Both appropriate.

Further on the above, after reading through some of the comments, it is wholly appropriate for a non-Japanese to use a Kanji name. I have done so in the business world for years with zero Japanese blood in me, and it is suiting for a man like Mr Reagan. With that in mind, "Reigun's Ronin" is your best bet. There are double-meanings in it, too, which suit the Japanese sense of wordplay. For example, combining 'ronin', a lost warrior, with the character for martial/military.

I await your hat-tip, good sir.

Japanese love it when you look things up and make up new words.

We get the same thrill when they make up english. I'm a Japanese-American that has lived and worked in Japan and "yasaijin" was my word for vegetarian. The Japs loved that. And "A wonderful timing is shortfarce love wonder for your life!" is de rigeur for Engrish.

Good times.