“On December 23, 1981, Reagan held a private meeting at the White House with the Polish ambassador, Romuald Spasowski. That very day, Spasowski and his wife defected…

As Spasowski’s wife wept, the ambassador said to Reagan: “May I ask you a favor, Mr. President? Would you light a candle and put in the window tonight for the people of Poland?”

…In the speech, he connected the spirit of the season with events in Poland: “For a thousand years,” he told his fellow Americans, “Christmas has been celebrated in Poland, a land of deep religious faith, but this Christmas brings little joy to the courageous Polish people. They have been betrayed by their own government.”

…said Reagan. “Let the light of millions of candles in American homes give notice that the light of freedom is not going to be extinguished.”

The candles, said Reagan, would also shine as a Christmas reminder of our blessings and “solemn obligation” to “the God who guides us.”…

Yet, there was another story behind the speech that isn’t remembered, but is likewise revealing. Reagan had started the speech with a wonderful opening about the reason for the season: the Christ child…

But, alas, …the next day, those opening lines to Reagan’s speech were removed from the transcript printed in the newspaper.

To read the complete article and see what Reagan really said click on this link: http://spectator.org/archives/2012/12/24/candles-in-solidarity?nomobile=1