Some of my fondest memories are of listening to and watching the late, great Ronald Reagan give his famous speeches concerning the Red Menace: the Soviet Union.

Last weekend was my 15-year high school reunion. I know, I’m getting old — Father Time has really flown.

I missed my five- and 10-year reunions because of military commitments, so it was really great to see everyone again.

I guess after seeing friends from times past it’s natural to reflect on those times. Nostalgia sets in, and it seems as though those times were so innocent.

The ’80s. It was a time of spandex and big hair. Flamboyant British synthesizer pop dominated the airwaves in the early ’80s, and then gave way to cheesy big-hair metal in the late ’80s.

Some of my fondest memories are of listening to and watching the late, great Ronald Reagan give his famous speeches concerning the Red Menace: the Soviet Union. His voice was soothing to listen to, and made you feel safe.

The Soviet Union was such a great enemy to rouse a nation against. Back then the USSR — or CCCP in Cyrillic — was terrifying. Everyone feared the thought of the impending World War III, which would indefinitely lead to the nuclear destruction of the world.

It’s funny how the USSR seems so benign now, when you compare it with today’s threat, Islamic radicals.

The scare is similar: With the USSR, we were worried about the spread of communism; today we’re worried about the spread of radical Islam.

With the USSR, we were worried about the indiscriminant killing possible with nuclear weapons; today we’re worried about the indiscriminant killing possible with suicidal Islamic fundamentalists — who could quite possibly have a nuclear weapon.

With the Soviet Union, you could at least put a face on the enemy. We faced them in the Olympics, after all, in their bright red uniforms with CCCP scrawled across their chests, like mysterious supermen and superwomen.

I guess the Islamic fundamentalists can’t really put together a team to compete in the Olympics.

Hopefully in 20 years we’ll be able to look back and see the current threat as benign as we see the Soviet threat now.

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