The funeral service for former President James Earl Carter was an event of the magnitude deserving of someone who lived a life dedicated to helping others. The theme of that event attended by President Joseph Biden, who delivered the eulogy, and four remaining living former Presidents, was character. Speaker after speaker described Jimmy Carter as a humble man from the aptly named town of Plains, Georgia, as a man of integrity and honesty with an enormous heart and commitment to helping fellow citizens regardless of where they came from, the color of their skin, or who they chose for a mate—citizens, not only of the United States but throughout the world. Such was the character the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. often talked about when he said people should be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
We will honor the memory of Dr. King on Monday, January 20, a national holiday and day of remembrance held in his honor to reflect on the values and principles he promoted that taught many Americans how to be tolerant of each other, if not how to love. Ironically, on that same day, President-elect Donald J. Trump will be sworn in for a second term as President of the United States. There could not be a starker contrast between the character of Carter and King and that of Trump. Carter and King sought to unite Americans and others in the world. Trump has been the Divider-in-Chief, never passing up an opportunity to demonize his perceived enemies, which usually means any Democrat in the news.
It has been 45 years since Carter left the White House, so many Americans have little recollection of his presidency. He was castigated during his presidency as ineffective as he presided over an economy plagued by high inflation and stagnant economic growth, which many economists attributed to his predecessor, Richard Nixon’s decision to abandon the gold standard, which devalued the dollar and triggered a rise in the price of imports. Republicans hammered him during the 1980 election campaign for his so-called “malaise” speech to describe the mood of the American electorate. Carter never uttered the word, but the GOP spin masters made it stick to him like glue.
It took him decades of selfless work to regain his dignity and the public’s respect, and people only talked about what he accomplished after his presidency, which was generally viewed as a failure. During the funeral, Stu Eizenstat, Carter’s chief domestic policy advisor, took it upon himself to set the record straight. He provided a litany of Carter’s accomplishments that have been overlooked for decades, most notably the Camp David Accords, which brokered a peace agreement between Israel and Egypt that stands today and earned Carter the Nobel Peace Prize.
Carter created the Department of Education at the cabinet level, assembled multiple education agencies under one roof, and provided funding for schools in low-income communities where property taxes were nonexistent. He deregulated airlines, trucking, and telecommunications, which spurred growth in those industries. He was far ahead of others in making the country energy-independent and preparing for the coming global warming crisis by installing solar panels on the White House roof. He eventually tamed inflation by selecting Paul Volker to be chair of the Federal Reserve, albeit too late to save his embattled presidency.
Carter’s grandson, Jason, provided more detail about the Carter Center’s work in Africa, helping to eradicate Guinea worm disease. When they began their campaign in 1986, there were an estimated 3.5 annual cases of the disease known as “the fiery serpent” across 21 countries. Bringing together many governments, partners, and donors, just 14 cases across five countries were reported in 2023.
Each of us has the opportunity to choose who we are. We can choose to love, hate, or be indifferent. I may not agree with your ideology or values, and you may not agree with mine. Convince me if you can that I should change my heart or mind. I will listen. Be yourself, and let me be me. Let’s get to it if we can work for the common good despite our differences. Democracy allows us to reach consensus through discussion and compromise. As Jimmy Carter once said, “We become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams.”