BLOG 11/28/17. JIMMY CARTER: UNDER-APPRECIATED ROLE MODEL

BLOG 11/28/17. JIMMY CARTER: UNDER-APPRECIATED ROLE MODEL

A few weeks ago here in Atlanta, the ambassador from Argentina bestowed, on former president Jimmy Carter, Argentina’s highest award for his role as a major international voice in opposing the brutal dictatorship of Juan Peron, while Carter was president of the United States. It brought to my mind how the Washington establishment and so many of the pundits still have a difficult appreciating what a remarkable role-model Jimmy Carter was in his one-term presidency. I suppose that I am more than a little biased, living as I do in Atlanta where the Carter Presidential Center is such a dynamic part of this city’s life, and in its very fruitful international ministries of monitoring elections in troubled nations, in eliminating the plague of guinea-worms in under-developed nations, and in Mrs. Carter’s efforts on behalf of mental health. I am more aware of some since my late wife was a docent at the Carter Presidential Center for fourteen years, and on several occasions, with her, I was able to engage President Carter in brief conversations, and found him such a friendly and transparent person.

But he was never accepted in Washington. First of all, he was a Southerner, which still carries with it some subtle discrimination among many. Jimmy Carter was a South Georgia farmer, a graduate of the Naval Academy, a respected citizen, a state legislator then governor of Georgia. In that role, he looked at what was taking place in the presidency in Washington, and decided that he could do better than that, and so ran for president, and, remarkably, won. But he was an outsider. He exacerbated Washington’s suspicions by taking his own “peanut brigade” with him to be his White House staff. His own Democratic Party (Tip O’Neill, et al) never really accepted or supported him, even though Carter was in every sense a political progressive on social issues, such as the party espoused.

Early on, on being interviewed by the press, he candidly professed to being “a born-again Christian” which designation didn’t compute with the reporters. What he was saying was that he had an inertial-guidance system in himself that came from his relationship with God. These years later that inertial guidance system is still giving him energy to engage in so many fruitful ministries. He obviously made some mistakes and mis-judgements. Every president does. But he pulled off the Camp David Accords between Israeli Prime Minister Begin and Egyptian President Sadat. He reminded the two them, in that intense confrontation, that they were both from religions that traced their roots back to their common ancestor, Abraham. For this accomplishment, President Carter ultimately received the Nobel Peace Award.

Given the dismaying chaos that is currently present in the presidency, it is refreshing to remember what a model of integrity Jimmy Carter was and is. One can point to his failures, but one never doubted his integrity, that he was a person of truth, and a champion of peace, order, and justice. And when he was defeated after one term, he did not pout, but immediately put together the Carter Presidential Center to engage the world problems of peacemaking, reconciliation, and global health. Abroad he is still one of America’s most revered leaders. Add to that, that his involvement in the work of Habitat for Humanity in providing homes for low income people. At 93 years of age, he still participates regularly and physically in these home building projects.

Some presidents are actors, or political personas, or politicians who simply must win at any cost, and leave one wondering what they’re really like—whose integrity is always in question. Not so with Jimmy Carter. He is modest, principled, caring, and still bearing fruit in old age. And yet he is still so under-appreciated as a good role model for leadership. I couldn’t resist writing this blog and celebrating my appreciation for him. The award from the Argentine government reminded me of this. Stay tuned … [And invite your friends to subscribe to this blog. Thanks.]

About rthenderson

Sixty years a pastor-teacher within the Presbyterian Church. Author of several books, the latest of which are a trilogy on missional ecclesiology: ENCHANTED COMMUNITY: JOURNEY INTO THE MYSTERY OF THE CHURCH, then, REFOUNDING THE CHURCH FROM THE UNDERSIDE, then THE CHURCH AND THE RELENTLESS DARKNESS. Previous to this trilogy was A DOOR OF HOPE: SPIRITUAL CONFLICT IN PASTORAL MINISTRY, and SUBVERSIVE JESUS, RADICAL FAITH. I am a native of West Palm Beach, Florida, a graduate of Davidson College, then of Columbia and Westminster Theological Seminaries.
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One Response to BLOG 11/28/17. JIMMY CARTER: UNDER-APPRECIATED ROLE MODEL

  1. Dottie Coltrane says:

    I could not agree more! President Carter has been one of my heroes for many years, as you know from all the years Betty and I volunteered together at The Carter Center. We are not the only ones, as was demonstrated by the thousands of beautiful cards, many with lengthy hand-written letters enclosed, that came to the Center’s correspondence office in the weeks after Jimmy Carter shared the news of his cancer diagnosis. It was truly “an avalanche of love.”

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