Jimmy Carter, in Memoriam

Jimmy Carter was too good for us.

Born on October 1, 1924 in Plains, GA & a good chunk of his adulthood was spent in public service. He served in the US Navy during World War II, & continued to serve in the Naval Reserve after the War. From 1963 to 1967, he was a member of the Georgia State Senate. From 1971 to 1975, he was the Governor of Georgia. From 1977 to 1981, he was the 39th President of the United States.

Unfortunately, what that service is remembered for is the first federal government shutdown, an energy crisis, the Iran hostage crisis, the Three Mile accident, the Nicaraguan Revolution, & the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. (Talk about unfortunate timing!) Any one of those things would have been a lot for anybody. The Carter administration also created the Department of Education & the Department of Energy. Jimmy Carter also pardoned all Vietnam War draft evaders & worked diligently for the release of the hostages in Iran.

After his presidency, Jimmy Carter participated in peace talks whenever asked. (As such, President Bill Clinton suggested that Jimmy Carter have a role in the Northern Ireland peace process in 1993.) He also created the Carter Center to promote & expand human rights, receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 in for his work with the center. Jimmy Carter spent significant time writing books on a variety of topics. In 2004, he & Nelson Mandela participated in The Elders, a group of independent global leaders who work together on peace & human rights issues.

Jimmy Carter was married to Rosalynn Carter from 1946 until her death in 2023. Together, they frequently helped to build houses for those in need with Habitat for Humanity.

Jimmy Carter passed away on December 29, 2024 at the age of 100. Regardless of what we think about his politics or his presidency, he has earned respect. He was genuinely a good human being & put his principals into practice on a daily basis.


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