Jan.01

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Reader Reflections on Jimmy Carter, Part II

As we noted yesterday, we have many reader comments on Jimmy Carter, his life, and his passing. Here are another half dozen of those:

• D.M. in Burnsville, MN: I write to "Mr. Carter," not to "President Carter" nor to any hifalutin person.

  Dear Mr. Carter:
  
  It was necessary to the republic that you happened to be available. I had been wandering in the political background and saw both Tricky Dick and Trust Me Ronnie employing their skills. I watched with horror, and inability to be effectual, in Chicago in 1968. After that debacle, I decided to be a significant spear chucker (can I say that these days?) for the liberal causes. All it got me was a couple of neat kumbayas, and an even neater wife.
  
  Mr. Carter, I never knew you. But I was an early Peace Corps Volunteer. I believe that I knew what you intended. And I also think that you had a good idea of what all of us wanted for our own lives and for those lives of our grandchildren.

• K.G. in Madison, WI: The first presidential election I could vote in was the Carter-Ford election of 1976. I was 19, and having saved money for a couple years I was travelling around Europe by myself. But I wasn't going to miss my first chance to vote. I arranged to have an absentee ballot sent to the youth hostel in Edinburgh, Scotland. I didn't know where I would be before or after that, but I would arrive in Edinburgh to vote. In those days, non-U.S. nationals could witness my voting, so I asked two gals from New Zealand who were at the Hostel. They were thrilled to be part of the process and I was thrilled to vote.
  
  Jimmy Carter was very popular in much of Europe. My parents were travelling from Poland to Czechoslovakia a couple years later and when they went through customs, the Czech border guard took one look at their passports and waived them on, saying, "Jimmy Carter, Jimmy Carter, go ahead!"
  
  Of course there were things he did (especially in Latin America) that bothered me, but his sincerity, honesty, and decency were so refreshing in those post-Watergate years. Godspeed, Jimmy.
  
  
• C.M. in Frisco, TX: Circa 1987, my 10th-grade history teacher spoke about Jimmy Carter, remarking that he may have been our smartest president, but that he tried to read too many documents and reports rather than relying on summaries and recommendations from staff and thus was unable to make timely decisions. That may or may not be true but it may explain some outcomes.
  
  But I've also heard it said that he may be America's best former president, in that via the Carter Center and other initiatives, he's likely done more good than any other. The 1980 election was the first one I remember following (my father was a Reagan man). I have great admiration and respect for Carter, and the world is a much better place because of him (and also Rosalynn), and I heartily agree that regardless of politics or views of his presidency, he was our best former president and remains a model of what a former president should be and do.
  
  
• K.C. in San Diego, CA: I first saw Jimmy Carter when he was giving a speech at Southern Illinois University, in 1976. It was billed as a major speech. Unfortunately, some Bible-thumper had hidden himself in a tree the night before... with a bullhorn. As the candidate began his speech, hellfire and damnation rang out from the tree. Evidently someone had removed the ladder, as it was impossible to climb the tree to shut him up. The speech and rally ground to a halt.
  
  When Habitat for Humanity built houses in Tijuana, Mexico, in 1990, the San Diego County Democratic Party chartered two buses to hear President Carter speak at the dedication. He was not interrupted at this event.
  
  
• D.W. in Phoenix, AZ: I thank Mr. Carter from the very bottom of my heart for giving me the opportunity to vote for a very good man. My proudest vote...
  
  No nuance, no context; a mensch.
  
  
• R.N. in Cleveland, OH: In 2010, President Carter came to Cleveland for a book signing. He became ill as the plane landed and he was brought to the hospital where I was working as a nurse. I had the honor and privilege of being a bedside caregiver to the former president. I just wanted to say, at a time he clearly didn't feel well and was having a not so great day, he exhibited kindness, patience, grace, and politeness. He even managed to crack a few jokes despite not feeling well.
  
  As a nurse, we see a lot and deal with a lot and my greatest impression of President Carter was just the kindness and humanity he exhibited. He didn't want to be a bother to anyone and was more interested with how we were all doing than with his own condition. It struck me that he kept apologizing "for all this fuss" even as it was our job to help him. I feel deeply honored to have been able to help the man on that day and consider it one of the highest points in my long nursing career.

Six more on Thursday! (Z)