There are two primary things history has taught us to regard with wariness: power and faith. With good reason, we distrust those who gain (or worse, are born with) unreasonable power, invariably propelled by wealth; the more ardent one’s faith, the more likely it is their spirituality is performative, compensating for misdeeds, or else–and in some senses, even worse–genuinely held (how often have the most atrocious acts been committed by those who are absolutely certain the God they believe in abets their behavior, not to mention their prejudices?).
Jimmy Carter is the single American I can think of who combined legit faith and serious power in the service of good; he used every bit of his influence to empower others; he fought ignorance and injustice at every turn, he spoke hard truths those not insulated by security are unable to repeat; he did the unthinkable by acting in accordance to what the savior he believed in actually *said* (hint: Jesus was not a big fan of capitalism or material things or might making right, or war or violence or judgment and especially bullying).
Carter spent the last several decades so positively and with such purpose that he actually makes the debate about whether or not he was a good president a secondary matter (his one unforgivable sin: he spoke to Americans like adults and asked them to consider making some sacrifices); I can’t think of many heads of state, ever, we might say this about. When he had earned every right to retire, he still woke up earlier and did more good than dedicated acolytes half his age, when he was old enough to be in assisted living he still strapped on his belt and built houses, when he had walked the walk long enough that even many (some?) Republicans had no choice but to tip the hat, he refused a victory lap, and kept doing what he knew was right, and with an attitude that seems almost anti-American (in all the best ways), he truly didn’t seem to care whether anyone noticed.
I often look to artists as my role models, for all the obligatory reasons, and I seldom regard politicians with approbation or for inspiration (because, obvi) but Jimmy Carter was among a relative handful of powerful, influential human beings I did –and will– look at and think “How can I be more like him?”
RIP to an American icon and World Class Servant of Humanity.
