President Jimmy Carter: A moral compass for our times
Bob Brown
My wife and I took our daughters to Disney World in 1997, and after doing so took a quick side trip into southern Georgia to visit the Andersonville Stockade where our Civil War ancestor was held in the rebel prison. We realized while there that Plains, Georgia, was only about 20 miles away, and so decided to make that quick trip to the retirement home of former President Jimmy Carter.
We picked up a few small sacks of Carter peanuts and sat in the chairs of the classroom where the former President went to school. We learned that Carter, a fundamentalist Baptist, would be teaching Sunday School the following morning. To make our return flight to Montana, though, we regretfully couldn’t stay in Plains for church. We missed meeting Jimmy Carter and never had another opportunity to do so.
After arriving home, I gave the Carter peanuts to some Democrat friends and was a little surprised by their mixed reactions. Some considered him self-righteous and uncompromising. He was publicly lampooned by Republican Senate Leader Bob Dole as well as Democrat Speaker of the House Tip O’Neil.
Become a Subscriber!
You have read all of your free articles this month. Select a plan below to start your subscription today.
Already a subscriber? Login
