Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
Johnathan Alter’s His Very Best: Jimmy Carter, A Life is a fascinating account of the 39th President of the United States. As a boy he grew up in Georgia in a home without electricity or running water. Carter lived on a farm with his family where he worked doing basic chores. As a young man he became a Christian in the Baptist church, and later joined the navy where he became a nuclear engineer.
In retirement after his father’s death, he moved back to
Plains, Georgia, with his wife Rosalynn, and ran the peanut business. Carter
entered politics, became governor of the state, and eventually won the national
election against Gerald Ford to be President. As a former Southern governor, he
had to deal with the politics of race. At first, he was lukewarm, tried to stay
out of the fray, but eventually came to champion human rights.
Carter was known for his strong Christian faith. His
administration was progressive, and was instrumental in brokering an Israel-Palestine
peace, environmental achievements, and improved relations with China. His
downfall came with his handling of the Iranian crisis. Rosalynn made her mark
as a presidential advisor, ambassador to Latin America, and work on mental
health. He was eventually defeated in the national election by Ronald Reagan.
In retirement Carter continued to work on the national and
international scene. He would teach Sunday school classes. Habitat for Humanity
has been a glowing success. The Carter Center has monitored elections in several
countries around the world. It has received philanthropical support for
humanitarian projects in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Thousands of lives
were saved with the eradication of water-borne diseases in countries of
Africa.
Comments
Post a Comment