Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Top Stories

A Salute to President Jimmy Carter’s Life and Untold Contributions to Humanity

Opinion

A Salute to President Jimmy Carter’s Life and Untold Contributions to Humanity

US President Jimmy Carter smiles broadly as he attends a town hall meeting held at North High School, Torrance, California, September 22, 1980.

(Photo by Diana Walker/Getty Images)

At 100 years old, former President of the United States Jimmy Carter passed away on December 29, leaving a legacy of untold contributions to humanity. His tenure as Governor of Georgia was marked by denouncing the vestiges of racial segregation, strengthening the state's educational systems, and conducting governmental reform, which foreshadowed his combination of liberal social policies and fiscal conservatism as the 39th U.S. President.

Pat Merloe, contributor of many writings to the Fulcrum, shared this moving tribute:


"Upon founding The Carter Center, he and his wife and lifelong partner Rosalynn Carter championed causes for public health (including the eradication of the Guinea worm disease), promoted peaceful means for preventing and ending violent conflicts, and aided efforts to secure democracy through observing elections in numerous countries. I had the privilege of working closely with President Carter in elections on four continents, witnessing firsthand his ability to help opposing sides reconcile and peacefully accept credible electoral outcomes. That ability was based on his steadfast reputation for seeking truth through facts and pursuing the common good rather than seeking political favor or popularity. His strength was combined with warmth, and I always felt honored when he would greet me by saying, "There is my friend."

President and Rosalynn Carter's contributions will endure through The Carter Center, Habitat for Humanity, and the incalculable number of people whose lives they touched. We can benefit from reflecting on these words from his 1981 farewell presidential address: "[W]e know that democracy is always an unfinished creation. Each generation must renew its foundations. Each generation must rediscover the meaning of this hallowed vision in the light of its own modern challenges." And from his 1977 inaugural address: "Because we are free, we can never be indifferent to the fate of freedom elsewhere." It is up to each of us to meet those injunctions."

As we pay tribute to President Jimmy Carter, let us capture the profound impact and humanity of this great man by sharing some quotes from those who knew him best:

Former President Bill Clinton: "Jimmy Carter has always been a beacon of hope and a champion for peace and human rights. His dedication to improving the lives of others, even after leaving office, is truly inspiring."

Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter: "Jimmy and I have shared a remarkable journey together. His unwavering faith and commitment to service have made a lasting impact on the world."

Nobel Peace Prize Committee: "Jimmy Carter's tireless efforts in promoting peace, democracy, and human rights have earned him a place among the world's most respected leaders."

Habitat for Humanity Co-Founder Millard Fuller: "Working alongside Jimmy Carter on Habitat builds has been one of the greatest honors of my life. His humility and dedication to helping others are unmatched."

Former U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young: "Jimmy Carter's legacy is one of compassion, integrity, and a relentless pursuit of justice. He has set a high bar for all of us to follow."

Those words from those who admired and loved him indeed speak to the man President Jimmy Carter was. But some quotes from the man himself perhaps best convey the heart and soul of the 39th President of the United States.

"I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over. The test of a government is not how popular it is with the powerful and privileged few, but how honestly and fairly it deals with the many who must depend upon it."

Inaugural address as Governor of Georgia. ( Carter Presidential Library)

"Our great nation now teeters on the brink of a widening abyss. Without immediate action, we are at genuine risk of civil conflict and losing our precious democracy. Americans must set aside differences and work together before it is too late."

Carter in a New York Times op-ed, January 5, 2022.

"We must adjust to changing times and still hold to unchanging principles."

This one's actually from Carter's grade-school teacher, Julia Coleman. Carter quoted it during his Nobel Peace Prize addressin 2002.

"The bond of our common humanity is stronger than the divisiveness of our fears and prejudices."

Carter's closing remarksduring that same Nobel Peace Prize address.

"I have one life and one chance to make it count for something. I'm free to choose that something … my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I can, whenever I can, for as long as I can."

Undated quote, cited by Carter's niece at Maranatha Baptist Church on February 19, 2023. ( AP)

David Nevins is co-publisher of The Fulcrum and co-founder and board chairman of the Bridge Alliance Education Fund.

Pat Merloe is a member of the Election Reformers Network Advisory Council and provides strategic advice on democracy and elections in the U.S. and internationally..

Read More

Financial Pressures Mount for Rural Hospitals As Federal Support Programs Expire

Lincoln Health is a rural hospital in the small town of Hugo, Colorado. CEO Kevin Stansbury expressed serious concerns about the hospital's future amid federal cuts to Medicaid and expiring federal programs.

Financial Pressures Mount for Rural Hospitals As Federal Support Programs Expire

WASHINGTON — Health care administrators across rural America say financial pressures are mounting as federal support programs expire and Medicaid cuts take effect, putting many facilities at risk of closure.

In Hugo, Colorado — a town of fewer than 1,000 people — that reality is familiar. Lincoln Health, a 25-bed hospital and the only facility on the nearly 600-mile stretch of I-70 between Denver and Kansas City, Missouri, has faced financial strain for years.

Keep ReadingShow less
A person on their phone, using a type of artificial intelligence.

AI is transforming the workplace faster than ever. Experts warn that automation could reshape jobs, wages, and opportunities for millions of American workers.

Getty Images, d3sign

AI Reshapes the American Workplace—But Where Are the Jobs?

In recent years, American workers have been going through an unprecedented experiment in how we work. During the COVID pandemic and social distancing, U.S. businesses embraced the latest online technologies to vastly expand remote work. That, in turn, ushered in the slow creep of artificial intelligence (AI) applications into every crack and seam of society, including in the workplace.

If 2023 was about increasing adoption of AI coming out of the pandemic, experts are saying 2025-26 will be when companies implement deeper changes in the workplace based on ever more pervasive AI.

Keep ReadingShow less
​Jimmy Kimmel onstage during the 67th GRAMMY Awards

Jimmy Kimmel onstage during the 67th GRAMMY Awards on February 01, 2025, in Los Angeles, California

Getty Images, Johnny Nunez

Why the Fight Over Jimmy Kimmel Matters for Us All

There are moments in a nation’s cultural life that feel, at first, like passing storms—brief, noisy, and soon forgotten. But every so often, what begins as a squall reveals itself as a warning: a sign that something far bigger is at stake. The initial cancellation of Jimmy Kimmel by Disney, along with the coordinated blackout from network affiliates like Nexstar and Sinclair, is one of those moments. It’s not merely another skirmish in the endless culture wars. Actually, it is a test of whether we, as a society, can distinguish between the discomfort of being challenged and the danger of being silenced.

The irony is rich, almost to the point of being absurd. Here is a late-night comedian, a man whose job is to puncture the pompous and needle the powerful, finding himself at the center of a controversy. A controversy bigger than anything he’d ever lampooned. Satire that, depending on your perspective, was either too pointed or simply pointed in the wrong direction. Yet, that was not the ostensible reason.

Keep ReadingShow less
A child looking at a cellphone at night.

AI is changing childhood. Kevin Frazier explains why it's critical for parents and mentors to start having the “AI talk” and teach kids safe, responsible AI use.

Getty Images, Elva Etienne

The New Talk: The Need To Discuss AI With Kids

“[I]t is a massively more powerful and scary thing than I knew about.” That’s how Adam Raine’s dad characterized ChatGPT when he reviewed his son’s conversations with the AI tool. Adam tragically died by suicide. His parents are now suing OpenAI and Sam Altman, the company’s CEO, based on allegations that the tool contributed to his death.

This tragic story has rightfully caused a push for tech companies to institute changes and for lawmakers to institute sweeping regulations. While both of those strategies have some merit, computer code and AI-related laws will not address the underlying issue: our kids need guidance from their parents, educators, and mentors about how and when to use AI.

Keep ReadingShow less