Carter Leads by Example Again

Jimmy Carter was the first president I remember from growing up. I approved of him in general, but he did teach me something, even at a fairly young age, about the difference between a leader and a politician. President Carter was not the most effective politician in our country’s history.

He was, however, an excellent leader, even as president. He became more effective out of office than he was within it, accomplishing more as he avoided most of the politics. Providing a strong, ethical role model for public life is something he continues to do, and our country would be so much better off if more people were willing to pay attention, particularly right now.

The conservative/evangelical war on women has kicked into high gear in the last year or so. It’s taken erosion of access to safe abortions and the demonization of contraception for many people to notice that these conservative evangelicals really don’t like women’s freedom. Only in the last month or so has it affected political polling numbers among women.

President Carter, however, noticed this a few years ago. Yes, he was behind the times, but he’s always been deeply influenced by religion, and that still put him ahead of the curve among the strongly religious. Eventually, though, even he had to take note of the obvious. What he did when he noticed is something other people should be paying attention to now.

It is simply self-defeating for any community to discriminate against half its population. We need to challenge these self-serving and outdated attitudes and practices – as we are seeing in Iran where women are at the forefront of the battle for democracy and freedom.

I understand, however, why many political leaders can be reluctant about stepping into this minefield. Religion, and tradition, are powerful and sensitive areas to challenge. But my fellow Elders and I, who come from many faiths and backgrounds, no longer need to worry about winning votes or avoiding controversy – and we are deeply committed to challenging injustice wherever we see it.

The Elders are an independent group of eminent global leaders, brought together by former South African president Nelson Mandela, who offer their influence and experience to support peace building, help address major causes of human suffering and promote the shared interests of humanity. We have decided to draw particular attention to the responsibility of religious and traditional leaders in ensuring equality and human rights and have recently published a statement that declares: “The justification of discrimination against women and girls on grounds of religion or tradition, as if it were prescribed by a Higher Authority, is unacceptable.”

We are calling on all leaders to challenge and change the harmful teachings and practices, no matter how ingrained, which justify discrimination against women. We ask, in particular, that leaders of all religions have the courage to acknowledge and emphasise the positive messages of dignity and equality that all the world’s major faiths share.

President Carter didn’t just stand up to the leaders of his faith, either. He left the Southern Baptist Convention. He abandoned his religion when it didn’t meet his ideals. He stopped attending, stopped contributing, stopped lending his name and his moral authority to a tradition that was hurting others.

His religion and his commitment to making the world a better place were both deeply ingrained parts of his identity. When they came into conflict, he made the hard, correct choice of putting his ethics first. That’s integrity.

As the churches continue to exert an influence that is both terribly harmful (not just to women) and out of step with the mores of even their own believers, it’s time we remind those individual believers what integrity looks like on these matters. It’s time to tell them to once again look to President Carter as the leader he is.

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Carter Leads by Example Again
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8 thoughts on “Carter Leads by Example Again

  1. 1

    He not only left his church, he made a loud and public announcement, outlining exactly the reasons he left. The reasons, largely had to do with their treatment of women. He is one of my favorite presidents!

  2. 2

    Whatever others may think of Carter, I’ve always admired his commitment to the truth as he sees it, his determination to constantly reassess what he does see as truth, and then make those tough choices. While I can’t really relate to the power of religion in his life, I can see and accept it. His decision to leave The Southern Baptist Church had to be incredibly difficult for him, and demonstrates his intense moral fiber.

  3. 3

    Carter, unlike all the men who followed him as president (and many of his predecessors), is a moral person. He actually gives a damn about his fellow human beings.

  4. 4

    Re Tis Himself @ #3

    He actually gives a damn about his fellow human beings.

    Unless they are Jews living in Israel, in which case, anti-Semite Jimmy Peanut advocates throwing them under the bus.

  5. 5

    Much of the world breathed a sigh of relief with the peaceful end to the Iranian Hostage Crisis. Many Americans were mad at Carter for not satifying their thirst for vengence.

  6. 6

    Re slc1: The far right in Israel believe that the land was given to them by god. The Palestinians think THEY are divinely entitled to the same land. The two groups hate each other, and they teach their children to hate each other. Anyone who teaches a child to hate deserves to be thrown under the bus.

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