On December 29, 2024, former US President, Jimmy Carter, a man of integrity and honesty who worked hard to advance human rights and democracy, passed away. President Donald Trump stated that “the challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country, and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude.”

A story like this often has humble beginnings. On October 1, 1924, a baby boy named James Earl Carter was born on a peanut farm in Plains, Georgia, to James Senior, a peanut farmer, and Lilian Carter, a nurse. 22 years later, James married Rosalyn Smith in 1946, a year after the conclusion of World War II. President Carter and Rosalyn had 4 kids. 16 years later, he was elected to the Georgian Senate in America. In 1971 Carter had a new title: Governor of Georgia. He was known at the time for criticizing segregation and became a new hero for the South.

Finally, Carter was elected as 39th president of the United States of America in 1977. While he was president, in addition to needing to control inflation, he faced an energy crisis. His administration prepared a long term national energy policy for energy conservation and the development of alternative resources. He said “energy conservation is more than just common sense, but is also an act of patriotism.” He was the first world leader who ever realized the importance of global warming and the danger of climate change. His administration tried to control the problem by increasing green space and national parks.

Human rights were most likely the most important foreign policy accomplishment of President Carter. He believed in human rights as a broader concept which included socioeconomic rights, and he attempted to make it a national priority. The Camp David agreement between Israel and Egypt was his greatest foreign policy accomplishment, preventing the Arab-Israeli war. He also negotiated the return of the Panama Canal to prevent extensive war with Latin America, despite opposition from future President Ronald Regan and conservatives.

Unfortunately, Carter faced an Iranian hostage crisis in the U.S embassy in Tehran when requesting to exchange the Shah with hostages. Carter ended the crisis the day before Ronald Regan was inaugurated, but Regan was credited because the hostages were released on Regan’s inauguration day. Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 due to helping many people regardless of race or ethnicity. I do believe President Carter never received the respect and recognition he truly deserved up to his death. Let's all observe a moment of silence in honor of President Carter, who was once the world’s leader in human rights.