Jimmy Carter leaves a legacy.
An earnest Georgia peanut farmer becomes the 39th President of the United States, leaves a legacy for the Palestinian people with the bestselling book "Peace Not Apartheid."
Back in Allentown! Home sweet home! Stay warm! It is cold, but our hearts are warm. Our houses may be small, but our hearts are warm & welcoming!
Important news: On Wednesday, January 8th, from 5-7 pm at Cathedral Church of the Nativity, 321 Wyandotte St., Bethlehem, Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) invites everyone to join the event "Divest from oppression, invest in our communities." We hope many of you can attend this significant program.
I felt obliged and compelled to post a tribute after the passing of President Carter, reflecting on the accomplishments of the Carter administration.
The National Day of Mourning declared for former President Jimmy Carter includes a six-day state funeral that commenced on Saturday in Georgia.
The ceremonies for President Carter, the longest-lived president, including his flag-draped casket, will conclude on Thursday, January 9, 2025, at the U.S. Capitol.
Jimmy Carter's casket will be buried beside Rosalynn Carter, his wife of 77 years, at their longtime home in Plains, Georgia.
President Carter encountered significant challenges with a struggling economy and the hostage crisis, but he successfully brokered peace in 1979 between Israel and Egypt, based on the 1978 Camp David Accords.
He was highly critical of Obama, stating that Obama should have recognize Palestine when he had both houses of Congress.
Jimmy Carter called for a UN Security Council resolution to reaffirm the illegality of all Israeli settlements beyond the 1967 borders.
He was instrumental in the fruition of the Panama Canal treaties in 1978 and in advancing disease prevention and eradication in developing nations.
He initiated the Habitat for Humanity project and was subsequently awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his decades of humanitarian work, advocacy for human rights, efforts to combat hunger and institutional racism, and for being a voice for the disenfranchised.
The Carter Center in Atlanta has dispatched international election-monitoring delegations to polls worldwide and has also resolved conflicts globally, including those in Ethiopia, Eritrea, Bosnia, and Haiti.
A Southern Baptist Sunday school teacher since his teens, he brought a strong sense of morality and sincerity to the presidency, speaking openly about his religious faith.
He wrote over twenty books; however, two books on Palestine which vocalize the flight of Palestinians - “The Blood of Abraham: Insights into the Middle East” and "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid,” which became the bestseller.
Carter criticized Israel's policies in the West Bank and Gaza, contending that Israel's settlements in the Occupied Territories were the primary impediment to peace.
He said: “Americans don’t want to know, and many Israelis don’t want to know what is going on inside Palestine. It’s a terrible human rights persecution that far transcends what any outsider would imagine,” said Carter in 2007. “And there are powerful political forces in America that prevent any objective analysis of the problem in the Holy Land.”
President Carter avoided Russia and nuclear disarmament debate but focused on the Palestinian right to statehood and the military-industrial complex.
When asked about the title of his book by Amy Goodman of “Democracy Now”, he unequivocally stated that the word "apartheid" is precisely accurate.
“You know, this is an area that’s occupied by two powers. They are now completely separated. Palestinians can’t even ride on the same roads that the Israelis have created or built in Palestinian territory. The Israelis never see a Palestinian, except the Israeli soldiers…totally separated, much worse than they were in South Africa. Israelis completely dominate the life of the Palestinian people…It’s a terrible human rights persecution that far transcends what any outsider would imagine. And there are powerful political forces in America that prevent any objective analysis of the problem in the holy land. I think it’s accurate to say that not a single member of Congress with whom I’m familiar would possibly speak out and call for Israel to withdraw to their legal boundaries or to publicize the plight of the Palestinians or even to call publicly and repeatedly for good faith peace talks. And I would say that if any member of Congress did speak out, he won’t be returning to the Congress…and AIPAC is not dedicated to peace. They’re dedicated to inducing the maximum support in America, in the White House, in the Congress and in the public media, for ethnic cleansing policies the Israeli government has pursued.”
Abe Foxman, former director of the Anti-Defamation League, called him a “bigot,” while Deborah Lipstadt, now the Biden administration’s special envoy on antisemitism, accused him of having a “Jewish problem.”
Many Jewish organizations and academics have praised the book for its honesty. Lerner writes, “Jimmy Carter is speaking the truth as he knows it and doing a great service to the Jews…”
In his concluding chapter, Carter presents his perspective on the challenges to achieving peace in Israel/Palestine.
Israel's continued control and colonization of Palestinian land have been the primary obstacles to achieving a comprehensive peace agreement in the Holy Land.
To perpetuate the occupation, Israeli forces have deprived their unwilling subjects of basic human rights.
No impartial observer could personally witness the current conditions in the West Bank and refute the statements made by Carter in an interview with Amy Goodman.
Carter further criticizes the United States for its acquiescence toward Israel, highlighting that the US has exercised its veto power in the UN Security Council 40 times to block resolutions critical of Israeli policy.
According to Carter, the best option for peace is a two-state solution, Israel/Palestine existing side-by-side in peace, along the pre-1967 borders
It is all water under the bridge and history; recall prominent Muslims who established the Global Islamic Center Lehigh University and sought to invite President Carter to promote his book. Mysteriously, both the president and the pro-host were immediately forced to retire. A way to boycott President Carter
Proxy wars and military-industrial complex
During a Sunday School session, President Jimmy Carter was once questioned about military spending, and he responded:
“Since 1979, do you know how many times China has been at war with anybody?” He replied, “None, and we have stayed at war.” Carter then said the US has been at peace for only 16 of its 242 years as a nation and then referred to the US as “the most warlike nation in the history of the world…China’s peace dividend has allowed and enhanced its economic growth, Carter said, while the US has “wasted, I think, $3 trillion” on military spending. He went on, “China has not wasted a single penny on war, and that’s why they’re ahead of us. In almost every way.
Wake Up America! Speak Up! Silent No More!
President Carter consistently championed the rights and dignity of individuals on a global scale, especially advocating for the rights of Palestinians and their right to statehood.
As we witness an unprecedented genocide, the true nature of the Zionist regime, supported by Anglo-Saxon colonial political powers, is being exposed.
In today's fast-paced and often overwhelming world, it is easy to feel that our voices go unheard, which can be profoundly frustrating.
However, for many, silence may seem the easiest path, but being heard is not merely about expressing opinions; it is about affirming one's presence and contributions.
When we remain silent, we risk allowing others to shape our world without our input. Speaking up can transform our influence decisions and ignite change.
Speaking up in the face of opposition demands immense courage. However, it is crucial to remember that every significant movement began with a voice that refused to be silenced, such as Martin Luther King Jr., Malcom X, Nelson Mandela, Jomo Kenyatta, Mahatma Gandhi, and many others.
Your voice has the power to inspire change and advocate for justice. It affirms your right to engage in discussions that affect your life and community.
Speaking up when you are not being listened to is more than an act of personal bravery. Therefore, remember that your voice matters. Speak up, be silent no more, stand up, and make it count!
It is now more crucial than ever to remember to use our voices, as they embody the power of the people, the Resistance movement, and the Palestinian cause.
America's political powers and media are concealing information and disseminating false news to their own citizens about Zionist Israel.
When asked, "Why don't Americans know what you have seen?" Carter simply replied, "Americans do not want to know... the Israelis do not want to know what is happening inside Palestine."