President Jimmy Carter

1/7/25


Mr. Smith Was Buried in Washington


No, not an actual Mr. Smith. President Jimmy Carter was eulogized in Washington D.C. tonight amongst family, politicians, and military personnel. I didn’t get to the parts of the eulogies. I listened to some of the broadcasters’ comments before and during, and I know it’s not the same. I’ve just had a rough day, and it made me so sad to see such a good man laid to rest.

How did I know he was a good man? Besides even the news agreeing with that statement, they showed him years ago helping build houses for those without houses. I thought “what a great guy! If money was no issue, I would travel the world, speak languages, and help out people like he’s doing!”

No, I have to be honest. That first part is true. I would travel. I would speak other languages. But my heart wasn’t yet in America. It was in other countries. I always thought there was more need in other countries than in my own backyard. And that’s probably the case, don’t get me wrong! But that doesn’t mean we need to ignore what’s happening in our own house to fix what’s happening in other people’s lives. We cannot let the rich get richer and the poor get trampled on while being other countries’ white knights and expect to carry any weight of morality with us. We need to care for our own. I agree. I just disagree with the rich people who say it on the news, because they are the source of the problem.

They compared President Jimmy Carter to President Donald Trump. When President Donald Trump lifts a finger personally to help anybody in need, truly in need, then perhaps the comparison might be genuine, but until then, the two men weren’t even in the same room. Donald Trump had a lot of promise being an “outsider” as the newscaster said the two were, but we will see who comes to his funeral when the time comes.

I’m sorry. I try to judge a man based on his character and what actions he does for others. I know I haven’t done as much for others as I wanted to, but I would always be the first to defend against a bully. I was usually the one being bullied. Then I became the bully so I would stop being bullied. I thought it was the only way to stop being bullied. Now I am learning a better way: boundaries. I’m nowhere near perfect at them, but I practice them. I’m standing up for myself and what I believe. Other people are seeing that and hating the new Mark because he doesn’t roll over and agree with everything anymore. He’s trying to move beyond his past and not let it define him but give him motivation to seek to correct injustice.

I want to be like I’ve heard President Jimmy Carter was: kind, compassionate, hard-working but not letting that define his identity, helping those who needed help, shedding light on issues that others were either too terrified to talk about or just not thinking of, always bouncing back after illness, complicated but simple, not needing pomp and circumstance, seeking friendships on both sides of the aisles and having beliefs on both “political sides.” 

If any of you have seen the movie “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” I keep saying we need another Mr. Smith. It feels like one just passed away. If you haven’t watched it, perhaps now is the time to see it!

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