Letter 23

Decency – the determination to do right by others; to do all you can to relieve their suffering and to treat them with respect, is a neglected virtue. In the age of the eternal hustle, where simple social behavior must be leveraged as “networking;” where everyone is always working an angle, doing the right thing and treating people with respect just because it's the right thing to do is considered quaint at best, playing the sucker at worst.

Jimmy Carter was an unfortunate politician, taking the Presidency at a time where the world, and the United States was turning toward selfishness and meanness, where “greed is good” became the mantra of a generation and seeking and admiring peacemakers was considered soft and weak. It was the age of belligerence, brinksmanship and self-righteous certainty. Jimmy Carter the politician was trampled in the triumphal parade of the Pharisee and the Philistine.

But Jimmy Carter the humanitarian did not need to hold a political office to do all he could to help make the world a better place. He touched countless lives. He was a powerful example – modest in his demeanor, diligent in his work. His personal life was untouched by scandal or shameful behavior.

Jimmy Carter was a decent man. Not a perfect man, of course, but fundamentally decent, dutiful and modest. We haven't seen very many of those in politics, so we didn't quite know what to make of him. I would suggest that the best thing we could make of him is: an example.

Requiescat in pace.