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Jimmy Carter Quotes

39th U.S. President

Jimmy Carter, born on October 1, 1924, was the 39th President of the United States, serving from 1977 to 1981. His presidency was characterized by a focus on human rights and international diplomacy, reflecting his dedication to peace and social justice. Post-presidency, Carter has been active in the non-profit sector, notably through the Carter Center, which he founded to promote peace and health worldwide.

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Famous Jimmy Carter Quotes

“We have seven and a half times as many people in prison. And we have eight times as many black women in prison now as we did in 1981, when I left the White House. So that's been one of the major concerns I've had as a non-lawyer, to criticize the American justice system, which is highly biased against black people and poor people. And it still is.”

“I think there's an awakening now of a realization that we too early congratulated ourselves on the end of racial prejudice and white supremacy. And that was a feeling that we had when I was president, that we had pretty much overcome that problem.”

Thinking Ends Feelings Problem President White Overcoming Prejudice Awakening Realization White Supremacy Supremacy Racial Prejudice

Author:Jimmy Carter

“I think with the advent of Reagan, and subsequently, both parties, there's been a strong move towards the advantage given to the richer people, in taxation and grants and supplements and things of that kind. Primarily exacerbated more recently by the Supreme Court's stupid ruling on Citizens United, and now there's a massive flood of money into the political system that I think has subverted the essence of a moral and ethical standard that used to permeate American democracy. Now it's not an admirable process. I think we've gone backwards.”

“We don't have any problem finding enough things to do; the problem we have is making sure we don't overload ourselves inadvertently.”

Enough Problem

Author:Jimmy Carter

“The major violence now is because of a plethora, explosion almost, of rebel groups, all of whom oppose the government, and they're fighting each other, strangely precipitated by the fact that the United Nations and African Union has now planned peace talks.”

Fighting Violence Rebel United Nations

Author:Jimmy Carter

“Nobody knows when you make an effort or when you plant a seed if it will bear fruit or not.”

Effort Plant Nobody Knows

Author:Jimmy Carter

“There are two major peace agreements. One is a comprehensive peace agreement that was consummated by the extremely beneficial intersession of the George Bush administration, who called on John Danforth, the former senator from Missouri, to negotiate a peace agreement after eight years during which President Clinton did not want to promote peace in the Mideast - I mean, in Sudan. And that's holding so far.”

Mean President Clinton President Clinton Sudan

Author:Jimmy Carter

“George Bush asked me if there was anything he could do for me, and I said, "Yes, you can help promote peace in Sudan after eight years of different policy." And he said, "I'll do it." So to make a long story short, he did it, not necessarily because I requested it, but they were very successful.”

Long Different Helping Successful Policy Sudan

Author:Jimmy Carter

“Genocide, in my opinion - is an attempt by a powerful group completely to eradicate from the face of the Earth the existence of people because of their ethnic makeup or because of their race or religion, and that was the case with Hitler trying to exterminate the Jews, and that was the case in Rwanda, when the Tutsis were attacked and over 500,000 were killed in two or three days.”

People Trying Earth Powerful Existence Opinion Jew Makeup Genocide Rwanda Over 50

Author:Jimmy Carter

“When you invade Grenada, or when you invade Panama to capture a disreputable person, or when you bomb the Bosnia area, you can always find justification for those military actions, but it's really surprising how many times in those 25 years - that's a long time - the United States has interceded, I wouldn't say most of the time militarily, but a lot of those have been military actions.”

Long Action Military Justification

Author:Jimmy Carter

“I think it was fully justified after 9/11 to initiate a military action against Afghanistan, because we hoped to create a democracy, and have a flourishing economy, and to do away with al-Qaida, and to capture Osama bin Laden.”

Thinking Action Economy Democracy Military Afghanistan Justified Bin Laden Osama Bin Laden

Author:Jimmy Carter

“It's politically impossible for any member of Congress to make a public statement condemning or criticizing the policies of Israel. It would be political suicidal for them to do so.”

Political Impossible Policy Criticize Suicidal

Author:Jimmy Carter

“Penalties against possession of a drug should not be more damaging to an individual than the use of the drug itself; and where they are, they should be changed. Nowhere is this more clear than in the laws against possession of marijuana in private for personal use... Therefore, I support legislation amending Federal law to eliminate all Federal criminal penalties for the possession of up to one ounce [28g] of marijuana.”

“I think as far as the adverse impact on the nation around the world, this administration has been the worst in history... The overt reversal of America's basic values as expressed by previous administrations, including those of George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon and others, has been the most disturbing to me.”

Thinking World Has Beens America Values Nations Worst Impact Including Around The World Administration Disturbing Adverse Reversal George H W Bush

Author:Jimmy Carter

“Go out on a limb. That's where the fruit is.”

Life Inspirational Leadership Risk Fruit Limbs Life Is Short Seekers Taking Risks Risk-taking Human Trafficking Great Risk Trafficking Fruit Trees Motivational Job Inspirational Tree Power And Fear Risking Your Heart

Author:Jimmy Carter

“Earlier in my life I thought the things that mattered were the things that you could see, like your car, your house, your wealth, your property, your office. But as I've grown older I've become convinced that the things that matter most are the things that you can't see -- the love you share with others, your inner purpose, your comfort with who you are.”

Matter Purpose House Wealth Share Love You Car Comfort Office Who You Are Property Convinced Things That Matter

Author:Jimmy Carter

“I believe that anyone can be successful in life, regardless of natural talent or the environment within which we live. This is not based on measuring success by human competitiveness for wealth, possessions, influence, and fame, but adhering to God's standards of truth, justice, humility, service, compassion, forgiveness, and love.”

Source: The Jimmy Carter Library

“I have one life and one chance to make it count for something... My faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference.”

Trying Long I Can Differences Chance Demand Generosity Making A Difference One Chance Make It Count

Author:Jimmy Carter

“Human identity is no longer defined by what one does but rather by what one owns.”

Humans Doe Identity Defined No Confidence Malaise

Author:Jimmy Carter

“Failure is a reality; we all fail at times, and it's painful when we do. But it's better to fail while striving for something wonderful, challenging, adventurous, and uncertain than to say, " I don't want to try because I may not succeed completely.”

Want Trying May Reality Challenges Wonderful Failing Failure Succeed Strive Painful Uncertain Adventurous

Book:Sources of Strength: Meditations on Scripture for a Living Faith

Source: Sources of Strength: Meditations on Scripture for a Living Faith

“When people are intimidated about having their own opinions, oppression is at hand.”

People Hands Opinion Oppression Intimidated

Author:Jimmy Carter

“Jesus never said a word about homosexuality. In all of his teachings about multiple things - he never said that gay people should be condemned. I personally think it is very fine for gay people to be married in civil ceremonies.”

People Thinking Should Said Jesus Democracy Teaching Fine Gay Married Racism Discrimination Multiple Homosexuality Ceremony Gay Marriage Being Married Gay People

Author:Jimmy Carter

“You can do what you have to do, and sometimes you can do it even better than you think you can.”

Thinking Life Sometimes Can Do Self Improvement Commitment Determination You Can Do It Better Than You Will And Determination Determination By Famous People

Author:Jimmy Carter

“We become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams.”

“[on the Republican party] A party with a narrow vision, a party that is afraid of the future.”

Men Political Politics Vision Republican Anti Conservative

Author:Jimmy Carter

“War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other's children.”

Source: Just Peace: A Message of Hope

“We should live our lives as though Christ were coming this afternoon.”

Life Should Religion Christ Our Lives Afternoon Softball

Author:Jimmy Carter

“We have a tendency to condemn people who are different from us, to define their sins as paramount and our own sinfulness as being insignificant.”

People Different Sin Tendencies Insignificant Paramount Sinfulness

Author:Jimmy Carter

“America did not invent human rights. In a very real sense human rights invented America.”

Inspirational Humans Real Motivational America Rights Human Rights Invention Presidential Patriotic United States Of America Individual Rights Rights And Freedoms Human Rights Day Unalienable Rights

Book:Talking Peace: A Vision for the Next Generation

Source: Talking Peace: A Vision for the Next Generation

“If you fear making anyone mad, then you ultimately probe for the lowest common denominator of human achievement.”

Ifs Inspirational Humans Funny Political Politics Fear Common Honor Achievement Mad Graduation Lowest Common Denominator Lowest Common Denominator

Author:Jimmy Carter

“I have often wanted to drown my troubles, but I can't get my wife to go swimming.”

I Can Wanted Wife Trouble Sexuality My Wife Presidential Patriotic Swimming Homosexuality Anniversary Us President Presidents Day Us Presidential Funny Swimming

Author:Jimmy Carter

“I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over.”

Time Racism Discrimination Racial Discrimination

Book:A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety

Source: A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety

“A fundamentalist can't bring himself or herself to negotiate with people who disagree with them because the negotiating process itself is an indication of implied equality.”

People Process Disagree Indication Fundamentalist Negotiating Implied

Author:Jimmy Carter

“There's no doubt that the Christian right has gone to bed with the more conservative elements of the Republican Party. And there's been a melding in their goals when it comes to the separation of church and state. I've always believed in the separation of church and state.”

States Christian Goal Church Party Gone Doubt Republican Bed Elements Conservative Separation No Doubt Republican Party Setting Goals Church And State Separation Of Church And State Christian Right

Author:Jimmy Carter

“Human rights is the soul of our foreign policy, because human rights is the very soul of our sense of nationhood.”

Inspirational Humans Soul Motivational Rights Policy Human Rights Foreign Policy Individual Rights Us Foreign Policy

Author:Jimmy Carter

“I hate to see complacency prevail in our lives when it's so directly contrary to the teaching of Christ.”

Hate Christ Our Lives Teaching I Hate Contrary Complacency Hateful Smugness

Author:Jimmy Carter

“We must make it clear that a platform of 'I hate gay men and women' is not a way to become president of the United States.”

Men Way States America Hate Politics President United United States Hell Democracy Clear Gay Racism Men And Women I Hate Discrimination Platforms Gay Marriage Gay Men

Author:Jimmy Carter

“Globalization, as defined by rich people like us, is a very nice thing... you are talking about the Internet, you are talking about cell phones, you are talking about computers. This doesn't affect two-thirds of the people of the world.”

“I've looked on many women with lust. I've committed adultery in my heart many times. God knows I will do this and forgives me.”

Knows Heart Politics Crazy My Heart Forgiving Committed Lust Patriotic God Knows Adultery Forgive Me Committing Adultery

Author:Jimmy Carter

“Like music and art, love of nature is a common language that can transcend political or social boundaries.”

Source: An Outdoor Journal: Adventures and Reflections

“We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other's children.”

Source: Just Peace: A Message of Hope

“I'll never tell a lie. I'll never make a misleading statement. I'll never betray the confidence that any of you had in me. And I'll never avoid a controversial issue.”

Lying Issues Statements Betray Controversial Mislead Controversial Issues

Author:Jimmy Carter

“Unless both sides win, no agreement can be permanent.”

Politics Winning Sides Compromise Permanent Agreement Resolution Both Sides Win Win

Author:Jimmy Carter

“We must adjust to changing times and still hold to unchanging principles.”

Inspirational Stills Change Principles Environment Environmental Social Media Activism Presidential Unchanging Us President Inspirational Presidential

Book:The Nobel Book of Answers: The Dalai Lama, Mikhail Gorbachev, Shimon Peres, and Other Nobel Prize Winners Answer Some of Life's Most Intriguing Questions for Young People

Source: The Nobel Book of Answers: The Dalai Lama, Mikhail Gorbachev, Shimon Peres, and Other Nobel Prize Winners Answer Some of Life's Most Intriguing Questions for Young People

“We can't equate democracy with Christianity because the largest democracy on earth is India, which is primarily Hindu. The third largest democracy is Indonesia, which is Islamic. Democracy and freedom are not dependent on Christian beliefs.”

Earth Christian Belief Christianity Democracy Thirds India Islamic Dependent Indonesia

Author:Jimmy Carter

“I thought then and I think now that the invasion of Iraq was unnecessary and unjust and I think the premises on which it was launched were false.”

Thinking Iraq Unnecessary Unjust Invasion Premises

Author:Jimmy Carter

“We cannot be both the world's leading champion of peace and the world's leading supplier of the weapons of war.”

World War Peace Democracy Weapons Racism Discrimination Champion Memorable Gay Marriage Suppliers

Book:The Presidential campaign, 1976

Source: The Presidential campaign, 1976

“Whatever starts in California unfortunately has an inclination to spread.”

Political Politics Spread California Inclination