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Is that why he has a look of dispair on the front cover. Am I to believe there is nothing that we can do. Although I agree with Mr Carter's values, and believe he may be the best living president, I didn't like this book because it describes what is wrong with America, yet doesn't give any advice on how to correct it.What a depressing read. I believe Mr Carter could have written a better book if he would have added advice on what people that share his views could do to improve the situation.
Here's the former prez: "The primary obstacles to progress are a peremptory United States demand that North Koreans renounce all nuclear activity and a decision that communication between our two countries will be accepted only within six-nation forum, while Pyongyang leaders have insisted on resumption of bilateral discussions and a clear statement from Washington that American leaders have `no hostile intent' against them." Bush wouldn't give them that and so we got nothing. The news out of Pyonyang was the essence of its failure. The book provides a nice (Christian) insider's view of how fundamentalists slowly assumed leadership of Christian movements in the U.S. and committed them to political action. Anyway, Carter's book is blessed with things you didn't know, but should. Which is why people in other countries do things like invite him to monitor the fairness of their elections and give him Nobel Peace prizes. Peace, compromises and olive branches. Not everybody loves Carter, and this literary, frontal assault made him no friends among the screeching heads.
At highwayscribery we like to say Carter's the best mistake America ever made. IAEA inspectors got booted from the Korean peninsula and N.K. Then came W. What happened. Very similar, Carter points out, to what we are grappling with in the Muslim world (and everywhere else). Rather than go back over the book we'll discuss how the Bush crowd bungled the whole business with North Korea by way of example.According to the book, Carter had then-President Clinton's blessing to work out a deal with Kim Il Sung, dad of the current leader, Kim Jong Il. His book "Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis" is something of a radical tract done in a civil way. The treatise, a searing indictment of the Bush administration, provides left-wing viewpoint with the "cover" of Carter's being a good Christian.
That is the essence of diplomacy. dropped out of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, a document Bush has never cared much for either, according to Carter. "North Korea," Carter writes, "was publicly branded as part of an `axis of evil,' with direct and implied threats of military action against the isolated and paranoid nation, and an official policy was established that prohibited any direct discussions with the North Koreans to resolve differences." Things fell apart, of course. Now this nut has the bomb. Sung died and Jong kept the old man's word.
You have to talk to those you don't like. He's been there when a lot of stuff has gone down, sat in the meeting as it were, and the eyewitness expertise lends weight to the argument and a degree of fascination to the account. You can't just talk to people you like around the world. He prays, but he still thinks things stink (stunk); much the way the guy with dreadlocks and drum in the street has been saying for, oh, ever now. Everybody hated everybody and nuclear testing ensued; the diplomatic equivalent of the middle finger, but more dangerous than a mere symbol.
In South Korea, Kim Dae Jung held out a whole bouquet of olive branches to the northern nemesis and gained the Nobel Peace Prize for 2000. Because then we'll have to pay at least a little attention to him. What he got was a commitment by North Korea to cease its nuclear program at Yongbyon and permit International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors to ensure that spent fuel stayed spent fuel.
Many of these problems America has either created or helped bring upon itself. The SOuthern Baptist Convention has hijacked American policy and ethics and corruted our image from campaigns if misinformation and the joining of church and state. His work with Habitat for Humanity and the establishment of the Carter Center have brought much good to the world.This book is a testimony to a man whose views speak of common sense and offers alarming insight into many problems facing modern day America. We cannot lead if our people do not realize fewer and fewer nations look up to us as champions of our own beliefs. I agree with those reviewers who think all Americans should read this book.
He's the perfect example of how an ex-president should conduct himself. He truely is an idol many should and could look up to if they only would take the time to read this and other works by Carter. We are not leaders if we fail to recognize "all men are created equal" or that there is only one God of all, not a separate God for America and another for everyone else.Carter tries to show how his Christianity is in part responsible for our deplorable image in the developing world. I found myself in either full or partial agreement with Carter on many of his points. Iraqi insurgents are proving this to be true. He fails to understand that many countries do not want us to be their leader and will do anything to prevent it.But still this is a well written and well thought out book. Both Democrats and Republicans share the blame, but recent White House leadership shoulders much of the responsibility for America's loss of status as a true leader in the world.Our nation cannot "lead" just because we have bigger and more guns than anyone else. Unfortunately, he misses one point in his belief that if America just change its ways we may once again be the true leader of the world.
Since leaving the White House with a rather dismal accomplishment record, Jimmy Carter has established himself as the sage of Plains and a much sought after public figure. Carter seeks a new course for his religion and the country in general. The is just simply a very, very good book. We are a people willing to allow our leaders to misguide us and who are often unaware that soe of the problems even exist. We cannot lead if we fail to recognize the world is heading in one direction and we another.
Many countries (The Netherlands, Germany, etc) are staunch on reducing carbon emissions, increasing peace, and increasing foreign aid. There is hope. Carter goes over his administrations policies and views, which almost all were removed by succeeding presidents.
Former Vice President , Al Gore, wrote The Assault on Reason which was a bold move for a former politician. Federal policies from global warming to preemptive strikes are criticized. Many books have been published in the last few years about America's lack of consistency in the last 9 years or so.
Why didn't Carter do anything while president some might ask. America can quickly follow their lead if people demand so. Carter's 'Our Endangered Values' is in a similar vein.Carter, backed by meticulous statistics, shows issues that are often overlooked by the popular press.
For example, the US budget for malaria has been $90 million, but 95% is spent on consultants, and less than 5% on mosquito nets, drugs, and insecticide spraying to fight the disease.
Though his presidency doesn't stand as highly revered or auspicious as many others who've served in my lifetime, his track record of having a relatively bloodless administration and the humanitarian efforts he has championed since give me great hope that there are still good leaders alive in America.Throughout the course of the current administration, I have found it harder and harder to hold my head up high as a proud American. And with the rise of fundamentalism overtaking Christianity through heightened judgment and lust for war, I all but dropped my association with that tradition.However, reading President Carter's book, with its call to uphold the true values of both America and Christianity, I am given new hope in the future of both. I've recently read Jimmy Carter's book Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis. From entering into a pre-emptive war to opting out of the Kyoto protocol and not doing our part to protect the environment, there have been many times that I have actually felt ashamed. I feel that I can once again say "God bless America" without feeling like a hypocrite. Written with great influence from his Christian perspective, the book veers from the oft touted rhetoric of many of today's more outspoken Christians, but aligns with the growing number of those who are calling themselves "red letter Christians".I wasn't politically aware during President Carter's administration, but have been extremely impressed with the work he has done since his time in office. Through The Carter Center, the Nobel Peace Prize winner has worked exhaustively to promote peace and social justice, and has served as a shining example with his work with Habitat for Humanity.
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