Human Rights Invented America

Today is Jimmy Carter's birthday.

From today's Writer's Almanac (http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/):

He became one of the most active ex-presidents in American history, traveled all over the world talking about human rights, fair elections, new farming techniques, and water safety; brokered several cease fires, wrote numerous books, and got into carpentry, helping to build houses for the poor with Habitat for Humanity. He even carved his own four-poster bed for himself and his wife. He said, "As president, I wouldn't have had time to do all the things I'm doing now." He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 — Jimmy Carter, who said, "America did not invent human rights. In a very real way, human rights invented America."

I don't want to romanticize him ... because when he was president I did have lots of criticisms about him. But as a world citizen, I do respect him. And it's with great bitterness that I read that last line - his quote. Our current president ... oh, dang ... I'm just disgusted. Human rights are the furthest thing from his rabid mind.

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