Andrew Card was W's chief of staff. Definitely not the same guy.

I remember Andrew Young from when he was with MLK and then became UN Ambassador. In my mind, I still picture him as a young man, so I did not recognize him.

I will go back and correct the name in the OP.

I met him a few times when I was in college working on some projects. I would not have recognized him, but I could finally see him.

Thank you for your beautiful post. I'm 77 and really related to it.

also a reverend? He's 92 yo and honestly I thought he had passed some time ago.

Oh, and yes, a former excellent Atlanta mayor...

Still very alive.

Or Andrew Card has had a hell of a ride after leaving politics and came out a completely different man.

One thing...it was Andrew Young not Andy Card. Card was Bush 43s sidekick. Young was a very involved civil rights leader. Especially liked your attention to orangy wanting to dismantle much of Carter's work. I realized that myself. A special day.

You were very precient. Thanks for sharing.

Except Trump kept talking to Obama and Melania looked last me she really didn't want to be there.

pretty much normal for her?

Thank you for this

Really appreciate this.

Can you imagine having to sit next to that stinky MF throughout an entire funeral?

I will never get over the way Biden was forced out by the media (despite an effective and successful presidency) and how Trump was given a pass.

For that matter, the press wasn't all that kind to Carter when he was in office. In fact, they were awful to him. And so we got Reagan and because of that we have GWB and Citizens United and Trump.

They are all drooling over Carter now but it was a far different matter when he was actually in office.

And I know people who voted for him.

and I have long, deeply regretted it. As a registered Republican I simply could not bring myself to vote for a “B” actor nor did I want to vote for a Democrat. But even my dad, who was a “Goldwater” Republican, told me he was voting for Carter because - Social Security and Medicare. Soon after that election I reregistered as a Democrat and have never looked back.

especially when we are young and still trying to grasp how things work. And you must have been fairly young, I know I was.

forgive the media for what they did to Carter and Biden and giving the orange pos a pass.

Is what most of us take away from this. I feel embarrassed for how little I've done.
Thank you President Carter for your grace, kindness, generosity and for standing up for what was right, popular or not.
God Speed.

Rec

The one thing you missed the Felon leaning forward to pretend he was in the sane row with The Pres, VP and their wives😀

Not sure of the seating, chairs or pews, but you are right, he somehow tried to move himself into the front row. He is and will always be a jerk to me. I curse like a sailor in real life, but never here. I also, hardly ever post, but rec a lot. Thank you for pointing that out, I watched the funeral and missed that.

A despicable monster

So he just moved himself where he wanted to be.

as always

I assumed it was his usual "toilet perch" posture, but hadn't been focusing on him.

I was not able to watch, so I am gleaning information from posts like yours - many thanks

RIP to one of the best humanitarians ever. A truly decent man.

The facade of decency was evident today. Never lasts. The 20th will be here before we know it.

I remember Andrew Young from when he was with MLK. So young then and I had not seen him anywhere since his days as an ambassador. Did not recognize him. In my mind, he was still a fresh faced young man.

By writing such a beautiful summary for those of us who didn't watch the ceremony, you're making great use of your time and abilities. Thanks!

trump funeral:
they'll drop his sorry orange ass in a fucking box and SLAM THE LID
lara will sing "ymca"
melanoma will be behind a closed door dancing and pouring herself more champagne
eric is the only child attending trump's lame send-off
a couple proud pukes will tie a rope and drag that box out to a u-haul
off to bedminster
next to ivana's "grave" there is an open hole
proud pukes finish their beers and accidentally drop the box in the hole
box cracks open
pukes don't notice b/c they are so drunk.
they grab shovels and fill in the hole
slap a flag on top and pass out in the u-haul
[img][/img]

. . . as the rest of us line up to piss on the grave.

the sooner, the better!

Thank you for that summary. I smiled at Clinton being bored during the religious parts. Obama's always spot on. He took one for the team sitting beside Trump.

My first time voting was in 1972, Nixon vs. McGovern. No, I did not vote for Nixon. Never would have since I was a Dem before I was old enough to vote.

Besides, I was one of the few people who heard the news reports about the Watergate break-in the morning after it happened, on the hourly radio news. A weekend, Saturday, I think. My husband and I were at my parents' house later that afternoon and I told them about it, but by that time, the story had been pulled from the news.

My second time voting was for Carter the first time he ran in 1976. Of course I voted for him again in 1980.

since Obama didn't bring his better half?

Thank you so very much!

At least something along those lines.

As an atheist, I have no problem with other belief systems, as long as they are not forced upon me.

Respecting another individual is what it is all about. One can go, or not go to such events. If you go, you respect the individual in their "territory". I've been to Jewish funerals and have worn a yarmulka, and a Sikh funeral with an Orange head cloth, what's the big deal?

President Carter never wasted a minute and used every opportunity for the betterment of people. I feel insignificant in the sense that I haven’t come close to being the best I could have been.

I hope that those eulogies will inspire people.

When hymns are sung and prayers are said, I enjoy them. I learn something. Sometimes they prayers are similar to Jewish ones. Most of all, I feel peace as I do in a synagogue. The services I attended were weddings, christenings, or funerals. The attendees were always there because of love.

started learning more about Judaism, the Torah, etc.

For example, the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:5) sets the first law of monotheism, and then follows with the greatest commandment of loving G-d with all your heart, soul, and might. In the New Testament, hoping to trip up Jesus on law, he was asked "what is the greatest commandment?" To that he replied with "to love G-d with all your heart, soul, and might," and he added on "to love your neighbor as yourself." I didn't know that last part is in Leviticus 19:18: "You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD".

I was in Sunday School every Sunday. Learned more than average. But most Christians don't spend enough time on the Old Testament, Prophets, writings, etc (Tanakh).

I could not see President Carter's funeral.
I appreciate the time you took to let us all know.

the song 'Imagine' was played since Carter was so devout.

As to your last paragraph, allow me to gently chide you on this 'wimp and spiritual pygmy' thing. What kind of talk is that? All we ever have is the great here and now. The past is water under the bridge and you must release it - forgive yourself, forgive others and work to get rid of fears and ego-attachments.

I have known many successful people over a career spanning nearly four decades and without exception they are mission driven. But the truly successful people? Their life missions involve helping others in some way. Most do this through their love for family, friends and even pets, and their job. Whatever your job might be (or if you are retired, maybe your social and leisure activities, the clubs you're in), it provides a powerful basis from which to help others - some jobs more than others. But every single person can make a difference in some way.

You never know but what some little tiny thing you say or do can make a lifetime of difference for someone else. It is never too late to work toward uplifting those around you - making the world a tiny bit better because you have lived.

Jimmy Carter was a truly great man, and one who blessed this whole world just by his presence in it. To my mind, he was everything a devout Christian should be, and I loved the way they read from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew. Carter lived the Beatitudes. Now, he has left to be reunited with his beloved wife, and with all his friends who have gone on before.

As for all of us, we are here now, and all of us can work to bring light into this world.

We are about to enter an unpleasant (understatement, I know) time, but there is always hope and that hope is in our hearts. It shines forth through our feelings, thoughts, words and deeds.

Warm regards!

"Imagine" was evidently a favorite song of his, which makes sense, if you look at the words.

Even the "no heaven" part -- Carter's was a very imminent, incarnational faith, lived with his mind and hands as much as with his heart. I speculate that he had seen too much of the type of Christianity which focused only on heaven, ignoring the word and neighbors here and now.

Yes, Carter's faith was very much present in all he did. He showed us his faith by shining example.

The President Carter Challenge: Through one simple gesture of love, President Carter suggested together we can change the world.

https://mbcplains.org/president-carter-challenge

I can only speak from my own atheist perspective. I feel respect for the ceremonies and the people involved.
Religious speech doesn't bother me it just doesn't effect me. I love religious music though and am happy to sing along with the hymns.

As most people do, I understand grief and the many ways people deal with it. I'm in favor of most anything that makes that loss easier to bear.

I was at work so couldn't watch the funeral.

For your convenience
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100219887208

PBS. Looks like nearly five hours.

Thank you for the summary and some very interesting details.

I agree, Melania looked bad today.

You write with insight and compassion.
Thank You

Your personal conclusion is well said.

It's a question of doing it.

Your reflections are eloquent and thought provoking, and from the heart.

likely ever know. I certainly hope my granddaughters will experience it.

One thing- people of different faiths go to all sorts of funerals, not a big deal. I have not been to many, just a few wakes for christian funerals as I recall.

The only time it was a problem for me was when at my mother's funeral at the funeral home part, they set up a cross even though we told them she was not religious, lol. I told them to take it down- that pissed me off. There wasn't even any service there. It was all at the gravesite and then our home.

She was baptized in Wee Free Kirk but was a nominal christian and was never religious. I like the Jewish funerals where you say the kaddish at the gravesite and then sit shiva. My grandmother had a synagogue funeral and my grandfather was the only one who knew the kaddish by heart in Hebrew. During the ceremony first the Rabbi talks about the person and then people who knew the deceased get up and talk about them, similar to christian and other faith funerals probably. My father was pissed off at what the rabbi said about his mother 😹

I too wondered where Michelle was. Maybe they were told of the seating arrangement placing her next to you-know-who and she opted out? And I do think I seen HRC being a bit stand-offish in attention to her stage left (in W's direction).
Was so proud of the President's row.

But don't blame her for not showing up, Trump and his MAGA minions have lied about and insulted the Obamas relentlessly.

What you can do is be the good person he hopes we all can be.

Treat others well, accept life as it comes, resist succumbing to mediocrity.

As for atheists hearing hymns, this one listens with respect. Especially at a funeral of a good Christian who truly believes.

of Carter. He is, as you said, unique.

But his life example of doing as much as possible with what he had makes me realize that I could have done more with what I have. So I regret that I didn't and want to do what I can from now on. His life is an inspiration to people at all levels, from all backgrounds.

unless we who still believe in what Kamala calls the "promise of America" keep the torch burning. We can keep on believing in and living those values, even when the nation's top offices are filled with people who want to destroy it all.

I had never heard this selected for s funeral before. Trump probably thought Carter was trying to exult himself, but nothing is further from the truth. After days of remembrances, honors, eulogies, Pres. Carter wanted to redirect attention from himself back to God, and honor God above all.

I was familiar with all the hymns chosen for the funeral. The lyrics of Crown Him With Many Crowns is clearly about God, specifically about Jesus as the Son in the Trinity, and not about a US President.

As a Boomer, I am also familiar with Imagine. I was surprised to hear it at the funeral of a religious man, but then as I listened in the context of a church funeral, I realized that, as another poster upthread said, it was fitting. Even in religions that teach about heaven and hell, the ideal is to do right in the name of love, for its own sake, and not for the sake of gaining brownie points or an excuse to condemn others.

Over the past three years, I have lost my best friend, my older brother, several others, and a few are on the brink. I was not enamored to watch, as I am sick of death, but I am impressed that Jimmy went on his own terms. I hope I can do as well.

I only saw the tail end, I'm not particularly fond of funerals. I did enjoy Imagine.

I recall the assassination and Funerals of JFK, MLK, and RFK. Rough times back then. In a few short years after JFK, I would find myself in a distant land in an ill-conceived war. I believe JFK would have ended that war before it had gone much further, thereby I'd not have to deal with what I deal with now.

As a tolerant atheist, I can walk away from any zealot, they are not worth my time. Jimmy Carter was an exceptional individual thrust into a very strange part of our history. An honest and decent man who walked the walk he spoke to others about, and never thought this nation should be a Theocracy.

Your summation is quite eloquent and you have performed a service for all of here that did not see it in real-time.

Thank you, not only for the summation, but for your integrity as well.