For me personally and for most other Americans, this commitment to peace and diplomacy does not imply a blind or total pacifism. There are times when war is justified, and for many centuries the moral criteria for violence have been carefully delineated.

Jimmy Carter

A strong nation, like a strong person, can afford to be gentle, firm, thoughtful, and restrained. It can afford to extend a helping hand to others. It's a weak nation, like a weak person, that must behave with bluster and boasting and rashness and other signs of insecurity.

Jimmy Carter

thoughtful strong compassion

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.

Jimmy Carter

generosity differences long

The measure of a society is found in how they treat their weakest and most helpless citizens.

Jimmy Carter

treats poverty citizens

What are the things that you can't see that are important? I would say justice, truth, humility, service, compassion, love...They're the guiding lights of a life.

Jimmy Carter

compassion humility helping-others

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

Jimmy Carter

dream beautiful america

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

Jimmy Carter

memorable war peace

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.

Jimmy Carter

failure challenges reality

The test of a government is not how popular it is with the powerful and privileged few but how honestly and fairly it deals with the many who must depend on it.

Jimmy Carter

honesty government powerful

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

Jimmy Carter

real motivational inspirational

All I want is the same thing you want. To have a nation with a government that is as good and honest and decent and competent and compassionate and as filled with love as are the American people.

Jimmy Carter

honesty government people

Wherever life takes us, there are always moments of wonder.

Jimmy Carter

teens healing life

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.

Jimmy Carter

gay teaching jesus

God always answers prayers. Sometimes it's 'yes.' Sometimes the answer is 'no.' Sometimes it's 'you gotta be kidding.

Jimmy Carter

prayer answers religion

It is difficult for the common good to prevail against the intense concentration of those who have a special interest, especially if the decisions are made behind locked doors.

Jimmy Carter

political decision doors

America has no functioning democracy at this moment.

Jimmy Carter

democracy moments america

The founding of our Nation was more than a political event; it was an act of faith, a promise to Americans and to the entire world. The Declaration of Independence declared that people can govern themselves, that they can live in freedom with equal rights, that they can respect the rights of others.

Jimmy Carter

inspirational-life rights people

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.

Jimmy Carter

humility successful believe

I'd like to be remembered as someone who was a champion of peace and human rights.

Jimmy Carter

champion humans rights

One of the most serious problems that our country has inherited an unwillingness to talk to anyone who disagrees with us or who won't accept, before a discussion, all the premises that we demand.

Jimmy Carter

demand serious country

We can choose to alleviate suffering. We can choose to work together for peace. We can make these changes - and we must.

Jimmy Carter

working-together suffering together