Disrespecting Elders

I woke up this morning to a short commentary by Rush Limbaugh in which he railed against Jimmy Carter, calling him a "national hemorrhoid.” In addition to being patently vulgar, Limbaugh once again ventured into one of his favorite realms: the ad hominem argument against the person and not the person’s policies, which is a classic fallacy in logic.

Mr. Carter, since his remarks about racism and the populist uprisings of the so-called “tea-baggers,” has taken considerable verbal abuse. His conservative critics label him the worst president of the last century, usually contrasting him with Ronald Reagan who followed.

Yet Mr. Carter has been a successful activist ex-President, perhaps the most activist of the entire American experience. He has transformed his deep personal religious beliefs (Southern Baptist based) into activism such as Habitat for Humanity. And he has progressed into an ever broader world view. (For example, he recently spoke out against world-wide oppression of women, citing his own break with his church’s traditional views of women as subservient.) In 2002 he was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize.

Moreover, Mr. Carter has noteworthy personal achievements. He served as a naval officer. He is a bona fide entrepreneur/capitalist—a successful peanut farmer. He’s personally written more than 20 books on a variety of subjects. He’s continued to reside in his rural home town of Plains, Georgia. His long marriage is a partnership with wife Rosalyn.

In my estimation Jimmy Carter is principled and moral, thoughtful and progressive. He has become a wise elder. (One of his recent books ponders the possibilities of a life’s later years.) Indeed, he is one of the international Elders gathered by Nelson Mandela.

Then, why is Mr. Carter so denigrated by hectoring conservative talk radio personalities and their minions in and out of government?

It’s a national disgrace that Mr. Carter is disrespected as a person, considering his formidable personal achievements as well as status as ex-President.

But for me there’s something even more disrespectful in all of this: a lack of respect for elder wisdom. This strikes me as yet another example of an increasing ugliness in American society that is unacceptable.

As one venturing into the elder years, I say shame on Rush Limbaugh for his vulgarity relative to Jimmy Carter, one of our society’s and one of the world’s wise elders.