Until it happens and it's proved otherwise, I think that the Republicans will honor Carter just as much as the Democrats have honored Reagan (and they have - after all, Kerry cancelled all appearances this week and attended the funeral.) That is, if Carter chooses to have the state funeral hoopla. My feeling is that he may elect to be eulogized and buried quietly at the Carter Center. After all, this is the first state funeral in almost 30 years, and ones like Reagan's are even rarer.
I think that, in a sense, the country is mourning the loss of an era more than they're actually mourning the man. A long time ago, I wrote about leaders who could really speak in a way that moves you profoundly in your soul (unlike Dubya, who turns my stomach.) At the time, I was told that Americans don't like to be preached to. But seeing all the speeches this week and his way of speaking (yes, I'm aware he didn't write his speeches) made me realize that he moved people in a way that no one does today. And he also had that air of old, dapper Hollywood and John Wayne and all that stuff in him.
I think that a lot of his policies stunk, and someday I feel sure that history will continue to bear that out. But I don't discredit Americans for showing respect to a dead leader. I don't think Americans respect each other enough, personally.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2004-06-11 11:20 am (UTC)I think that, in a sense, the country is mourning the loss of an era more than they're actually mourning the man. A long time ago, I wrote about leaders who could really speak in a way that moves you profoundly in your soul (unlike Dubya, who turns my stomach.) At the time, I was told that Americans don't like to be preached to. But seeing all the speeches this week and his way of speaking (yes, I'm aware he didn't write his speeches) made me realize that he moved people in a way that no one does today. And he also had that air of old, dapper Hollywood and John Wayne and all that stuff in him.
I think that a lot of his policies stunk, and someday I feel sure that history will continue to bear that out. But I don't discredit Americans for showing respect to a dead leader. I don't think Americans respect each other enough, personally.