No mourning! Throw a party!

The National Day of Mourning for Jimmy Carter makes small of his Christian beliefs

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President Joe Biden just designated next Thursday a National Day of Mourning for the 39th president, Jimmy Carter, 1924-2024, a great man who was among the most accomplished Americans of our lifetimes.

Flags will fly at half staff within the United States and at our embassies, at half mast aboard our naval vessels around the world; post offices and Wall Street will shutter; federal employees get a holiday; some school systems will close. There will be viewing ceremonies in Atlanta and Washington, many eulogies and a burial in Plains, Georgia, rather than at Arlington National Cemetery.

Carter and his late wife Rosalynn chose Plains over Arlington to emphasize connection to their mutual birthplace.

Announcing the National Day of Mourning, Biden said, “I call on the American people to assemble [on January 9] in their respective places of worship, there to pay homage to the memory of President James Earl Carter, Jr. I invite the people of the world who share our grief to join us in this solemn observance.”

Grief? What is there to grieve?

Throw a party!

During his years growing peanuts, one of Carter’s honest and honorable pursuits. Photo courtesy CBS News.

Carter lived a long eventful life with many achievements, then died in peace. To live a long time, do good in the world and pass naturally is our best hope. There is nothing to grieve!

Those who die young or by violence should be mourned. Tears and wearing black makes sense in these circumstances. Why engage in shows of sorrow for those who lived well and long?

Whatever one thinks of his politics, Jimmy Carter was an exemplar of human flourishing. Carter served honorably in the military, ran a farm, became governor of Georgia and president of the United States without lies or political dirty tricks, won the Nobel Peace Prize, after his presidency performed tireless volunteer work. It’s literally impossible to do better than 100 years of achievements followed by tranquility at the last.

National Day of Mourning – what piffle!

In Carter’s case add that he was a pious Christian, a strong believer who taught Sunday school through his 80s. As a churchgoer and Christian agnostic, I do not pretend to know whether God does or does not exist. Carter did know. He believed fervently in a Maker and in Jesus as a divine child.

If Carter’s beliefs are true, he is now in the loving embrace of his creator, forever secure. Why mourn? To a pious Christian, a long righteous life, followed by peaceful natural passing to the next world, is what God wants us to experience.

Don’t mourn! Celebrate!