Our American values are not luxuries but necessities, not the salt in our bread, but the bread itself. Our common vision of a free and just society is our greatest source of cohesion at home and strength abroad, greater than the bounty of our material blessings.

—Jimmy Carter

About Jimmy Carter

Portrait of Jimmy Carter

James Earl Carter Jr. (October 1, 1924 – December 29, 2024) was an American politician and humanitarian who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party, Carter served as the 76th governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975 and...

More quotations from 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

strength weakness USA boasting insecurity restraint

I've looked on a lot of women with lust. I've committed adultery in my heart many times. This is something God recognizes I will do — and I have done it — and God forgives me for it.

—Jimmy Carter

We live in a time of transition, an uneasy era which is likely to endure for the rest of this century. During the period we may be tempted to abandon some of the time-honored principles and commitments which have been proven during the difficult times of past generations. We must never yield to this temptation. Our American values are not luxuries, but necessities - not the salt in our bread, but the bread itself.

—Jimmy Carter

God answers all our prayers. Sometimes the answer is yes. Sometimes the answer is no. Sometimes the answer is "You've got to be kidding.

—Jimmy Carter

God prayer answers

More quotations tagged with “values”

Lasting change is a series of compromises. And compromise is all right, as long your values don't change.

—Jane Goodall

It is not our affluence, or our plumbing, or our clogged freeways that grip the imagination of others. Rather, it is the values upon which our system is built. These values imply our adherence not only to liberty and individual freedom, but also to international peace, law and order, and constructive social purpose. When we depart from these value, we do so at our peril.

—J. William Fulbright

A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.

—Dwight D. Eisenhower

People everywhere have the same needs and values. They need a place to live and a job. Beyond that, they may need to sell stuff or get a mate.

—Craig Newmark

Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil.

History

11 Jul 2015 Added