Books: Readings

Since leaving the Presidency, Jimmy Carter, who brokered the peace between Egypt and Israel, has continued a commitment to conflict resolution and community building. Programs and activities he takes part in--from home-construction for the needy, to international conflict mediation through the Carter Center--reflect this commitment. Talking Peace, his latest book, calls on America's young people to take up the cause of community building. Below, he relates a school visit that showed him how necessary such a task may be for many in the next generation:

In an Atlanta middle school not long ago, the students were asking me very hard questions--stimulating questions that I hadn't heard anywhere else. One 6th grader asked, "President Carter, why do some old people lose their Social Security?'' Being familiar with the law, I assured her that this did not happen unless the person began to earn a lot more money. She replied, "Well, my grandfather doesn't earn any money. He lives under a bridge in west Atlanta, and they took his away because he doesn't have a mailing address.''

This is the kind of question I wouldn't get in my own grandchildren's school. (Later, I discussed this case with the regional Social Security administrator, who promised to investigate and resolve the problem. Although I was glad to help, it shouldn't be necessary for a...