In response to Paul St. Jean’s letter dated Feb. 13, I offer a sincere “”thank you.”” His letter inspired me to do some research.

The focus of my Jan. 31 letter was to open eyes to the need for continued peace efforts to prevent catastrophe. I recently read about Jimmy Carter’s Nobel Peace Prize and I praise his peace efforts. A kind-hearted man, but a not a well-liked president, as Mr. St. Paul has clarified for us.

I keep an open mind politically, and try to see the positive and negative in all leaders who are just as human as you and me.

Sometimes it takes a stronger backbone to maintain peace than to give in to aggression. However, if a war is in the plan, may it be one of divine providence and not one of deception.

Now it’s only fair to balance the picture. Though not an able president, Carter was honest and moral with good intentions, maybe too good a person to be the president. Could it be that he was blamed for circumstances beyond his control?

He was a champion of human rights and he made a huge difference in people’s lives by establishing Habitat For Humanity, building homes for the poor, making sure democracy prevails in other countries for free elections, working hard to end river blindness and starvation in poor countries.

He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in December 2002 for his diplomacy in the Middle East in the ’70s. In 1978, he brought Egypt and Israel to the bargaining table, which was thought as impossible at the time.

My message is far deeper than picking on presidents. It’s about heartfelt sorrow for violence, bloodshed and loss of human life. It’s about respect for the pursuit of world peace and the preservation of humanity.

Mary C. Hargreaves, Sumner