State Funeral for Jimmy Carter Will Be Jan. 9

President Joe Biden has announced that a state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter will be held in Washington, D.C., on January 9. Additionally, Biden has declared January 9 a National Day of Mourning across the United States. Carter, who holds the record as the longest-living former president, passed away at the age of 100 on Sunday at his residence in Plains, Georgia.

In honor of Carter’s passing, Biden ordered U.S. flags to be flown at half-staff for 30 days starting from Sunday. Biden, who was on a family vacation in the U.S. Virgin Islands, took a break to reflect on Carter’s life and legacy, describing him as both a role model and a close friend.

Biden expressed that America and the world had lost a “remarkable leader” with Carter’s death, adding that he had spoken to several of Carter’s children and was collaborating with them to finalize the memorial arrangements in Washington. Biden delivered a heartfelt tribute for about 10 minutes, remembering Carter as a humanitarian and a statesman, emphasizing that Carter was someone who couldn’t imagine passing a person in need without offering help. He embodied “the most fundamental human values we can never let slip away,” Biden remarked.

The president frequently lauded Carter’s “simple decency” and the values he upheld, noting that many would regard him as a man of integrity and humility from a different era. However, Biden disagreed with this perspective, stating, “I don’t believe it’s a bygone era. I see a man not only of our time, but for all times.” He added, “To know his core, you need to know he never stopped being a Sunday school teacher at that Baptist church in Plains, Georgia.”

{Matzav.com}