First Ever Golden Ruler Award of Merit

The Golden Ruler signifies the ability to gently bring people back into proper alignment and relieve tension after their actions and words may have created dissonance. Just as nuns used rulers to impart that re-alignment in their Catholic classrooms, the ruler today sets that benchmark and is wielded to keep people moving in the right direction.

The Golden Ruler points out silly errors and graveous mistakes just the same, in hopes that a peace-filled conversion will take place in both the assailants' and victims' hearts, minds and souls.

The Golden Ruler Award of Merit exemplifies these traits, and the recipient receives my nod to continue to wield their own "golden ruler" in efforts to make the world a more peaceful and safe place to live.

My 2005 Golden Ruler Award of Merit winner is Jimmy Carter.

I have admired and respected Jimmy Carter since his presidency in the late 1970s. I was a very young person at the time, and much of what I remember was his ability to be honest and his strives for world peace as a diplomat. Sure, Carter had many faults in his presidency like the grain embargo and the gas crisis, but they become overshadowed by the issues behind those events once you research them. It is in striking contrast to what has transpired since his presidency in the last two decades.

After an early retirement from the presidency, Carter became an advocate for the downtrodden and the poor. He brought Habitat for Humanity to the forefront of today's human assistance organizations, and has given hope to many of that American dream to own a house and make it their home.

Carter also continues to push for global peace and human rights. His concern extends back home, too, where he views concern over "Our Endangered Values" in the United States (a book I admit I have yet to read). Out of my own shameful example of American values, it is Jimmy Carter that shines when it comes to living out those original ideals of American values.

It is Carter's devout pursuit of human dignity and humanitarian aspirations to keep our world revolving in the right direction toward peace, that he is given the Golden Ruler Award of Merit.