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CNN Live Today

Interview with Rosalynn Carter

Aired September 10, 2002 - 11:34   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: The September 11th terrorist attacks tore apart thousands of lives, and the attacks also took an emotional toll on the nation, even people who are not directly effected.
Joining us to talk about mental health and healing in the aftermath of September 11th, former first lady Rosalynn Carter. She has been an activist in the area of mental health for more than 30 years, and we have tracked her down in London, England, where she is attending a conference.

Mrs. Carter, good morning, good afternoon to you in London. Thank you for being with us.

ROSALYNN CARTER, FMR. FIRST LADY: Good afternoon.

KAGAN: I don't think a lot of people know. Where were you and Mr. Carter on 9-11 last year?

CARTER: Actually we were in the car driving from home to Atlanta when the news came over the radio, and when we got to...

KAGAN: Go ahead, I'm sorry.

CARTER: When we got to Atlanta, I was to have -- we were having a meeting that day of our journalism fellows, which is one of my mental health programs, and I a few had come in the night before, but many that were traveling were stuck in airports and airplanes on runways and couldn't make it.

But it was really interesting when we got there, because people -- it was eerily quiet. People were not running around frantic. Everybody was glued to the television set. And we watched for what seemed like an eternity, and then Jimmy called the staff together and told that them our country has suffered tragedies before, and we have always come through them, and we will do that again, and we should not be defeated but keep our heads high.

We all went to back work, but I don't think we focused much on what we were doing that day.

KAGAN: It sounds like a common American experience of what millions of people had across the country on that day.

We did mention that for many, many years, you've been an advocate of mental health and having access to those type of services. In the years since 9/11, what has been your feeling about the kind of access that people have had to those type of services as they try to recover and heal from what they saw on September 11th.

CARTER: Well, the response has been -- well, now, the Red Cross September 11th Fund are going to provide services to people who were affected in September 11th tragedy. They have certain groups like those close by, those who have relatives, and there are limitations to it, but its really good this is being done, even if it is a year late. I think that mental health people have gone out of their way to see that people have got help. So many people have volunteered and gone to the New York area to work with those who needed help.

This conference that I'm attending in London now is on the prevention -- the promotion of mental health and the prevention of mental illness, and my itinerary is on mass violence, and I will talk about September 11th and how -- and the fact that mass violence is a reality to all countries now. No country is immune. Civil society is becoming more and more a target. We have to assume that all our institutions are at potential risk, all our public institutions, and how do we prepare for that? How do we prepare so that people can cope with these kinds of tragedies?

KAGAN: Why is mass violence of personal importance to you, because of what happened to this country a year ago?

CARTER: Because of what happened and what might possibly happen, we have to plan for potential tragedies, more tragedies.

But also, at the Carter Center, we work on conflict resolution. We have peace programs, and I have been behind the lines in enemy territories, as Jimmy was bringing warring parties together. I have been in refugee camps where people have lost everything, including their babies. And to me, we need to work together.

This is an international conference. What can relearn if countries where people are subject to these things all the time? What can we do? What kind of programs can we devise that will help those who are always involved with our -- potential mass violence? But also, in our country, and how we are going to cope, and how we -- how the mental health field is going to have to devise strategies for a broader field. There are so many stakeholders for instance, schools and children, law enforcement, just so many people involved that need to be prepared and be able to cope with the aftermath of violence.

KAGAN: Mrs. Carter, many people have relied on their faith as coping mechanism to try to get through this very difficult time, and I know that you and Mr. Carter have been very public about your faith.

Earlier, we had on an Episcopalian pastor who has written a book, entitled "Where Was God on September 11th?" I wonder if you can share how you've tried to answer that question, and how you and Mr. Carter, how that effected your faith over the last year.

CARTER: When my children were growing up in Plains, Georgia, there was a little boy killed who ran out on his bicycle in front of a car. I went to the funeral, and the preacher said that he knew that Jesus wept, too. So I kind of feel like God wants us to prepare, and that I don't blame -- I don't think that God was not there. KAGAN: It will indeed be an emotional day. Rosalynn Carter joining us from London. Thank you for your good work that continues so many years after you and Mr. Carter left the White House. A pleasure to have to have you with us here this morning, or afternoon as it is in London.

Rosalynn Carter. Thank you, Mrs. Carter.

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