Republican presidential hopeful Ben Carson says he’s faced more discrimination because he’s a black conservative than because of his race alone.
“That’s an easy one: conservative ideology by a long shot,” he said, when asked which factor generated more prejudice.
“In this country, you are not supposed to be black and be a conservative,” added Carson, the only black candidate in the 2016 presidential field. “If you are, you are fair game for any vile thing, for lies and twisting your words.”
Carson’s comments came during an all-day campaign swing in South Carolina, the first of the early voting states with a significant African-American population. Black voters here and nationally trend overwhelmingly to Democrats.
Carson alluded to that disadvantage Wednesday. He did not specifically cite the Democratic Party, but argued that “secular progressives” — terminology he uses often when criticizing various aspects of U.S. liberalism — “are only interested in one thing, and that’s voting blocs. They don’t really care two hoots and a holler about people.”
A famed physician making his first bid for political office, Carson rarely mentions race as he campaigns, unless he is asked. But his race and the circumstances of his life story — rising from a poor, black neighborhood of Detroit to worldwide renown as a pediatric neurosurgeon — form a key part of his appeal among white conservatives who disapprove of government programs they often associated with minorities.
In the autobiographical pitch that anchors his standard speech to voters, Carson talks about the “culture of dependency” he observed growing up. He concedes that his single mother “sometimes accepted assistance,” but says she sought to avoid it.
He bemoans “race wars” perpetrated by “purveyors of division,” and he implicitly lumps President Barack Obama, the nation’s first black president, into that group. He traces public assistance programs to Democratic presidents going back to Woodrow Wilson and calls the efforts a failure because widespread poverty remains.
At a recent South Carolina criminal justice forum organized by black civic leaders, Carson questioned widespread claims of blacks being mistreated by law enforcement in the U.S. “I’m still waiting for the evidence,” he said.
Carson drew laughs Wednesday with one of his standard lines, mentioning that the preamble to the Constitution calls for the government to “promote the general welfare … but that doesn’t mean put everybody on welfare.” As he does at many stops, he clarified that he doesn’t want to get rid of the social safety net, but wants to limit the programs “to people who need them.”
Separately, Carson repeated his call for the U.S. not to admit war refugees from Syria. Having recently traveled to the Middle East, Carson said the better solution is to aid neighboring nations like Jordan.
He argued that the cost of caring for Syrian refugees in the Middle East would be a fraction of what it would cost to resettle them in the U.S., and he maintained that allowing them come to the U.S. “exposes our population to danger” because Islamic State militants would “infiltrate” the program.
The State Department counters that its existing vetting process, in place well before the recent Paris attacks, is sound.
Carson’s South Carolina swing comes amid several new voter surveys that suggest he is slipping from his perch alongside Donald Trump atop the GOP presidential field.
“It’s a marathon, not a sprint. So people will go up and people will go down,” he told reporters Wednesday evening in Spartanburg, after meeting privately with a group of evangelical leaders who have endorsed his candidacy.
Later, at Wofford College, Carson addressed the mass shooting Wednesday in San Bernardino, California, where authorities say at least 14 people were killed.
“What is producing this type of hatred in our country?” Carson said. “Everybody wants to destroy someone with whom they disagree. … What happened to our country? Where did that come from? I’ll tell you where it did not come from. It did not come from our Judeo-Christian values. It came from somewhere else.”
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Bill Horn, et. al,
Try to stop by the Ben Carson Float at Saturday Evening’s Fallbrook Christmas Parade. It’s a winner for a winner. We’re in Division 2, Unit 206 and parked on Ammunition.
Ron Ritter
CDR, CHC, USN (Ret)
2016 Committee North San Diego County Coordinator
Any black who fails to bow to the Democrat party will be vilified. The odd part is the Democrat party has spent several decades pandering to blacks but have failed to do anything to improve the lives of black Americans. Making blacks permanently dependent on welfare is not a sign of compassion. The best thing our government can do is to provide the education resources to ensure that all Americans regardless of skin color can succeed and prosper in our country. Dr. Carson will inspire many people from disadvantaged situations to reach outside their current environment and work to gain their share of the American dream.
Sounds to me like a winning program !
Ben Carson is a class act. The man is a genius and people would be wise to consider voting for him for President. I would be proud to have this brilliant man be my Commander-In-Chief – as contrasted w the buffoon presently in office. In his gentlemanly, lucid, and quiet way, he shows great strength. I wish him the best.
Ben Carson will be every American’s President, uniting us all while bringing experts in all of the important areas of government from foreign policy to the economy and national security to provide the most insightful information that he and his administration will listen to and act on. He will improve our economy, the job market, education, relationships with our allies, and security against enemies and terrorist organizations.
I could care less about race. Obama has played the race card so many times it is ridiculous.
Carson is an absolute CLASS ACT and look forward to voting for him in our state primary. Some people state his lack of experience. Obama had been a U.S. senator from Illinois about 2 weeks and decided to run for president. Contrary to Obama, Carson would surround himself with intelligent people that know what is best for our country.
He should know since he has been black in the m/l white world for a long time. I am sure whites get discriminated by blacks differently then blacks get discriminated by blacks. Heck even the c-rats discriminate against the GOP and the GOP discriminates against c-rats. It is no wonder Jesus said to forgive 70 times 7 times. And that may not be enough since everybody discriminates against everybody else to some degree and for many reasons other then race. If someone wants to look and find discrimination it can be done, easily. Discrimination in the south was legalized, but that has been corrected years ago. But the libs keep acting like they can stamp out discrimination by legal means. This is sheer folly since discrimination is not a legal problem. It is, if actually present, a sin. Our govt is so focused on eliminating discrimination by filing suit and in endless obscene deficit spending that the whole place is going to hell in a handbasket. Our elected officials surely don’t manage their personal finances like they do the nation’s finances. Other wise they would have outrageous credit card debt to deal with. IMO they have an attitude problem. They think they are our rulers, our royalty, and are above the law of the land. Our govt is functioning like the world’s largest Banana Republic in the history of the world. What Lola, or Obama, or HRC or whomever wants, they take, oops they get! It is time for a royalty flush in PC DC! ASAP.
There is a saying that: “Still waters run deep”. This describes Dr. Carson who has demonstrated knowledge, sincerity, and compassion far greater than the average politician who is best characterized as being “An inch deep and a mile wide” with their superficiality and their wide-ranging, ego-inspired promises as to what THEY will do to address all of the “hot button” issues
that appeal to voters. Dr. Carson is a man who knows his limitations and who would surround himself with experts to whom he would listen. He is not an ego-manic, one-man show. He truly is a uniter, not a divider.
Well said! Notably Dr. Carson unfailingly with intelligence goes to the heart of the matter. His commentary on PC issues is unique in that he uses his superior intelligence to deflate rhetoric with common sense. He is a true American! Go Ben!
He is great person!
Dr. Carson is a man of honor. I support him all the way and appreciate him for his steadfastness to his beliefs and all the qualities the others here have spoken of. He’s not afraid to speak of his faith and the fact that he goes there first is comforting to me. It has always worked in guiding me right and I know it does anyone who goes there. He’s brilliant, kind, generous, wise, and so much more. He is a unifier not a divider. If people really want to be at peace with one another we have a chance with him.
The posts placed here, encourage me to see that there are many people who see things for what they really are! It is great to see that! Dr. Ben Carson is a true Patriot, able to lead this country in the right direction! Dr. Ben will be able to get us out of this mess ’cause he has a good head on his shoulders, not filled up with himself, or his position, just a passion for his God given ability to use his head for the good of this country! God bless America, and Dr. Carson! ???????? ???????? ???????? ???? ????????
Why did you put all the question marks after my post that I just submitted? It puts a whole different slant on my comment!