Ben Carson, MD, Transcends Black Lives Matter Debate

A debate is raging over the Black Lives Matter (BLM) organization. Does BLM foster hate over police tactics in suppressing black crime? Does BLM rhetoric result in more police killings, such as the “assassination” of a Houston deputy or the murder of a policeman in suburban Chicago. Should President Obama condemn the Black Lives Matter rhetoric of “Pigs in a Blanket” or “ Let the Bacon Fry,” the language used after the killing of two New York City policeman in their car.

No one can say for sure. Of course, as a matter of simple humanity, all lives matter, and no one has said this more eloquently than Ben Carson, the retired John Hopkins neurosurgeon who has risen to second or third in many polls.

How has Ben Carson, a black doctor born into poverty in Detroit accomplished this feat?

By personal example.

graduated from Yale in 1971, married a black Yale fellow student, received his MD at the University of Michigan medical school, rose to the top of his profession at John Hopkins, raised three successful sons, and with his wife, wrote a book praising America, America the Beautiful. He and his wife created the Carson Scholars Fund, which has given 6,700 scholarships for student s in grades 4-11, towards their college education.

Along the way, he has spoken in a calm, reasoned, non-racist voice. He has taken generally conservative views and humbly admitted he has a lot to learn about foreign policy. All intelligent leaders, trained to make decisions based on facts and empirical data, he says, are capable of learning.

He has opposed ObamaCare, but said he would preserve its policy of prohibiting health coverage to those with pre-existing conditions. He dislikes the concept of for-profit insurers and would give every citizen catastrophic coverage, medical record, and a health care savings account. He had said the Affordable Care Act is “the worst thing that has happened in country since slavery because it makes all of us subservient to government.” Although this may sound harsh, Carson has expressed his views quietly without rancor. Among Iowa voters, he has an unprecedented 81 % likability or favorability rating, which may mean it’s not what you say but how you say it and whether you think all lives matter.