Recently, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson addressed department staff, where he delivered a speech full of vague, banal platitudes. At one point, Carson described the dreams held by immigrants who came to America, where he eventually referred to slaves as “immigrants” who worked “even harder for less” but still had big dreams for this country. “There were other immigrants who came here in the bottom of slave ships, worked even longer, even harder for less, but they too had a dream that one day their sons, daughters, grandsons, granddaughters, great-grandsons, great-granddaughters, might pursue prosperity and happiness in this land,” he said.
He proceeded to argue that immigrant slaves should “thank this wonderful country” for the opportunity it has given them, as well as their descendants, “especially when you consider how many of their fellow Africans managed to escape and continue living the remainder of their lives as free men in Africa.” “I bet that if you were to track down the descendants of those unlucky few that thought they were doing themselves a favor by escaping the Dutch, French and British slave traders back then, they’d be singing an entirely different tune right about now,” the retired neurosurgeon and former Republican presidential hopeful said.”
“Just look at everything black people in America have achieved so far,” Carson continued. “For one thing, we have had countless historically important African Americans who have not only contributed to the independence of the United States, but have also played a significant role in post-revolutionary times as well. Secondly, if you just take a look at the state of things in popular culture today, you’ll notice that rap, hip-hop and other forms of African music have taken over almost completely. Add blues and rock and roll to that, and you arrive at the conclusion that some 90 percent of the music young people throughout America, not to mention the globe, are enjoying exists thanks to none other than black people. Make no mistake – black culture is alive and well today, regardless of the fact that racism still rages on.”
He added, “Now, I’m well aware of the fact that some not only gladly admit the dominance of African American culture in the United States today, but what’s more, refer to it as cosmic justice. However, I would refrain from such comments, and would simply add that there’s a much more important fact to consider here. That fact is that the America as we know it today would not exist if it hadn’t been for our forefathers who were brought here via slave ships. As a matter of fact, even though we’re well aware of the suffering they had to endure, I would argue that they should have been grateful to their captors nonetheless. Because, if it hadn’t been for them, there would also be no America today. At least not in its present, black-dominated form.”
“So, I say to you, my fellow African Americans – be grateful to this country and to the white people of this country, for they are not your enemy. For better or worse, pray that your tortured ancestors forget about their anger, resentment and hatred towards their captors. Pray that they also be grateful to this wonderful country for bringing them here and for opening the doors to a truly new race of people. What do I mean by that? Well, we Americans get called out time and time again on how we have no culture of our own and no race of our own – no indigenous race, at least. However, if it hadn’t been for the slave traders, white women would not have had the possibility to engage in interracial relationships and give birth to mixed-race babies; generations and generations of them. And you can’t have mixed-race babies without someone to darken their pale skin color. Finally we’re able to fix that longstanding problem once and for all,” Carson concluded.
