Most Americans 'Beaten Into Submission' by Political Correctness, Ben Carson Says
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — The Left's focus on "political correctness" prevents Americans from speaking common sense about political issues, Dr. Ben Carson, former pediatric neurosurgery director at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center who shot to fame last year when he gave a politically incorrect speech at the National Prayer Breakfast, declared In a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).
"It's time for people to stand up and proclaim what they believe and stop being bullied!" Carson said in his Saturday speech recalling attacks by people intentionally misrepresenting his views. "I'll let you know why I'm not a fan of political correctness, I hate political correctness, I will continue to defy the PC police who have tried in many cases to shut me up," Carson said.
The former doctor attacked left-leaning media for misquoting a statement he made last year at the Values Voter Summit about the Affordable Care Act, or "Obamacare." "I said that Obamacare was the worst thing since slavery," Carson recalled. The media misreported him as saying Obamacare is the same thing as slavery, he alleged. "Of course they're not the same thing. Slavery is much worse," but he argued that this falsehood reveals the strategy behind political correctness.
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Carson referred to Saul Alinsky's "Rules for Radicals," explaining that the author advised political activists to "never have a conversation with your adversary, because that will humanize them and you need to demonize them."
"I still believe marriage is between one man and one woman," Carson declared, mentioning a central issue where people are kept silent by "political correctness." He championed gay rights, but held short on marriage. "Of course gay people should have the same rights as everyone else, but they don't get extra rights," he declared.
The former neurosurgeon recalled that a member of the media warned people against the "poison" of his influence. "Would it be the poison of putting what God says in front of anything man says?" Carson wondered.
Carson attributed his career successes to his mother and his faith. "I had a mother who accepted no excuses and I believed in God," he explained. Referring to former Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney's famous flub, he admitted "I used to belong to the 47 percent" who are dependent on government.
"There are a lot of people in that 47 percent who are decent, hard-working Americans who want to realize the American dream and we're going to make sure that they do it!" Carson declared. He argued that Americans want to control their own lives and earn their success, which is the Republican platform.
Carson also attacked Obama for the $17.5 trillion national debt. "If you paid ten million dollars a day, it would take 4,700 years to pay that off," he explained.
The former neurosurgeon announced a new black conservative magazine backed by The Washington Times which will launch next week. "It's going to be about how we use our collective intellect and our resources to move up" the economic ladder, Carson said. He contrasted this to the Democrat message to African Americans. Contrary to their message, he explained, this new magazine will focus "not on how to keep people down and keep a voting bloc, but how to rise up."
