Roland Martin and Dr. Ben Carson
“I’m not trying to make light of slavery. What I’m trying to get people to understand is what is happening with a government.” Carson explains to Roland Martin on TV-One’s “NewsOne Now,” in an exclusive interview on Friday.
During the hour lively conversation, Carson identified himself not as Republican or Democrat but a registered Independent who “subscribes to common sense.” He also explained to Martin why he chose to step into the political Arena after a long, successful career as a neurosurgeon. Carson also defended his comparison of the Affordable Care Act to the period of American slavery.
BC: Let me explain what I meant by that. Slavery is by far the worst thing that ever happened in this country. I fully understand that. I’ve had my roots traced back. I understand some of the incredible things that my ancestors went through. Some of them, a brother and a sister, were separated when they were like 6 and 8 years old. And they swore that they would find each other. It wasn’t until they were in their 60s after slavery had ended. So I’m not trying to make light of slavery. What I’m trying to get people to understand is what is happening with a government program that takes control of the most important thing you have, which is your health. And, you know, part of it comes from the fact that I do a lot of reading. Not only about American history, but world history. Reading about marks is and some of the things that they have advocated. And thinking about America and how to bring America under control. You go and read it for yourself. Don’t take my word for it. They said one of the most important if not the most important thing is to make the people dependent. And the best way to make the people dependent is to take control of their health care.
RM: Clearly, it wasn’t a question of slaves being dependent. Why even bring that up? I’ve seen other folks use slavery in their analogies. The point I make is, leave that alone. When we go there, then all of a sudden it — just like when people say Obama is being like Hitler. Really? So when we make those sort of analogies, why not allow the critique to stand on its own versus trying to suggest it’s almost like slavery.
BC: Because I’m fighting two different wars here. Not only the war of health care. I have ideals I hope we can discuss about how to give everybody health care. I think it’s important. Also, the political correctness issue. There’s certain words and terms you’re not supposed to use. When you use them, people say, oh, he used that word. The argument here is about our health care and our control and whether we want to keep that control or turn it over to the government. The very thing that the founders of this nation were concerned about.
RM: I understand. And my whole point is, I don’t play the game of the word police, but for me, someone who, yes, read, studied, there are some things that I am not going to raise to the level of slavery. There’s no way in the world even the affordable care act even comes close to that.
BC: I never said it did. I said it was the worst thing since slavery.
RM: But also like slavery.
BC: In terms of people being dependent. Stop and think for a minute about what’s happened here. You have a situation where a nation that was founded for of and by the people now has a government saying, you must do this, you must do that.
RM: Don’t we have fuel efficiency standards, don’t we also have — I mean, we have requirements across the country. When present Ronald Reagan was in office rings he made it perfectly clear, if you do not raise the minimum drinking age, you will not get federal highway funds. Now, it was, oh, you have the choice not to take the federal highway funds. But if you’re a state, you know dog gone well you need federal highway funds. So we’ve established national standards before.
Check out a snippet from the interview here:
Catch “NewsOne Now” with Roland Martin, weekdays at 7 a.m. EST and watch at 9 a.m. EST on TV One.