Ben Carson Said He’d Run for President if He ‘Felt Called by God’ — Well, Guess What

The Balze ^ | 16 May 2014 | Billy Hallowell

[Colonel_Flagg]

Here ya go ..

“Though the days of legalized segregation are over, racist bigotry and prejudice still exist today, both in overt and covert ways,” Carson, a former neurosurgeon and potential 2016 presidential contender, writes in his soon-to-be-released book, “One Nation: What We Can All Do To Save America’s Future. “I can remember times when I would be walking in a white neighborhood and in short order a police car would show up, undoubtedly summoned by a concerned onlooker. Unfortunately, this and worse still happens today, as evidenced by the Trayvon Martin case. ”

“A neighborhood watchman, George Zimmerman, suspicious of the young black man who was walking through the neighborhood late at night, shot and killed Martin after an altercation,” Carson continues. “The real tragedy is that a young life was lost and another ruined because both individuals made assumptions about the other that were probably untrue. I hope this tragedy is not useless and we can learn something about how neighborhood watchpersons should be trained by police and what types of weapons, if any, they should use.”

“I love the idea of tasers for neighborhood guardians, because they usually are not lethal,” he concludes.

http://dailycaller.com/2014/04/15/ben-carson-trayvon-martin-case-should-makes-us-reconsider-what-weapons-neighborhood-watchmen-should-carry/

[Starstruck]

Sorry but the 2nd amendment is the only guarantee for the rest. No deal. He is not just saying he wants to keep them out of the hands of criminals and the insane. He is saying he wants to keep them out of the hands of everybody because they could end up in the wrong hands.

[mandaladon]

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/03/10/Dr-Ben-Carson-Against-Gun-Registration-Because-We-Should-Be-Really-Concerned-About-Martial-Law

Carson, the retired neurosurgeon who has been getting buzz in conservative circles, said that he changed his mind and was against gun registration because of the “sinister internal forces” that could surface in that scenario. He said he “used to think they needed to be registered, but if you register them they just come and find you and take your guns.”

[discostu]

Between Keyes and Cain I’ve pretty much had my fill of celebrity candidates that are really just trying to sell their latest book.

[zerosix]

Thanks FR friend!

I know this is one quote re Trayvon/Zimmerman but maybe there was yet another.

I was at a Vitae Society dinner when Dr. Carson, the guest of honor spoke these or very similar words. I also have the book discussed and he signed mine personally, unfortunately haven't had the time to read it in its entirety.

I believe Dr. Carson is a great man, a great doctor, with a great story to tell. He is also an inspiration to many and can be for many more.

I don't know if, through the presidency, what with all of the politics and division right now, is the best vehicle for him to be that inspiration while acting in the job of the President of the United States.

We need to hear his voice and his clear reasoning and love for this country but I'm not so sure that the job of running the country wouldn't take him off his message and with liberals damning him at each and every turn, make the very people he needs to reach, turned off him as an Uncle Tom or worse.

[ecinkc]

CARSON: "[I] used to think [firearms] needed to be registered, but if you register them they just come and find you and take your guns.”

Manadadon, that quote is very meaningful to me. If I felt better about Ted Cruz's birth circumstances, he would likely be at the top of my list, but as matters stand I can't seem stop thinking about Carson's intellect, his ability to learn from his mistakes, and his ability to clearly articulate a reasonable position without the bull-horn voice of political demagogue, but rather with the compelling, persuasive strength of calm counsel from a trusted mentor. I realize he's not a Harvard Law School star debater, and I think some of his positions in the political domain are still maturing, but even still I think he's shown that he's that kind of guy that cannot be easily dismissed or refuted by an adversarial interviewer or political opponent.

If you haven't watched Ben's full 2013 Prayer Breakfast address and if you haven't watched this gem when Carson responds to Roland Martin broad-brushing all Black conservatives as Uncle Toms (my favorite part is 2:45 - 4:45), then you should consider putting them on your list. My experience is that the vast majority of my fellow high-information conservatives are much less concerned than low-information voters about a candidate's subjective subtleties of tone in expression and felt relatability. Most of us on the right generally just want somebody to thoroughly know and firmly state the right ideas, regardless of how they "come across" on a personal level. I think Ben Carson has a very great strength in conveying trustworthiness and intellectual honesty and genuine benevolence if not compassion through his non-verbal and other not-so-tangible signals.

I know you'll now want to confiscate my man card and then go vomit because I'm claiming to be a conservative and yet trying to acknowledge the overlooked value of touchy-feely nuances in communication. Still, it's my view that a guy who can stoke up excitement when preaching to the choir, may even still not meet the full qualifications needed to successfully lead the broader congregation. I'm trying to remember that my blind spots and preferences may shield me from seeing the gaping deficiencies that constitute eyesores for those who aren't just like me, those who may care a great deal about "vibes" and "resonance" who at the same time may be blurry-eyed on logical and moral implications of a person's positions and world view.

If my team's candidate happened to win some votes on the basis of something so flighty as his "persona", I would not jump to decline them as superficial ad invalid.

What I've observed so far has me wondering if it's fair to say that Ben Carson might command an uncommonly strong nexus of both the right ideas and also a natural gift to connect with others. Though he's still trying to catch up with James Madison or Mike Lee when it comes to reciting conservative dogma with laserbeam precision, I think we shouldn't ignore the likability and warmth he brings to a level that is seldom seen in the conservative half of the Republican field during primary season.

And yes, I say all that even though I'm among the ranks who despised people endlessly describing Obama as a good candidate just because he had an uncanny ability to "connect" with them. I felt myself growing defiant of the whole notion of likability every time I realized these idiots were voting for someone whose ideas they had they never critiqued but who seemed to them to . . . what? —emanate a satisfying color of aura? Nevertheless, I have to admit even conservatives have enjoyed the occasional success story that drew, in part, upon a leader's naturally vibrant, endearing charm.

Sorry this is so long (eventually I'll change my username to "verbosity" or "redundant" or "rambler") like far too many of my posts, but please forgive me to also add a link to the thoughts I expressed about Carson on another thread about him from a couple days ago.

Some More thoughts on Carson; also Thompson, Cain

[mandaladon]

Excellent post...thanks!

[MHGinTN]

pingalingaling ... Carson Alert

[MrB]

The media WILL attempt to destroy him if he runs.
We and he must be equally prepared to counter attack when they do.