OPINION:
ANALYSIS/OPINION:
Here are five reasons why Dr. Ben Carson, the famed Baltimore pediatric neurosurgeon and American patriot, should run for president.
1. He has a real job. Dr. Carson is no street volunteer or professor cloistered in an ivory tower. He has dedicated his life to medicine and has saved the lives of countless children plagued by unimaginable maladies. And as a practicing doctor, he understands the marketplace and how unchecked government interference can bring about catastrophic, if unintended, consequences.
2. He lives the American dream. Growing up in dire poverty in Detroit as the son of a single mother, Dr. Carson learned that his only hope for escaping the poverty he so loathed was through education. He learned this, of course, from his mother, who cut down on television and impressed upon him the importance of reading, going to school and learning skills.
3. After becoming immensely successful as a neurosurgeon, Dr. Carson turned his life to charity. But unlike those who believe the government is the answer to every problem, Dr. Carson chose to use his own money to fund scholarships for disadvantaged children. The program, called Carson Scholars Fund, has become so successful that others now freely give of their own money to a good cause that has proven itself.
4. Dr. Carson is not a lawyer. Speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast last week where hundreds of politicians who are lawyers gathered to pray on camera, Dr. Carson explained why lawyers are so ill-suited for governance. “What do lawyers learn in law school? To win.” He said. “What we need to start thinking about is how do we solve problems.”
5. He is not afraid to speak his mind. During his speech to a roomful of politicians, Dr. Carson talked about the scourge of political correctness in these sobering times when honest, open and educated conversation is so vital. He told a story to highlight how people have grown so sensitive that you can hardly say anything anymore. “I was talking to a group about the difference between a human brain and a dog’s brain and a man got offended,” Dr. Carson recalled. “He said you can’t talk about dogs like that.”
Just as during most of Dr. Carson’s speech, the audience ignited with laughter and jubilant applause. Lawyers laughed at lawyer jokes, politicians applauded the pokes at them and even the politically correct saw the point he made. That is because Dr. Carson’s entire address carried the heft of a lifetime spent learning history yet imbued with sincere humility and a charitable intent.
Even first lady Michelle Obama, whose politics could not be more different, could not help but laugh generously and applaud boisterously, especially when he spoke about politicians’ fear of speaking their minds.
Seated beside her, between herself and the podium where Dr. Carson spoke, was her husband. He chuckled once or twice but primarily sat there stone-faced, like he was sucking on a lemon. It was as if Dr. Carson were speaking in Latin.
• Charles Hurt can be reached at charleshurt@live.com.
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