Ben Carson Calls Slaves Immigrants
People Are Not Happy With Ben Carson's Comments About Slaves Being Immigrants
Ben Carson, newly appointed secretary of Housing and Urban Development, is the latest member of the Trump administration to grossly misinterpret a word's definition. During an address to the department on March 6, Carson seemingly described slaves who were forcibly brought to America as "immigrants."
Ben Carson just referred to *slaves* as "immigrants"
"There were other immigrants who came here in the bottom of slave ships..." pic.twitter.com/WkFrm3dYCB
— Steve Kopack (@SteveKopack) March 6, 2017
"That's what America is about, a land of dreams and opportunity," Carson said. "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."
Immigration is a willful act of leaving one's country, usually in hopes of more opportunity in another. Slavery is not a choice — which makes it troubling when an American official equates the two. Carson, as Twitter users were quick to point out, seemed to be romanticizing slavery in a way that suggested slaves were somehow privileged to come to America even if it was only for the sake of their descendants.
Ahead, take a look at how some social media users (and Samuel L. Jackson) reacted to Carson's comments.
Ben Carson said slaves were immigrants who came over here & worked for less. By "came" you mean FORCED and by "less" you mean NOTHING
— Tariq Nasheed (@tariqnasheed) March 6, 2017
OK!! Ben Carson....I can't! Immigrants ? In the bottom of SLAVE SHIPS??!! MUTHAFUKKA PLEASE!!!#dickheadedtom
— Samuel L. Jackson (@SamuelLJackson) March 6, 2017
.@SecretaryCarson Those who came here "in the bottom of slave ships" were not "immigrants" nor IN PURSUIT of their "dreams and opportunity".
— Only4RM (@Only4RM) March 6, 2017
Ben Carson referring to slaves as immigrants is very wrong. But, also unsurprising, given he believes pyramids were used for grain storage.
— John Haltiwanger (@jchaltiwanger) March 6, 2017
Ben Carson just referred to African American slaves as immigrants pic.twitter.com/YrjARRI168
— Joey Tatts⚜ (@thejoeyway) March 6, 2017
