When Obama Compared Slaves to Immigrants He Got Applause; Carson Gets Called Uncle Tom

By Larry Elder Dr. Ben Carson in a speech before employees of Housing and Urban Development the department he now runs likened slaves to immigrants: Thats what America is about a land of dreams and opportunity. 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. Carson got hammered. Late-night comic Trevor Noah said: It makes them sound like they work at Wal-Mart. ... Calling slaves immigrants is like saying: Its not kidnapping. That person just got a free vacation in a basement. ... Slaves werent immigrants. Because an immigrant has choice. They choose the country theyre going to because they hope it will bring them a better life. Saying that slaves are just another group of immigrants erases how black people were uniquely oppressed in America. It helps justify blaming African-Americans for their hardships. Actor Samuel L. Jackson tweeted: OK!! Ben Carson ... I cant! Immigrants? In the bottom of SLAVE SHIPS??!! MUTHAF---- PLEASE!!! #d---headedtom. Actress Whoopi Goldberg said: Were the slaves really thinking about the American dream? No because they were thinking What the hell just happened?! You know when people immigrate they come with the idea that theyre going someplace for a better life. ... Its voluntary. ... How does he miss what slavery is?! How does he miss that no slave came to this country willingly? ... Ben Roots. Watch Roots. TV personality Star Jones tweeted: No way in the world he is that friggin ignorant. Using the pile-of-excrement emoji she called the renowned neurosurgeon (expletive) for brains. She ended the tweet: #UncleTom thy name is #BenCarson. Rep. Keith Ellison D-Minn. insists that Carsons slave equals immigrant perspective means he is unqualified to lead HUD because Carson doesnt know how urgent it is to confront racism in housing: Its disturbing to me and it should be to every American not just black Americans. ... For him the HUD secretary to have a stunning misunderstanding of history like that is really really striking. ... And so for the HUD secretary not to get that means that he doesnt know how urgent it is to confront racism and discrimination in housing which is a very scary thing for the HUD secretary to not understand. Following the uproar Carson posted this clarification on Facebook: The slave narrative and immigrant narrative are two entirely different experiences. ... The two experiences should never be intertwined nor forgotten as we demand the necessary progress towards an America thats inclusive and provides access to equal opportunity for all. One slight problem. The insensitive and demeaning slave-equals-immigrant argument was made on a number of occasions by President Barack Obama: It wasnt always easy for new immigrants Obama said at a 2015 naturalization ceremony for new citizens. Certainly it wasnt easy for those of African heritage who had not come here voluntarily and yet in their own way were immigrants themselves. There was discrimination and hardship and poverty. But like you they no doubt found inspiration in all those who had come before them. And they were able to muster faith that here in America they might build a better life and give their children something more. Even Daily Show host Noah admitted President Obama said something similar in 2015. But said Noah You could tell before (Obama) said that part he was thinking Damn my speechwriter f---ed up. In fact according to the Federalist Obama likened slaves to immigrants on 11 different occasions. Whether our ancestors landed on Ellis Island said Obama or came here on a slave ship or crossed the Rio Grande we are all connected to one another. We rise and fall together. Goldberg Noah Jackson and Ellison were obviously occupied the 11 times Obama showed he doesnt know how urgent it is to confront racism. Why the silence over Obamas many slave-equals-immigrant comments versus the desk pounding by the same critics when Carson says the same thing? Carson represents an existential threat to the left. He is deadly to their cause -- a black man raised in poverty by a hardworking welfare-abstaining single mom who taught her children to embrace hard work and education. The left believes that blacks are perpetual victims of slavery Jim Crow and racism. It is vital for the existence of the Democratic Party to convince blacks to vote like victims in need of protection from the racist sexist retrogrades known as Republicans. So black conservatives like Carson who argues that welfare creates dependency who demands choice in K-12 education and who believes hard work wins must be attacked marginalized and dismissed as against their own people.