WASHINGTON -- Ben Carson compared slaves to immigrants seeking a better life in his first official address Monday as Housing and Urban Development secretary, setting off an uproar on social media.
Carson told a room packed with hundreds of federal workers that the Africans captured, sold and transported to America against their will had the same hopes and dreams as early immigrants.
"That's 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," said Carson, speaking extemporaneously as he paced the room with a microphone. "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."
His comments were broadcast live to all of HUD's regional field offices as well as to the public.
A senior HUD official who spoke on condition of anonymity said no one in the room interpreted Carson's comments as anything but a "heartfelt introduction to the HUD family."
"Only the most cynical interpretation would conflate voluntary immigration to this country with involuntary servitude," the official said.
But the reaction on social media was swift and unforgiving.
Just last week, U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos hailed historically black colleges and universities as "pioneers" of "school choice" after meeting with a group of college presidents. She made no mention of the fact that the schools were forged at the height of racial segregation because black Americans were barred by laws in many states from attending white institutions.
Instead, DeVos said in a statement that historically black colleges are "living proof that when more options are provided to students, they are afforded greater access and greater quality.
Also in his speech, Carson said he would place a "big emphasis on fairness for everybody" during his first remarks to HUD's staff Monday, warning that there will be "no favorites for anybody" in his approach to housing policy.
"One of the things you will notice in this department under my leadership is that there will be a very big emphasis on fairness for everybody," Carson told the staff. "Everything that we do, every policy; no favorites for anybody, no extra for anybody, but complete fairness for everybody. Because that is what the founders of this nation had in mind, and if you read the Constitution, it becomes very clear that that was the goal."
In his remarks -- just days after he was confirmed to lead the department -- Carson lauded career civil servants at HUD who he said have shown a dedication to "really helping the downtrodden, helping the people in our society to be able to climb the ladder." He stressed that the department has an obligation to "reject the purveyors of division and hatred that exist out there."
Carson also walked the audience through his "THINK BIG" philosophy to "unleash potential," the topic of one of his books. "T is for talent, which God gave to every person," he began, going on to assign a principle to each letter. In another instance, Carson asked those in attendance to raise their hands to "take the niceness pledge."
"Just raise your hand, everybody raise your hand," he said, as the staff obeyed. "Now, what did you just pledge to do? Be nice to every single person you encounter for one week, including your spouse."
A Section on 03/07/2017