Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson referred to slaves as "immigrants" while speaking Monday to department employees.
"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."
Ben Carson just referred to *slaves* as "immigrants"
— Steve Kopack (@SteveKopack) March 6, 2017
"There were other immigrants who came here in the bottom of slave ships..." pic.twitter.com/WkFrm3dYCB
Twitter users — including the NAACP, the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect and Chelsea Clinton — weren't having it:
Immigrants??? https://t.co/f0RH7iXBrn
— NAACP (@NAACP) March 6, 2017
WE CONDEMN REMARKS of #BenCarson today that slaves are "immigrants." @WhiteHouse we say #BlackLivesMatter and so should you. pic.twitter.com/VuclzYh5Rn
— AnneFrankCenter(US) (@AnneFrankCenter) March 6, 2017
This can't be real. Slaves were not & are not immigrants. 2017. https://t.co/8CuUvnR2Mf
— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) March 6, 2017
They were people forcibly enslaved by other people who denied their humanity. Stop romanticizing human bondage & atrocity. @SecretaryCarson
— Only4RM (@Only4RM) March 6, 2017
Man I'm mad we read Ben Carson's book Gifted Hands and actually celebrated that man during black history month when we were younger smh
— EL FOOSAY (@SheHatesJacoby) March 6, 2017
Ben Carson just referred to slaves as "immigrants." And apparently this guy is a brilliant neurosurgeon?!?? https://t.co/YH4Pyarxjb
— Mekita Rivas (@MekitaRivas) March 6, 2017
Ben Carson thinks there were non-slaves on slave ships who had it worse than slaves.
— M's (@MarkMack09) March 6, 2017
Everyone at Ben Carson right now. pic.twitter.com/dmGQT516zb
— Indigo Commentaries (@Indi_Comments) March 6, 2017
Maybe Ben Carson should have been appointed to a position with a somewhat lower profile like Secretary of Manila Envelopes. #immigrants
— Marco Romano (@RomanoMarko) March 6, 2017
A HUD spokesman told Good Morning America that no one present for Carson's speech "was confusing voluntary immigration with involuntary servitude. Please."
HUD spox says no one in the room believed Secretary Ben Carson "was confusing voluntary immigration with involuntary servitude. Please."
— Michael Del Moro (@MikeDelMoro) March 6, 2017
HUD did not immediately respond to a request for comment from USA TODAY.
Carson, a retired neurosurgeon who vied for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination, was confirmed and sworn in as HUD secretary last week. He's never held public office before, nor is he versed in housing policy.
"Ben shares my optimism about the future of our country and is part of ensuring that this is a Presidency representing all Americans," Trump said in December when he announced Carson as his pick to head HUD.
Watch a video of Carson's full remarks here.
Posted!
A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.
Like this topic? You may also like these photo galleries:
1 of 45
2 of 45
3 of 45
4 of 45
5 of 45
6 of 45
7 of 45
8 of 45
9 of 45
10 of 45
11 of 45
12 of 45
13 of 45
14 of 45
15 of 45
16 of 45
17 of 45
18 of 45
19 of 45
20 of 45
21 of 45
22 of 45
23 of 45
24 of 45
25 of 45
26 of 45
27 of 45
28 of 45
29 of 45
30 of 45
31 of 45
32 of 45
33 of 45
34 of 45
35 of 45
36 of 45
37 of 45
38 of 45
39 of 45
40 of 45
41 of 45
42 of 45
43 of 45
44 of 45
45 of 45
Join the Nation's Conversation
To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines and FAQs