Ben Carson calls slaves 'immigrants' who worked harder 'for less'

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

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Baltimore Sun

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

I mean they did work harder for less. As hilariously insensitive and Carsonesque as these statements are, they aren't implicitly wrong.

[Middle-aged Europe]

When it comes to Ben Carson, I'm often astonished that a neurosurgeon can be such a retard in matters of both politics and history. Never go full retard.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     Eh, the word "immigrant" doesn't appear to require that it be done voluntarily. It's bizarre usage, but not nearly as bad as him comparing Obamacare to slavery (!).

[Maxwell]

Doctor Ben has always been a strange boy.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

"Uncle Ben"

It's amazing to me that this is a controversy.  Are "immigrants" only those who decide of their own volition to move somewhere because they think it would be neat?   What do we call those English convicts or street urchins who were forced by law to come to Virginia or Australia?  What do we call people who were victims of forced depopulations in the aftermaths of wars and made to settle somewhere else?  Please tell me what is the politically correct term for someone who comes from another country that won't offend our delicate sensibilities?   Maybe the offensive thing is the idea that slaves were human beings who had hopes and dreams for their children and grandchildren?

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

I mean they did work harder for less. As hilariously insensitive and Carsonesque as these statements are, they aren't implicitly wrong.

Forcibly relocated =/= immigrant.

[Zioneer]

"Uncle Ben"

It's amazing to me that this is a controversy.  Are "immigrants" only those who decide of their own volition to move somewhere because they think it would be neat?   What do we call those English convicts or street urchins who were forced by law to come to Virginia or Australia?  What do we call people who were victims of forced depopulations in the aftermaths of wars and made to settle somewhere else?  Please tell me what is the politically correct term for someone who comes from another country that won't offend our delicate sensibilities?   Maybe the offensive thing is the idea that slaves were human beings who had hopes and dreams for their children and grandchildren?

Yes, an immigrant is one who goes to a different country voluntarily, even if pressured by economic or other problems. If they're forced to leave, they're refugees, or in this case, slaves. It's a pretty simple concept.

And people aren't disputing that slaves had hopes and dreams for their children and grandchildren, it's just that the wording is hilariously skewed and insensitive.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

"Uncle Ben"

It's amazing to me that this is a controversy.  Are "immigrants" only those who decide of their own volition to move somewhere because they think it would be neat?   What do we call those English convicts or street urchins who were forced by law to come to Virginia or Australia?  What do we call people who were victims of forced depopulations in the aftermaths of wars and made to settle somewhere else?  Please tell me what is the politically correct term for someone who comes from another country that won't offend our delicate sensibilities?   Maybe the offensive thing is the idea that slaves were human beings who had hopes and dreams for their children and grandchildren?

It's amazing to me the bizarre lengths apologists for Pussygrabber will go to justify anything he or his regime says or does, no matter how stupid.

Carson claims that slaves were "dreaming of better futures for their descendants"  in the nation that was enslaving them even as they were dying locked in lightless holds, and someone deflects with pedantry about the exact meaning of immigration. Deplorable.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

"Uncle Ben"

It's amazing to me that this is a controversy.  Are "immigrants" only those who decide of their own volition to move somewhere because they think it would be neat?   What do we call those English convicts or street urchins who were forced by law to come to Virginia or Australia?  What do we call people who were victims of forced depopulations in the aftermaths of wars and made to settle somewhere else?  Please tell me what is the politically correct term for someone who comes from another country that won't offend our delicate sensibilities?   Maybe the offensive thing is the idea that slaves were human beings who had hopes and dreams for their children and grandchildren?

Yes, an immigrant is one who goes to a different country voluntarily, even if pressured by economic or other problems. If they're forced to leave, they're refugees, or in this case, slaves. It's a pretty simple concept.

And people aren't disputing that slaves had hopes and dreams for their children and grandchildren, it's just that the wording is hilariously skewed and insensitive.

Whether someone is an immigrant depends on where they are from. Whether someone is a slave depends on whether they are treated as property. These are not categories that deal with the same questions. If you say someone is a slave, it does not tell you where they are from. If you say someone is an immigrant, this does not tell you their legal status.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

"Uncle Ben"

It's amazing to me that this is a controversy.  Are "immigrants" only those who decide of their own volition to move somewhere because they think it would be neat?   What do we call those English convicts or street urchins who were forced by law to come to Virginia or Australia?  What do we call people who were victims of forced depopulations in the aftermaths of wars and made to settle somewhere else?  Please tell me what is the politically correct term for someone who comes from another country that won't offend our delicate sensibilities?   Maybe the offensive thing is the idea that slaves were human beings who had hopes and dreams for their children and grandchildren?

It's amazing to me the bizarre lengths apologists for Pussygrabber will go to justify anything he or his regime says or does, no matter how stupid.

Carson claims that slaves were "dreaming of better futures for their descendants"  in the nation that was enslaving them even as they were dying locked in lightless holds, and someone deflects with pedantry about the exact meaning of immigration. Deplorable.

Oh right, I forgot that slaves have no human agency or ability to hope for their children to have a better life than them even in the worst of circumstances. Silly me!

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

"Uncle Ben"

It's amazing to me that this is a controversy.  Are "immigrants" only those who decide of their own volition to move somewhere because they think it would be neat?   What do we call those English convicts or street urchins who were forced by law to come to Virginia or Australia?  What do we call people who were victims of forced depopulations in the aftermaths of wars and made to settle somewhere else?  Please tell me what is the politically correct term for someone who comes from another country that won't offend our delicate sensibilities?   Maybe the offensive thing is the idea that slaves were human beings who had hopes and dreams for their children and grandchildren?

Yes, an immigrant is one who goes to a different country voluntarily, even if pressured by economic or other problems. If they're forced to leave, they're refugees, or in this case, slaves. It's a pretty simple concept.

And people aren't disputing that slaves had hopes and dreams for their children and grandchildren, it's just that the wording is hilariously skewed and insensitive.

Whether someone is an immigrant depends on where they are from. Whether someone is a slave depends on whether they are treated as property. These are not categories that deal with the same questions. If you say someone is a slave, it does not tell you where they are from. If you say someone is an immigrant, this does not tell you their legal status.

'Forced immigration' is not immigration, it's slavery.  This is such an idiotic distinction.

"Uncle Ben"

It's amazing to me that this is a controversy.  Are "immigrants" only those who decide of their own volition to move somewhere because they think it would be neat?   What do we call those English convicts or street urchins who were forced by law to come to Virginia or Australia?  What do we call people who were victims of forced depopulations in the aftermaths of wars and made to settle somewhere else?  Please tell me what is the politically correct term for someone who comes from another country that won't offend our delicate sensibilities?   Maybe the offensive thing is the idea that slaves were human beings who had hopes and dreams for their children and grandchildren?

It's amazing to me the bizarre lengths apologists for Pussygrabber will go to justify anything he or his regime says or does, no matter how stupid.

Carson claims that slaves were "dreaming of better futures for their descendants"  in the nation that was enslaving them even as they were dying locked in lightless holds, and someone deflects with pedantry about the exact meaning of immigration. Deplorable.

Oh right, I forgot that slaves have no human agency or ability to hope for their children to have a better life than them even in the worst of circumstances. Silly me!

No one here is buying your faux outrage.  Try again.

[Associate Justice PiT]

"Uncle Ben"

It's amazing to me that this is a controversy.  Are "immigrants" only those who decide of their own volition to move somewhere because they think it would be neat?   What do we call those English convicts or street urchins who were forced by law to come to Virginia or Australia?  What do we call people who were victims of forced depopulations in the aftermaths of wars and made to settle somewhere else?  Please tell me what is the politically correct term for someone who comes from another country that won't offend our delicate sensibilities?   Maybe the offensive thing is the idea that slaves were human beings who had hopes and dreams for their children and grandchildren?

Yes, an immigrant is one who goes to a different country voluntarily, even if pressured by economic or other problems. If they're forced to leave, they're refugees, or in this case, slaves. It's a pretty simple concept.

And people aren't disputing that slaves had hopes and dreams for their children and grandchildren, it's just that the wording is hilariously skewed and insensitive.

Whether someone is an immigrant depends on where they are from. Whether someone is a slave depends on whether they are treated as property. These are not categories that deal with the same questions. If you say someone is a slave, it does not tell you where they are from. If you say someone is an immigrant, this does not tell you their legal status.

'Forced immigration' is not immigration, it's slavery.  This is such an idiotic distinction.

     You understand that this is not an argument, right?

[Associate Justice PiT]

     BTW, I changed the topic title because it was reported and, after some research, I strongly suspect that it is intended as a reference to "Uncle Tom". I am open to discussing this point, though.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

     BTW, I changed the topic title because it was reported and, after some research, I strongly suspect that it is intended as a reference to "Uncle Tom". I am open to discussing this point, though.

It was meant to be a term of endearment.   Very Sad! that people always assume the worst here.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

     BTW, I changed the topic title because it was reported and, after some research, I strongly suspect that it is intended as a reference to "Uncle Tom". I am open to discussing this point, though.

I was thinking

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

"Uncle Ben"

It's amazing to me that this is a controversy.  Are "immigrants" only those who decide of their own volition to move somewhere because they think it would be neat?   What do we call those English convicts or street urchins who were forced by law to come to Virginia or Australia?  What do we call people who were victims of forced depopulations in the aftermaths of wars and made to settle somewhere else?  Please tell me what is the politically correct term for someone who comes from another country that won't offend our delicate sensibilities?   Maybe the offensive thing is the idea that slaves were human beings who had hopes and dreams for their children and grandchildren?

It's amazing to me the bizarre lengths apologists for Pussygrabber will go to justify anything he or his regime says or does, no matter how stupid.

Carson claims that slaves were "dreaming of better futures for their descendants"  in the nation that was enslaving them even as they were dying locked in lightless holds, and someone deflects with pedantry about the exact meaning of immigration. Deplorable.

Oh right, I forgot that slaves have no human agency or ability to hope for their children to have a better life than them even in the worst of circumstances. Silly me!

No one here is buying your faux outrage.  Try again.
[/quote]

It is outrageous.  African American slaves built up an entire culture around hope and resilience in the face of oppression and adversity. It is insulting to their memory to deny them this.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Are "immigrants" only those who decide of their own volition to move somewhere because they think it would be neat?

Yes. The definition of immigration is that it's voluntary.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     I must say that I approve of the appellation "Zany Ben".

[Suburbia]

Carson is idiotic with his statements and remarks. He would have probably lost badly to Hillary Clinton if he was the GOP nominee.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Are "immigrants" only those who decide of their own volition to move somewhere because they think it would be neat?

Yes. The definition of immigration is that it's voluntary.

Then please provide a word that means the same thing as "immigrant" without the distinction of it being voluntary.

A lot of words and indignation to waste over a wacky and thoughtless Ben Carson comment, but the "no, actually you're being offensive by not calling them immigrants" bit is one of the most tendentious arguments that I've ever read on this forum.

No one was arguing that. 

[publicunofficial]

Are "immigrants" only those who decide of their own volition to move somewhere because they think it would be neat?

Yes. The definition of immigration is that it's voluntary.

Then please provide a word that means the same thing without the distinction of it being voluntary.

Enslaved? Trafficked? Sold?

[Devout Centrist]

You know, Democrats call a lot of black conservatives Uncle Toms and I think that's wrong...but COME ON.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Are "immigrants" only those who decide of their own volition to move somewhere because they think it would be neat?

Yes. The definition of immigration is that it's voluntary.

Then please provide a word that means the same thing without the distinction of it being voluntary.

Enslaved? Trafficked? Sold?

Nope. None of those mean "person from one country now residing or in transit to another country."

[Antonio the Sixth]

"Displaced"?