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I am not trying to justify anything .. I merely asked a question because I didn't know there was a special legal category for 'slaves' entering the US. The fact that they may have been brought over to be slaves and that their immigration might be seen as being 'forced' or 'under duress' for that reason doesn't mean that the term 'immigrant' was not just as applicable to them as anyone else, does it? They arrived from outside the country and stayed (or most of them did) in the country .. and have descendants here - as people who were taken into slavery and transported from their homelands do in many countries around the world. I don't think there was, at the time, the kind of immigration system we now have but the term 'immigrant' is still applicable today for those who arrived before its inception or it is not applicable to anyone who came before we set the immigration laws up and began enforcing them.
I am beginning to think perhaps there is a deliberate smear attempt going on here - which I didn't think when I started reading this thread. Mr. Carson is a respectable person who deserves and gives respect to all. I would bet he would be the very first to acknowledge that these particular immigrants were slaves and that they were probably not willing immigrants - but that doesn't mean they weren't immigrants.
I don't think there is a legal category that segregates (and yes that term is deliberately used on my part because it describes what those arguing that Carson was horrible for what he said are actually trying to do to the memory of black people who endured slavery) willing from unwilling 'immigrants' is there? Right now I see people criticizing Mr. Carson for his use of the term immigrant in connection with slaves as being very cruel to those who were slaves and their descendants.
I am addressing his exact quote about slaves. I'm not talking about his career as a surgeon. YOU ARE DOING THAT. He called slaves "immigrants". This type of narrative downplays a lot of things that happened in this country's history. And sadly, some people actually run with that narrative that slaves were "immigrants". We all accept that immigrant infers voluntarily moving from one place to another. The thing is some of us just don't want this type of slick little toxic play on words to get off the ground. You have to address stuff like this. Was the Holocaust just a census gathering that went bad? Was 9/11 an accident between planes and buildings? But I've already said too much. Yall like to play stupid on here. This thread is a really good example of it.
I am addressing his exact quote about slaves. I'm not talking about his career as a surgeon. YOU ARE DOING THAT. He called slaves "immigrants". This type of narrative downplays a lot of things that happened in this country's history. And sadly, some people actually run with that narrative that slaves were "immigrants". We all accept that immigrant infers voluntarily moving from one place to another. The thing is some of us just don't want this type of slick little toxic play on words to get off the ground. You have to address stuff like this. Was the Holocaust just a census gathering that went bad? Was 9/11 an accident between planes and buildings? But I've already said too much. Yall like to play stupid on here. This thread is a really good example of it.
As I just posted .. Ben Carson himself is descended from slaves, brought into the US by traders.
I don't care what his personal career choice is in this instance - I never mentioned that - I think however he is an educated person who has a fair bit of insight into this issue.
And please .. we don't ALL accept that immigrant infers moving ONLY voluntarily from one place to another (if who you mean by 'we' is everyone). What you are describing takes an additional descriptor/adjective - which in this case is 'unwilling' or something of that ilk or even 'immigrant SLAVES' - but 'immigrant' is still accurate even if not quite 'complete' enough for your liking.
In any case, no one is trying to put down or hide the issues of slavery.
Well, Mr Carson is no doubt a brilliant neurosurgeon but his understanding of peoples sensibilities seems a bit lacking. Its not uncommon for brilliant doctors to have something of a 'God complex" and be lacking in bed side manner so to speak. Like many rich people, they do not relate to the common man very well.
As I just posted .. Ben Carson himself is descended from slaves, brought into the US by traders.
I don't care what his personal career choice is in this instance - I never mentioned that - I think however he is an educated person who has a fair bit of insight into this issue.
And please .. we don't ALL accept that immigrant infers moving ONLY voluntarily from one place to another (if who you mean by 'we' is everyone). What you are describing takes an additional descriptor/adjective - which in this case is 'unwilling' or something of that ilk or even 'immigrant SLAVES' - but 'immigrant' is still accurate even if not quite 'complete' enough for your liking.
In any case, no one is trying to put down or hide the issues of slavery.
what he said was flat out disrespectful and the fact that people are trying to say "well he's a neurosurgeon"...as if he's choosing words on some high god level abstract plane of thought. At the end of the day, immigrant and slave are two different things in the context of America and American history. It's that simple. You're trying to rattle on and create new compound phrases. "Immigrant slaves"???? This man is a high ranking government official saying this stuff. It needs to be addressed and corrected. Especially when he was elected to that position.
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