CARSON: A moment that defines courage

The Washington Times ^ | 9-18-2013 | Ben S. Carson

[sheikdetailfeather]

I have been interested in the political atmosphere of our country since my preteen years. It has been particularly interesting to observe the political shenanigans adopted by many of those wishing to obtain or maintain power. Fortunately, there have also been many who were truly interested in serving the people who put them in office. Looking at one’s life, voting record and words can provide significant insight into which of the aforementioned categories a political figure fits.

In the 1960s, John F. Kennedy wrote a book titled “Profiles In Courage,” which was very inspiring, as he examined the lives of individuals who had enough daring to go against the flow and make a real difference in society. As a young, very intelligent president of our country, he was faced with many daunting problems, not the least of which was an attempt by the Russians to supply Cuba with nuclear weapons, which would have been situated just 90 miles off of our shores. Although there have been many attempts to rewrite the history of the Cuban missile crisis, the bottom line is that Kennedy had the necessary backbone to stand up to Nikita Khrushchev and avert an enormous detrimental shift in the power structure of the world while enhancing America’s international image.

[sheikdetailfeather]

"There is, however, a breakdown in this system when officeholders are more concerned about their legacy or their re-election than they are about the proper functioning of government.Our Founders were most concerned about the possibility of the executive branch seizing power and disregarding constitutional constraints. I suspect they would have been horrified to witness the manipulative and secretive strong-armed techniques utilized by the current administration to push through Obamacare. I’m sure they would also be shocked to see an administration that picks and chooses the laws it wishes to enforce, thereby diminishing the power of the legislative branch of government. This practice in some ways resembles that of the centralized government system that swept the Soviet Union, whose notorious founders wrote that it was sometimes necessary to force ideas on a populace that will eventually come to accept and endorse the ideas. Similarly, our current leadership is certain that Americans will eventually see the wisdom of governmental oversight in almost every aspect of their lives."

[DIRTYSECRET]

Why not the Washington Post? More readers. In the Times he’s preaching to the choir. Too predictable.

[kimtom]

excellent point AND post!!!

[sheikdetailfeather]

“If we are to pass a free and prosperous nation on to our progeny, it is imperative that the legislative branch of government exhibit the courage to exercise the check function it possesses. Lawmakers cannot be afraid that they will be blamed for a government shutdown if they defund Obamacare. They have the ability to separate the health care law from the rest of the federal budget and fund one without funding the other. In doing so, they need to make it abundantly clear that they are willing to fund the government and its essential functions, but they feel that Obamacare is detrimental to the future economic health of America.

If the Democrat-controlled Senate reattaches the law, or if the executive branch makes the decision to fund Obamacare at the expense of other vital national functions, the electorate must take notice and act decisively in 2014. Many say that those who want to restore constitutional restraints are fighting a useless battle, but we must remember that freedom is reserved only for those willing to fight for it.

I am confident that the people will awaken from their apathy and vigorously support whoever has the backbone to stand up for them.”

Ben S. Carson is professor emeritus of neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University

[sheikdetailfeather]

http://www.dontfundobamacare.com/

[RitaOK]

This man seems to soak in wisdom. His “true north”, it seems to me, is in education, as someone who could raise up the American black family, especially the sons, in some effort to restore hope among those lost. Maybe not this generation, who earn all the headlines now, but the next.

Part of the Marxist theme is to give black Americans a permanent black eye in the press, with loads of ink, and coverage of the worst examples among black social influences, such as Jackson and Sharpton, Rev. WRIGHT and the Bellefonte Hollywood crowd.

On the national stage, Dr. Carson has an opening. However, his gifted direction to the black family and potential for making a difference might be diminished if he is cast onto the national-politics track.

[Fiji Hill]

In the 1960s, John F. Kennedy wrote a book titled “Profiles In Courage”...

Profiles in Courage (New York: Harper, 1956) came out in the fifties and was ghostwritten.

[MisterArtery]

Exactly, old man Joe hired a writer to get Johnny a Pulitzer and pad his “credentials.”

[IronJack]

Wasn’t that hack Arthur Schlesinger the real author?

[Fiji Hill]

The real author was Theodore Sorensen, who was also hack.

[pgkdan]

“If we are to pass a free and prosperous nation on to our progeny, it is imperative that the legislative branch of government exhibit the courage to exercise the check function it possesses. Lawmakers cannot be afraid that they will be blamed for a government shutdown if they defund Obamacare. They have the ability to separate the health care law from the rest of the federal budget and fund one without funding the other. In doing so, they need to make it abundantly clear that they are willing to fund the government and its essential functions, but they feel that Obamacare is detrimental to the future economic health of America.

I wish Boehner had the guts to follow this excellent advise!

[7thson]

"If we are to pass a free and prosperous nation on to our progeny,..." we must be willing to tell the truth to people. We must be willing to know the truth before we pass it on. As some Freepers have already commented, Profiles in Courage was published in 1956, not the 60's. Strike one against the educated Ben Carson. JFK did not write it, strike two. JFK - and anyone in that clan - was a frigging idiot - a womanizing pretty boy hooked on drugs without the intellectual heft to get out of a paper bag. Anyone who promotes the Kennedys as a model to look up to should be pulled from the game. A pop-up out to Dr. Carson.

I like and admire Dr. Carson as much as many Freepers do. However, as Will Rogers once stated "there is nothing more dumber than an educated man if you get him off what he was educated in."

We must promote the truth -

Woodrow Wilson was a progressive, anti-Constitutional, racist.

FDR was a progressive, anti-Constitutional idiot who never got the United States out of the Great Depression.

All of us could go on and on about JFK, LBJ, Truman, FDR, Wilson, Teddy Roosevelt, etc. When I hear great minds like Dr. Carson blather the propaganda of past Presidents, I just shake my head in despair.

[jazusamo]

Ben Carson *Ping*

Please Freepmail to get on or off this list…

[Bigg Red]

When I hear great minds like Dr. Carson blather the propaganda of past Presidents, I just shake my head in despair.

***
Well, I have hope for him. He has a good heart and seems to care about our country; he just needs to investigate history somewhat to get past the propaganda we have all been fed.

I’d love to see him run for office.

[fatnotlazy]

Thank you for the ping. I read Profiles in Courage back in the 1960s when I was still wet behind the ears, and thought it was excellent.

JFK had all sorts of flaws, but if nothing else, he was a President who believed in the exceptionalism of America and Americans and that is what this book celebrates. A stark contrast to the current occupant of the White House.

[fatnotlazy]

I'm going to guess that Dr. Carson is thinking of the tv series of the same name, which I believe came out in the early 1960s. I remember a teacher back then encouraging us kiddies to watch the series, and it was the series that inspired me to borrow the book and read it.

As for the book being ghostwtitten, what's wrong with that? A number of really good books are ghostwritten. There are people who have exceptional ideas, thoughts and experiences, but can't commit them to paper in a way that is interesting and understandable. A ghostwritten book isn't any less valuable because it was written by someone other than the named author.

[Fiji Hill]

As for the book being ghostwtitten, what's wrong with that? A number of really good books are ghostwritten. There are people who have exceptional ideas, thoughts and experiences, but can't commit them to paper in a way that is interesting and understandable. A ghostwritten book isn't any less valuable because it was written by someone other than the named author.

It seems a bit dishonest to claim sole credit for something you didn't write. The ghostwriter should have at least been listed as a co-author.

[fatnotlazy]

An acquaintance of mine, now deceased, ghost wrote a few books — nothing you or I would buy, but rather, highly technical works for scientists and other professionals. He said there was a contract — he wrote the book and was paid for his services, but there were terms in the contract to the effect that in exchange for his compensation, he could never claim authorship or any additional remuneration if the book somehow became a worldwide best seller.

I would assume that the Kennedys and Sorensen had some kind of written agreement. So long as the real author agreed to whatever terms and was paid for his services, I still see nothing dishonest.