Retired neurosurgeon and potential Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson, MD, is building his political credentials by not only speaking out on healthcare and economic issues but also addressing social issues, such as the recent rioting in St. Louis on The O'Reilly Factor," according to Breitbart.
The shooting last weekend of an unarmed teenager by police officers in Ferguson, a suburb of St. Louis, sparked a national conversation about police brutality, racism and socioeconomic conditions around the country. The teenager died of injuries sustained in the shooting, according to a Business Insider report, after struggling with police officers in a squad car. The event set off riots in Ferguson that persist today, and a flurry of commentary in political media as well as social media.
Dr. Carson, a rising star in the GOP and author of the book "One Nation," offered his commentary, focusing on the non-violent teachings from the Civil Rights era to stir up social, political and economic change:
"The reason that Dr. Martin Luther King was so effective is because he quelled the temptation towards violence and in fact brought a lot of attention to the injustices that were being done. If injustice has been done in this case — and we don't know that yet because we have got to let the process take place — but if it has, by rioting, by hurting people who have nothing to do with the incident, the people engaged in that are actually distracting from the actual injustice that was done."
He then voiced hope that other leaders would echo his message and help the rioters understand the value of non-violence.
Dr. Carson has not yet declared he would run for president, but told Fox Business Network if he did, the theme would be the American Pledge of Allegiance, according to a Media ITE report. Additionally, he formed a political action committee and reportedly selected a Houston businessman to run his campaign, according to a Washington Times report.
Dr. Carson is a former neurosurgeon retired from Johns Hopkins who burst onto the political scene in recent years as a vehement opponent to President Barack Obama's healthcare reform.