On the second night of the Republican National Convention, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Dr. Ben Carson thanked God for sparing the life of former President and Republican candidate Donald Trump.
Like many of you, I watched in horror last week as events unfolded on the field in Pennsylvania. I saw President Trump, a dear friend, narrowly escape death. And my mind immediately went to the book of Isaiah, which says, “No weapon formed against you shall prosper.”
Just as South Carolina Senator Tim Scott brought the Spirit, Carson preached, prophesied and proclaimed the truth in his softer, more academic style of speaking.
Let me tell you the weapons they used. First they tried to ruin his reputation – and now he’s more popular than ever. Then they tried to bankrupt him, and now he’s got more money than ever. And then they tried to throw him in prison, and he’s freer and has set other people free with him. Then last weekend they tried to kill him, and now he’s alive and well!
The audience erupted in deafening applause, cheers and laughter. Carson continued.
You know, I have no doubt that God has placed a shield of protection over President Trump. And I join millions of Americans who are thankful for President Trump’s safety. And I encourage you to join me in praying every day for his continued protection.
Carson’s compassionate heart made him speak of the Lives lost on Saturday and also asked for prayers for the family. Like the gifted teacher he is, Carson expressed the unease we all feel about a world that seems to be slipping away from us.
Our deepest sympathies go out to the victims in the audience; let us pray for them and their families as well. You know, these events have made the times we live in unusually clear. We all have a nagging feeling that everything we love is slipping away from us. One only has to turn on the television. The free press, a pillar of any free society, has betrayed the public trust and resorted to lies, deception and disinformation. It divides us along racial, class and gender lines rather than uniting us through our common bond as Americans. Our government is no better; it has shredded our Constitution and upended the rule of law. We have wide open borders, a broken education system, and chaos erupting around the world. And to top it all off, we have a president who… well, if you can’t say anything good, you say nothing at all.
Carson received some more laughter from the audience and then came around the corner.
But ask anyone in the world, “What does it mean to be an American?” Most will tell you that it means unlimited opportunity. That where you start in life does not determine where you end up. That is the America I grew up in, and in no other country could a indigent inner-city boy raised by a single mother make it to an Ivy League university, then go to medical school, become a successful neurosurgeon, run for president, and eventually become a member of the president’s cabinet.
Carson is not wrong. One of the reasons he is so despised is because, like Scott, he refuted the victim mentality and cries of systemic racism promoted by the left. Carson praised Donald Trump and spoke about a man and a personality that most people don’t know because the time-honored media has made a caricature of him.
You know, as a member of his cabinet, I had the chance to work closely with him. And I have to tell you, this man is a gift to us as a nation. He is very gifted, he is very astute, he is very compassionate, he cares about people. And I tell you, when I first met him, none of us had entered the political arena. We were at Mar-a-Lago and someone came up to him and said, “Mr. Trump, Rod Stewart just walked in.” And he said, “I don’t care, that’s Ben Carson!”
Carson expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to live the American dream, but regretted that the standards for achieving that dream were being changed for others.
My story is becoming increasingly out of reach in today’s America. The lessons my mother taught me – like demanding work, the value of a well-rounded, patriotic education, and faith in God above all else – are being pushed out of the public sphere.
Carson turned away from the lament and returned to the hope of those attending the focused meeting. He encouraged them not to be afraid. God has given us strength.
But we are all here today because we know we can bring these things back! By the grace of God, we live in a land where the people rule. We have the power to choose what kind of nation we will be and what kind of men and women will lead us. And today, the choice couldn’t be clearer. The most repeated phrase in the Bible is this: “Do not be afraid or afraid.” It appears 365 times in Scripture. A reminder to live each day with faith, hope and joy, as gleeful warriors of Christ. And if God is with us, no one can stand against us. With that assurance from the Almighty, not even the face of evil can shake our resolve. We will keep fighting, we will keep praying, and by God’s grace, we will save our country and reelect President Trump along with Vice President Vance in November.
Carson concluded his speech with the story of the French philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville came to America to study the great experiment of this up-to-date nation and, based on his experiences, wrote a two-volume series entitled On Democracy in America.
Carson concluded with the words of de Tocqueville.
“America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, it will cease to be great.”
It is our job to make America good, and let’s do that by re-electing President Trump so we can make America great!
Ben Carson’s amazing speech pic.twitter.com/abV3r7a4D1
– Sara Rose 🇺🇸🌹 (@saras76) July 17, 2024
