Former NBA star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar alleged that though he “is a deeply moral man who has done much good as a physician,” President Ben Carson would be “bad for African-Americans,” specifically the large impact his Christian faith plays in crafting his policies.
Carson’s “repressive, muddled and pious policies and opinions often run against our Constitution—but his questionable proposals will likely, thankfully, be doomed by his lack of political expertise,” writes Abdul-Jabbar. “It would definitely not be good for African Americans to have a president who flounders helplessly in office because it would perpetuate the stereotype that blacks can’t be effective CEOs, quarterbacks and leaders.”
Furthermore, Abdul-Jabbar criticized Carson on a litany of individual issues, including but not limited to homosexuality, climate change, the Affordable Care Act and his views on institutionalized racism:
Although Carson is a celebrated physician, he has expressed several opinions that are contrary to scientific evidence and therefore call into question his logic … His claim that sexual orientation is a choice is remarkably unscientific … For a physician to ignore the preponderance of scientific proof in favor of his own religious beliefs is dangerous because is it [sic] justifies enacting laws that restrict human and civil rights …
Global climate change is a major issue affecting the future of human life … yet Carson says he has not seen “overwhelming science” that porves climate change is manmade … When an elected leader ignores testimony from 97% of the world’s experts, renowned physicists and the CDC, we have to question his decision making.
The president often advocates for the kind of educational system we should have … Ben Carson, who defers to his religious faith in the face of scientific evidence, does not seem like a strong advocate for quality education …
A Carson presidency would also be a direct attack on the health of African-Americans: he equated the Affordable Care Act to a form of slavery … This is a matter of life and death, not political posturing …
Actually, poverty is the form of slavery that is most insidious in America, and it is perpetuated by institutional racism, which Ben Carson seems to deny exists … He praises blacks in history who have pulled themselves up by their own bootstraps to make something of themselves despite harsh circumstances … What makes this rallying cry so disingenuous is the fact that his mother received government assistance while he was growing up, which he acknowledges was crucial …
These are the times when all Americans need a champion willing to fight hard to fix the problems that affect people from all walks of life, not deny or ignore them. Ben Carson is not that champion.
You can read the entire op-ed over at Time.