JACKSON, Tenn. — Oct. 23, 2013 — America may be experiencing changes in its power structure, but Dr. Benjamin S. Carson said he believes God is not ready to let Americans relinquish leadership as a powerful and influential nation.
鈥淚f America ever ceases to be good, she ceases to be great,鈥� Carson said Oct. 22 at Union University鈥檚 16th annual Scholarship Banquet. 鈥淚t is our responsibility as God-fearing Americans to once again make America good.鈥�
Carson retired in June as a full professor of neurosurgery, oncology, plastic surgery and pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, where he directed pediatric neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Children鈥檚 Center for more than 25 years. He was the keynote speaker for the annual banquet at the Carl Perkins Civic Center, a sold-out event that raised more than $500,000 for student scholarships.
The author of five books, Carson holds more than 60 honorary doctorates and has received hundreds of awards and citations, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2008. In 2001, CNN and Time magazine named him one of the nation鈥檚 20 foremost physicians and scientists. The movie 鈥淕ifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story鈥� premiered on TNT in 2009 and is based on Carson鈥檚 memoir.
During his address, Carson explained how his childhood experiences helped shape the man he has become.
Medicine was the only occupation that ever interested Carson, he said, as he was always excited to visit the doctor鈥檚 office or watch TV medical programs. He aspired at a young age to become a doctor, but his future seemed bleak due to his parent鈥檚 divorce and his childhood spent in the ghetto.
Carson said his chances at success also were hindered from being a careless student. But the one person to never stop believing in his potential was his mother 鈥� and she continued to push Carson and his brother to do their best.
鈥淏y not accepting excuses, she made us look for solutions,鈥� Carson noted about his mother. 鈥淚f you find somebody who can accept responsibility, then you鈥檙e generally going to have somebody who is going to be extremely 海角乱伦社区 in whatever they do.鈥�
Carson said his mother had only a third grade education, but she worked hard to make sure her children learned all that they could. What often seemed like torture to Carson 鈥� such as giving up play time in order to read and write book reports at his mother鈥檚 request 鈥� actually set him on his pathway to success.
By the seventh grade, Carson had gone from the bottom of his class to the top. He also developed a new impression of himself, realizing his potential and his desire to pursue his aspirations.
As a result, Carson reminded the audience to invest in young people that lack direction or support from their families.
鈥淲e can鈥檛 afford to throw any of our citizens away,鈥� said Carson, adding that each person has the potential to make valuable contributions to society. 鈥淲e have to collectively understand in this nation that we鈥檙e all in the same boat. And if part of the boat sinks, the rest of us are going down, too.鈥�
Carson noted that nearly a third of high school students fail to graduate, and many college students have to take remedial courses to learn basic college skills. In order for schools and universities to improve, he said Americans must once again become serious about education.
鈥淭he founders of this nation said our nation is based on a well-educated and informed populace,鈥� Carson said. 鈥淚f the populace ever becomes other than that, the nature of the nation changes.鈥�
These changes impact more than just educational standards, as Carson said that the political sphere is quickly shifting due to increasing governmental power.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 have anything against government 鈥� good government,鈥� Carson said. 鈥淏ut I have a real problem with government that expands and expands until it reaches into every part of your life. This is exactly what the founders of this nation warned against.鈥�
Americans are facing their 鈥渓ast stand鈥� against the government, Carson said, with the power structure beginning to change even faster as the government takes control of health care. But he also noted that God will honor the prayers for decency, honesty and a return to the stature that Carson said the nation deserves.
鈥淭he Bible says that without a vision, the people perish,鈥� Carson said. 鈥淭he same thing could happen with this nation if we don鈥檛 once again reclaim the vision and reclaim the values that made this into a great nation.鈥�
The annual Scholarship Banquet has become one of the premiere events in West Tennessee each year, and is Union鈥檚 primary fundraising event for its student scholarship fund. Previous speakers have included George H.W. Bush, Margaret Thatcher, Condoleezza Rice, Mikhail Gorbachev, Laura Bush, Tony Blair and Robert Gates.
All told, Union鈥檚 Scholarship Banquets have generated more than $6 million for student scholarships.
