While Americans were enjoying their Thanksgiving weekend, in the midst of a media firestorm about whether to allow Syrian refugees into the country, Dr. Ben Carson boarded a plane for Amman, Jordan. Intent on meeting with officials spearheading the relief efforts, and refugees themselves, Dr. Carson decided he was tired of briefings and media reports, and went where the rubber meets the road to see what Americans could do to help.
No other candidate has done this.
No politician would ever do this.
But Dr. Carson is not a politician. He is a physician under the Hippocratic Oath and as a man of integrity; he is bound by this oath in all of his actions.
Oath: I will not be ashamed to say “I know not”.
In a Facebook post on November 30, Dr. Carson said, “After Candy and I had our Thanksgiving Dinner, we quietly left for Amman, Jordan to spend a couple of days at the Syrian Refugee Camps. I wanted to see things for myself and talk with the refugees and try to find a solution where we can be both smart and compassionate.”
With the Obama administration talking about bring Syrian refugees to the US without consideration for the safety of the American people, Dr. Carson wanted to see what the Syrian refugee situation looked like first hand and seek out solutions from those who were actively serving this population.
Oath: I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure.
Unlike President Obama, Dr. Carson believes in compassion with a firm eye on the safety of Americans. He understands that preventing terrorists from entering our borders is far easier than finding them once they are here. In a Facebook post from November 30, Dr. Carson said, “I believe we can be smart and keep our country safe and also be compassionate…”
(Photo: Dr. Ben Carson’s Facebook Page)
The solution he proposes in his November 30th Facebook post has the potential to do just that. “One out of every five persons living in Jordan is a refugee. Jordan is a small country with a massive heart. But the influx of the Syrians is stretching all social services. Schools now teach in two shifts. Hospitals, police, and food service organizations are all under pressure. At the camps, I found a well equipped hospital with no patients because the international community can’t agree who should pay to staff it. Living conditions are simple but not bad.” He continues, “Let us commit to help care for these people. We are a generous people. The Jordanian Government expects the cost to care, educate, feed, and protect the refugees is about $3 Billion per year — roughly the same amount of money we spend on Halloween Candy in the U.S. each year. We need not shoulder the entire cost ourselves. We should lead though.”
Oath: I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligations to all my fellow human beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm.
(Photo: Dr. Ben Carson’s Facebook Page)
In an appearance on Fox and Friends following his trip to Jordan, Dr. Carson said, “They were saying what they would really like the United States and other countries to do is support programs like they have in Jordan. The Jordanians are wonderful people. They’ve opened their hearts and their land, but they don’t have the money to sustain it, and consequently, there’s a brand-new hospital there that’s not even being utilized because they don’t have the money to run it.” No member of the Obama administration has presented a solution that will help Syrian refugees in such a simple way. Then again, no politician would have such a commitment to helping the infirm.
Dr. Ben Carson is a breath of fresh air to a stale and malicious presidential campaign. His willingness to enter Jordan and see firsthand what America can do to best aid the Syrian refugee crisis proves he is a statesman, intent on helping America become great once again. Then again, he is simply keeping his oath.
