Who knows what tomorrow holds for each of us and for our nation? We have no time to waste. Today is the day to act. Resolve to take one step toward helping our nation return to greatness. If we all do so, we cannot fail to remain “one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
The New Beginning
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Many thanks to those who made this book possible, including Sealy Yates, Adrian Zackheim, Bria Sandford, Will Weisser, Washington Speakers Bureau, Audrey Jones, Stephanie Marshall, my many medical colleagues and patients, Armstrong Williams, and Xavier Underwood.
INDEX
The page numbers in this index refer to the printed version of this book. The link provided will take you to the beginning of that print page. You may need to scroll forward from that location to find the corresponding reference on your e-reader.
abortion, 3, 175
morality and, 193–94
pro-life vs. pro-choice arguments on, 100–101
academic bullies, 89–90
ACLU, 56
Adams, John, 40–41, 207
Adams, Sam, 207
adult day care centers, 155
Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), 3, 12–13, 64–65, 71, 74, 75, 142, 143, 147–48, 172–73, 206
African American communities:
education and, 31, 33–34, 51
elite class and, 30, 31–34
leadership in, 43
out of wedlock births in, 31
African American-owned businesses, 32
ageism, 58–59
Alaska, 1–2
Alinsky, Saul, 14–15, 20, 23, 24, 25, 39
Al Qaeda, 135
American colonies, 93–94, 179
American flag, xxiv–xxv, 206–7, 209
American Revolution, 93, 170, 171, 177
America the Beautiful (Carson and Carson), xvi–xvii
Anderson, Marian, 42
Armistead, George, xxiv
Armstrong, Neil, 189
atheists, 175, 199, 201
athletes, 184–86
Australia, 146
AZM (azinphos-methyl), 89
bald eagle, xxiii
banks, xxi
Benghazi, 135
Berea College, 135
bestiality, 18, 19
best/worst analysis in considering actions, 205–6
Bible, 28, 40, 200, 201
and caring for others, 157
Carson’s National Prayer Breakfast speech and, xi
Chronicles, xi, 34
Creation story in, 192, 196–97, 198
Ephesians, 194
Exodus, 193
James, 151
Jeremiah, 193
Jude, 194
Leviticus, 194
Matthew, 193
morality and, 192–95, 199, 200
Proverbs, xi, 1, 11, 26, 35, 48, 62, 72, 85, 96, 98, 108, 111, 121, 122, 124, 138, 140, 148, 151, 152, 169, 171, 181, 191, 204
Psalms, 193
Solomon in, 139–40
tithing in, xxi, 104, 120
Biden, Joe, xi
bigotry, 3, 48–61, 86, 197
action steps for, 61
ageist, 58–59
defeating, 60–61
homophobia, 60, 195
racial, see racism
religious, 53–57
sexist, 17, 57–58
Bill of Rights, xvii, 54
First Amendment, 41, 55
Second Amendment, 109–10, 175
Bin Laden, Osama, 135
birth control, 67
births out of wedlock, 31
black communities, see African American communities
Black Panthers, 27
books, 133–34
Carson’s reading during childhood, xv, 134, 182, 183, 184
brain:
information and, 125–26
morality and, 198–99
Brown, Chris, 186
bullies, bullying, 5, 85–97
academic, 89–90
action steps for, 97
in business, 90–91
consequences of giving in to, 94
gaining respect of, 86, 95–96
media, 86–87, 97
political, 87–89, 97
political correctness and, 86, 93
in school, 5, 85–86, 95–96, 169–70
unintentional, 91–93
bullies, pushing back against, 96–97
heritage of courage and, 93–94
peacefulness and consistency in, 95
Bush, George W., 15, 135
business, bullies in, 90–91
can-do attitude, 7, 29, 176, 189
capitalism, 154
caring for others, 152–65
action steps for, 165
charities and, 146, 154, 161, 165
churches and, 146, 161, 162, 165
compassion and, 157, 164–65
the disabled, 152–53, 155, 156
the elderly, 153, 154–56, 165
government dependency and, 153, 156, 157–58
irresponsible people and, 146, 163–64
people (not government) helping people, 161–63
the poor, 153, 157
socialism vs. capitalism and, 154
Carnegie, Dale, 207
Carson, Ben:
Alaska trip of, 1–2
aunt and uncle of, 152–53, 191
BB gun of, 191–92, 199
book reading during childhood, xv, 134, 182, 183, 184
in car accident, 210–11
conjoined twins cases and, 91–93, 140
early jobs of, 158–60
as highway cleanup crew supervisor, 62–63, 159
as intern, 16–17
medical career of, 151, 159–60, 181–83, 198, 204, 208
at medical school, 138–39
mountain climbing experience of, 76, 77
National Prayer Breakfast (1997) speech of, ix, x
National Prayer Breakfast (2013) speech of, ix–xxvi, 18, 143, 206
poverty in upbringing of, xiv, xv, xvi, 183
in school in Detroit, xiv, 35–36, 48, 50, 85, 95–96, 114, 182
temper of, xiv, 21, 107–8, 140
as X-ray technician, 159
at Yale University, 26–27
Carson, Candy (Ben’s wife), xvi, xvii, 125, 141, 153, 170
Carson, Curtis (Ben’s brother), 48, 124, 140–41, 187, 191
Carson, Sonya (Ben’s mother), xiv–xv, 49, 111–12
book reading and, xv, 134, 182, 183
as role model, 187
wisdom of, 140–41, 142, 150
Carson Scholars Fund, xvii–xviii, xix, 98–99
Carver, George Washington, 30
“Census Bureau Links Poverty with Out-of-Wedlock Births” (Nelson), 31
character, questioning of or attempts to destroy, 21, 67
charity, 146, 154, 161, 165
China, 75–76
Christian crusaders, 53
Christianity, 53–54
Dark Ages and, 178
as U.S. heritage, 40–41, 192, 203
see also Bible; God; Jesus Christ
Christian Right, 56
Christmas, 54, 55
“Merry Christmas,” xii, 41, 56, 91
Chronicles, xi, 34
churches, 146, 161, 162, 165, 202
Churchill, Winston, 189
Civil War, 33, 189
classical music, 124–25
Clinton, Bill, ix, x, 56, 78, 115
Clinton, Hillary, x
College of the Ozarks, 135–36
colonies, American, 93–94, 179
“Coming Home” program, 161–62
common sense, 3, 6, 23, 29, 59, 117, 118, 121, 129, 139, 141, 149
and compassion for the poor, 157
knowledge and, 142
Obamacare and, 147–48
voter identification cards and, 4
see also w
isdom
communal societies, 173, 174
communication, 13–14
political correctness’s stifling of, 13–14, 17–18, 19
compassion:
for the poor, 157
true, 164–65
compromise, 111–23
action steps for, 122–23
on gay marriage, 116–17
on national debt, 117–21
pride and, 116, 121–22, 123
recent examples of, 114–16
starting small in, 114
timing and, 113
computers, 129, 136
Congress, 54, 56, 63, 65, 127
Congressional Franking Committee, 56
Constitution, xvii, 37–38, 39–41, 77, 170, 180, 206
Bill of Rights, xvii, 54
drifting away from, 172, 174
First Amendment, 41, 55
religion and, 40–41, 53, 54, 55
revering, 176–77
Second Amendment, 109–10, 175
as vision, 170–72, 179
voting for those who uphold, 177–79, 180
constitutional convention, 176
courage, 6, 13, 189, 204–9
best/worst analysis and, 205–6
heritage of, 93–94
Creation, 192, 196–97, 198
criminal justice system, 32
Cronkite, Walter, 29
Cyrus, Miley, 186
Dark Ages, 178
debt:
national, see national debt
personal, 72–73, 80, 81, 118
Declaration of Independence, xvii, 142, 180
demagoguery, 67
Democrats, 63, 68, 69, 78, 177
fighting between Republicans and, see political fighting
Detroit, Mich., 26, 33, 48–50, 124, 181, 184
Carson as highway cleanup supervisor in, 62–63, 159
Carson in school in, xiv, 35–36, 48, 50, 85, 95–96, 114
Detroit Tigers, 69–70
disabled, caring for, 152–53, 155, 156
disagreement, 110
respectful, see respectful disagreement, 98–100
dividers, 86, 189
tactics of, 66–67
dogs, xii, 11–12
dollar, value of, 74–75
Douglass, Frederick, 33, 188–89
driving a hard bargain, 112
drone strikes, 135
Dungy, Tony, 185
eagle, xxiii
economic independence, 32
economy, 142
growth of, 75–76, 119
Edison, Thomas, 188, 211
education, xiii–xiv, xvi–xix, 3, 6, 43, 136–37, 177–78
basic knowledge in, 131–32
of blacks, 31, 33–34, 51
Carson Scholars Fund and, xvii–xviii, xix, 98–99
at College of the Ozarks, 135–36
in 1800s, xvi–xvii, 40, 126
as foundation of our government, 126–27
prosperity and, 132–33
Title I and, xix, 98–99
wisdom and, 141
of young black women, 31
see also informed citizens; knowledge
Edwards, John, 186
Egypt, 3, 46, 53
Einstein, Albert, 189
elderly:
bigotry and, 50, 58
caring for, 153, 154–56, 165
electronic medical records (EMRs), xxii, 143
elites, elitism, 3, 26–34, 51, 86
action steps for, 34
arrogance of, 28–29
escaping subservience to, 31–34
in Ivy Leagues, 26–27
media and, 28
minority communities oppressed by, 29–30
secular progressive, 28
Emory University, 196
emotional trauma, 22–23
EMRs (electronic medical records), xxii, 143
enemies, 96–97
see also bullies, bullying
energy, 149–50
England, 3, 23, 170, 171
entertainers, 185
entitlements, 29, 40, 81, 117
entrepreneurship, 119, 172, 206, 207
environment, 89, 149, 150
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 149
Ephesians, 194
evolution, 195–200
Exodus, 193
experts, wisdom and, 141–42
failures:
admitting, 151
blaming others for, 148
families, 30, 202
fast and furious scandal, 135
federal budget, 65–66, 115
balanced, 78
deficit in, xx, 73, 78, 80, 121
surplus in, 78
see also national debt
First Amendment, 41, 55
flag of the United States, xxiv–xxv, 206–7, 209
Florida Atlantic University, 90
food stamps, 29
Ford, Henry, 188, 207, 211
Ford Motors, 158
forgetfulness, see ignorance and forgetfulness
Fort McHenry, xxiv
founders, xvii, 2, 6, 37–38, 56, 136, 170–71, 176, 177
Constitution and, see Constitution
Declaration of Independence and, xvii, 142, 180
education and, 126
freedom of speech and, 23–24
historical revisionism and, 37–38
religion and, 40–41
Franklin, Benjamin, 171, 211
freedom, xiii, 38, 58, 97, 170, 172, 176, 178, 179, 180, 205–7, 209
freedom of choice, 12–13
freedom of speech, 205, 206
founders and, 23–24
political correctness and, 12, 19, 23–24
free market, 154, 173
gangs, 49, 183
Garrison, William Lloyd, 188–89
gas masks, 188
Gates, Bill, Jr., 141
GDP (gross domestic product), 74
GE College Bowl, 124
Germany, Nazi, 94
Gingrich, Newt, 115
Glass-Steagall Act, 44
God, xxi, 28, 42, 49, 54, 107, 121, 140, 175, 200–201
“In God We Trust” phrase, 55, 200
morality and, 192–95, 199–203
in Pledge of Allegiance, 3, 55, 60–61, 201, 211
wisdom of, 151
world created by, 192, 196–97, 198
see also religion
government:
expansion of, 38, 93, 121, 176
reducing size of, 79, 121
surveillance by, 135
utopian vision and, 172–74
government dependency, 42, 52, 153, 156, 157–58, 172, 175
people helping people vs., 161–63
see also welfare
government employees, 162–63
government officials, 186
Graham, Billy, ix
Graham, Franklin, 162
Great Britain, 3, 23, 170, 171
Greece:
ancient, 3, 77
modern, 73
gross domestic product (GDP), 74
guns, 109–10, 175
Hale, Nathan, 23
Hamilton, Alexander, 207
Haymarket Square, 113
health care, xxi–xxii, 29, 70, 172
catastrophic insurance in, 145
electronic medical records (EMRs) in, xxii, 143
health savings accounts (HSAs) in, xxii, 143–47
malpractice cases and, 102–3, 146–47, 207–8
Medicare and, 113
Obamacare (Affordable Care Act), 3, 12–13, 64–65, 71, 74, 75, 142, 143, 147–48, 172–73, 206
third-party insurance-based, 144
vision for a wiser system, 142–48
Henry, Patrick, 23
heroes, 189, 190
see also role models
Higgins Elementary School, 48
historical revisionism, 37–40, 43, 47, 51, 86
history repeating itself,
43–46
Hitler, Adolf, 94
Holocaust, 94
homosexuality, 12
gay marriage and, 3, 18–20, 60, 116–17, 175, 194–95
homophobia and, 60, 195
morality and, 194–95
Hope Center, 193–94
Howe, William, 201
humility, 106–8, 122
wisdom and, 150–51
hypersensitivity, 13, 14–15, 23, 24
faux, 17–20, 25
ignorance and forgetfulness, 35–47
action steps for, 46–47
of Christian heritage, 40–41
dangers of, 129–30
historical revisionism, 37–40, 43, 47, 51, 86
and history repeating itself, 43–46
King’s advice and, 42–43
in medicine, 36
information:
brain and, 125–26
sources of, 133–34
see also knowledge
informed citizens, 124–37
action steps for, 137
basic knowledge for, 131–32
dangers of ignorance, 129–30
and education as the foundation of our government, 126–27
Internet and, 129, 133
manipulators and, 134–35
voting and, 126, 127–28, 130, 131
see also education; knowledge
insurance companies, 64
Internet, 129, 133
inventors, 188–89
Iran, 46, 53
Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, 115
Iraqi war, 135
irresponsible people, 146, 163–64
IRS (Internal Revenue Service), 24, 68, 117, 135, 143, 206
Islamic extremists, 53
isolationism, 45
Israel, 43–44
Israelites, 200, 202
Ivy Leagues, 26–27
Jackson, Andrew, 78
James, Book of, 151
Jefferson, Thomas, 59, 174
Jeremiah, Book of, 193
Jesus Christ, xx, 42, 53–54, 90, 195
Johns Hopkins Hospital’s statue of, 54–55
Jews, 50
jobs, minimum-wage, 158–60
Jobs, Steve, 141
Johns Hopkins Hospital, 57, 208
Carson as intern at, 16–17
conjoined twins at, 91–93, 140
statue of Jesus at, 54–55
Johns Hopkins School of Education, 19
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 18–19
Jude, Book of, 194
Keller, Helen, 42, 189
Kennedy, John F., 189, 211
Key, Francis Scott, xxiv
King, Martin Luther, Jr., 39, 46, 207, 211
forgetting advice of, 42–43
King, Martin Luther, Sr., 30
knowledge, 128, 150
basic, 131–32, 133
brain and, 125–26
common sense and, 142
sources of, 133–34
wisdom and, 138–39, 141