Renowned pediatric neurosurgeon and author of the best-selling book, America the Beautiful, Dr. Ben Carson, shared his knowledge and experience with the community of Sikeston, Mo. on Saturday.
The Sikeston High School field house filled with students, politicians and others from the surrounding area who wanted to catch a glimpse of the famous doctor. America’s Got Talent winner, Neil Boyd opened the program with patriotic classics like “God Bless the USA”. Meanwhile, Carson spoke directly to a group of 90 at-risk youth in an attempt to encourage them.
Carson covered topics that include health care reform, bettering the education system, the housing crisis, serious issues with the national debt, and his conservative views on gay rights. Carson has no political party affiliation, however his viewpoints tend to be conservative. His main focus on Saturday was education.
“Can you imagine how many young people that are out there today who also have great potential?” Carson said during the event. “And we need to find ways to to develop those minds, we need those minds. Every one of those young people that we can keep from wasting their talent is one more productive, tax paying member of our society.”
Carson grew up in poverty with a mother who only had a 3rd grade level education. She was a major influence for Carson to reach a higher level of education which inevitably led him into the medical field. He was the first in medical history to surgically separate conjoined twins at the head and is now a major political columnist.
After Carson spoke, three $5000 scholarships were awarded to certain outstanding Southeast Missouri students who met the intensive qualifications. Adrian Taylor Jr. is the chairman of the restoration center, a non-profit that partnered with the Bootheel scholarship foundation to put together the criteria for the scholarship awarded.
“We really wanted to try to encourage students of all kinds,” Taylor said. “Whether their academics were strong or not, whether they had done a lot of things before or not, that they could have some future for their education. So that’s really why I wanted to make sure that it was not just a put together piece of information. We really wanted to be thorough.”
After scholarships were awarded, Carson was asked if he could confirm rumors that he will be a potential United States presidential candidate. Carson responded vaguely stating he is still considering the idea, and it is a possibility. Congressmen Jason Smith said it was too early to promise his vote to Carson if he decided to run.
“You know, I want to look at the field and see who all’s out there and I want the best candidate that is the strongest candidate that can help turn this country around,” Smith said. “I liked a lot what he said but I don’t know who all’s running so I would never make that choice right now.”
Other political leaders, like Missouri House representative, Holly Rehder, or former representative Mary Kasten say they would give Carson 100 percent support. Still, others like Taylor, appreciate Carson’s work but are not ready to give him their full support.
“I don’t know if I want him to be president,” Taylor said. “I think I like him being in the community and stirring things up and keeping people focused on what’s real and you know, when you become political you’re no longer really able to touch people’s hearts like that.”
Carson spoke very simply on the subjects that should concern Americans on a daily basis. He often referred to his political suggestions as “common sense ideas."
“You control the health care of the people so you can make the population dependant upon the government,” Carson said. “Again, we’re talking about freedom, liberty and justice for all. This is not a republican or a democrat issue, this is a common sense issue that should resonate with everybody who is a patriotic American. I’m a registered Independent but, if I had to be a member of a party it would be the ‘Logical Party.’ Let’s do the things that make sense.”