“Compassion, however, should mean providing a mechanism to escape poverty rather than simply maintaining people in an impoverished state by supplying handouts. By doing this we give them an opportunity to elevate their personal situations, which eventually decreases our need to take care of them and empowers them to be able to exercise compassion toward others.”

American neurosurgeon, academic, author, and government official

Benjamin Solomon Carson Sr. is an American neurosurgeon, academic, author, and government official. He has served as the National Nutrition Advisor at the Department of Agriculture since 2025, and earlier served as the 17th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 2017 to 2021. He is also known for a career in medicine and for work beyond it, including writing and public service. He is a member of the Republican Party.