American University Assistant Prof Tweets that Dr. Ben Carson is a 'Token'

As long as Deen Freelon thinks the way he does, Dr. King’s dream that we’ll see people for the content of their character rather than the color of their skin will remain unfulfilled. He looks both at the Republican Party, and at Dr. Ben Carson, and only sees skin color.

Dr. Ben Carson is a neurosurgeon whose reputation is beyond reproach. He’s beloved in Maryland both for his personal story and for his philanthropy. But none of that is good enough for Deen Freelon, now that Dr. Carson has come out as a man who thinks and speaks for himself.

I don’t think I realized Ben Carson was conservative until last month. Shame he’s becoming the right wing’s go-to black token.

— Deen Freelon (@dfreelon) March 16, 2013

I won’t call Freelon’s tweet hateful or racist. It’s just ignorant, of history and of basic right and wrong. And sad.

For what it’s worth, while Dr. Carson is a neurosurgeon, Dr. Freelon is an assistant professor in political science and social media. Basically, he’s a professor of Twitter. But more liberals are now likely to listen to him than to Dr. Carson.