Former Republican Congressman Allen West stoked controversy today by labeling President Obama a "slavemaster."
In a speech at a Tea Party USA convention, West claimed that Obama's "socialist welfare policies" were turning blacks and Latinos into vassals of a tyrannical federal government.
"Back in the Old South, if you were a slave, everything was provided for," West told the audience. "The master gave you your housing, your food, your job. And the slave was totally dependent.
"Now look at America today. It's the same story. Obama has taken the role of slavemaster. He's giving away food, shelter, and work to black people and creating a permanent underclass of 21st century slaves.
"If you're on welfare, you belong to the government. If you're on food stamps, you belong to the government. If you use Social Security, Medicare, student loans, or the post office, the government owns your mind, body and soul.
"And if you decide that you don't want to pay taxes to fund this slavery, then overseer (Attorney General) Eric Holder is gonna come down and whip your butt into a federal court."
Obama Unchained
West then turned his attention to immigration from Latin America, which he likened to the Atlantic slave trade.
"And now Obama wants to be more than just a slavemaster. He wants to be a slave trader! He's trying to bring millions of new Mexican slaves into his great big Democratic plantation.
"That's all 'immigration reform' is ladies and gentlemen. A way for Democrats to bring in more poor, darkly skinned servants into our great country to pick the white cotton of liberalism. They don't care where you come from or what language you speak, as long as you take free government money.
"Now I hope no one minds if I decide to speak for all 44 million African-Americans in the country," West then bellowed, his voice raising with anger, "but I've got something to tell President Obama.
"No we don't want affordable healthcare! No we don't want Social Security benefits. No we don't want good public schools or safe streets. We want our freedom!
"We are not slaves Obama! We are human beings! And we would rather be hungry, sick and destitute in old age than participate in any kind of government program designed to improve our lives."
West served from 2011 -2013 in the U.S. House of Representatives as a member from Florida's 22nd district. In 2012 he was defeated in his bid for reelection, in part because of his overuse of slavery analogies.









