BET Founder Johnson Is Right, You Can't Build Up the Weak By Tearing Down the Strong

The founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET), Robert Johnson, said something profound on “Fox News Sunday” last weekend that should be getting wider coverage.

Johnson, who strongly supported Barack Obama’s presidential candidacy four years ago, is offended by the president’ class warfare language, especially his attacks on the wealthy.

“You don’t get people to like you by attacking them or demeaning their success,” said Johnson, adding, “I grew up in a family of ten kids, first one to go to college, and I’ve earned my success. I’ve earned my right to fly private if I choose to do so. Attacking me is not going to convince me that I should take a bigger (tax) hit because I happen to be wealthy. It doesn’t mean I am a bad guy. I went in business to create jobs and opportunity, create value for myself and investors. And that’s what the president should be praising, not demagoging us simply because Warren Buffet says he pays more (in taxes) than his secretary.”

That attitude and approach to life once was widely taught and believed in America. But today, the president and his far-left associates pit the successful against the unsuccessful and promote envy, not the values that propelled the successful to where they are.

It is a form of robbery. The unsuccessful are being robbed of their chance to succeed because their thinking and energy are directed at tearing down those who have succeeded, not emulating what it took for them to succeed.

Re-read Johnson’s comments. He went to college. He built a business. He worked hard. And he deserves the fruits of his labor.

The president he supported thinks otherwise. President Obama benefited from affirmative action. He never created anything or built a business from the ground-up. He was not invested in America the way Robert Johnson has been invested.

It was our 30th President, Calvin Coolidge, who said you don’t build up the weak by tearing down the strong. Robert Johnson is trying to share that truth with President Obama, but he doesn’t appear to be listening.

Cal Thomas is America's most widely syndicated newspaper columnist and a Fox News contributor.