“I’d ask you to go back through history and figure out, where are these contributions that have been made by these other categories of people [other than White people] that you’re talking about, where did any other subgroup of people [other than White people] contribute more to civilization?” – Steve King (R) of Iowa, 7/18/2016 Republican National Convention speech

Garry Bonnemere answered (commenting on theintellectualist.com website): “Other categories of people”…..”sub-groups of people”…..what is that? Contributions, Steve King? Just imagine this……Life Without Black People

1. There are very few crops that have flourished because the nation was built on a slave-supported system.

2. There are no cities with tall skyscrapers because Alexander Mils, a black man, invented the elevator, and without it, one finds great difficulty reaching higher floors.

3. There are few if any cars because Richard Spikes, a black man, invented the automatic gearshift, Joseph Gambol, also black, invented the Super Charge System for Internal Combustion Engines, and Garrett A. Morgan, a black man, invented the traffic signals.
4. Furthermore, one could not use the rapid transit system because its procurer was the electric trolley, which was invented by another black man, Albert R. Robinson.

5. Even if there were streets on which cars and a rapid transit system could operate, they were cluttered with paper because an African American, Charles Brooks, invented the street sweeper.

6. There were few if any newspapers, magazines and books because John Love invented the pencil sharpener, William Purveys invented the fountain pen, and Lee Barrage invented the Type Writing Machine and W. A. Love invented the Advanced Printing Press. They were all, you guessed it, Black.

7. Even if Americans could write their letters, articles and books, they would not have been transported by mail because William Barry invented the Postmarking and Canceling Machine, William Purveys invented the Hand Stamp and Philip Downing invented the Letter Drop.

8. The lawns were brown and wilted because Joseph Smith invented the Lawn Sprinkler and John Burr the Lawn Mower.

9. When they entered their homes, they found them to be poorly ventilated and poorly heated. You see, Frederick Jones invented the Air Conditioner and Alice Parker the Heating Furnace. Their homes were also dim. But of course, Lewis Later invented the Electric Lamp, Michael Harvey invented the lantern and Granville T. Woods invented the Automatic Cut off Switch. Their homes were also filthy because Thomas W. Steward invented the Mop and Lloyd P. Ray the Dust Pan.

10. Their children met them at the door-barefooted, shabby, motley and unkempt. But what could one expect? Jan E. Matzelinger invented the Shoe Lasting Machine, Walter Sammons invented the Comb, Sarah Boone invented the Ironing Board and George T. Samon invented the Clothes Dryer.

11. Finally, they were resigned to at least have dinner amidst all of this turmoil. But here again, the food had spoiled because another Black Man, John Standard invented the refrigerator.
Now, isn’t that something? What would this country be like without the contributions of Blacks, as African-Americans?

Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “by the time we leave for work, Americans have depended on the inventions from the minds of Blacks.” Black history includes more than just slavery, Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and Marcus Garvey and W.E.B. Dubois.

Patrick Leonard counter with: Arabs created the number system we currently use. They also contributed greatly to modern medicine. Native Americans contributed the concept of a constitution and Bill of rights and the notion that leaders serve the people instead of the other way around. White people, people of European descent, contributed the idea that war is good. Not sure that’s been particularly helpful to anyone except the 1%. I’d love to hear what he believes because I’m sure it’s hilarious.

And James Partin finished with: Only white people have contributed to the gradual destruction of humanity.

Thomas Grierson: Or porcelain, paper, fishing reels, church bells, rudders, solar wind, the discovery of circulation of blood in the human body, the suspension bridge, the technique for drilling for natural gas, the iron plough, the seed drill, the mechanical clock, the seismograph, planting and hoeing techniques, and the compass …. (all Chinese inventions/discoveries). If you’ve read a book or newspaper, flown a kite, regained your sense of direction by using a compass, enjoyed a fireworks display, worn a soft silk shirt or eaten spaghetti, you’ve encountered a just a few amazing Chinese inventions.

KP (me): And what have white men done? Mostly taken credit for everything invented by women and non-whites. Look foolish much, Steve King? The Merrian-Webster Dictionary definition for chagrin is a feeling of being frustrated or annoyed because of failure … You there yet, Steve?