Armstrong Williams

WILLIAMS: A return of politics to the Olympics

Watching the Olympic Games used to be like watching "The Godfather" or "Citizen Kane" — you knew you were watching something spectacular and you didn't want the show to end.

January 26, 2014

WILLIAMS: On peace, justice and the right ordering of things

On the 27th of November 1895, industrialist Alfred Nobel signed his last will and testament, giving the largest share of his fortune to a series of prizes, the Nobel prizes.

January 19, 2014

WILLIAMS: In extreme cases, it is OK not to tell the truth

A colleague of mine recently confided to me that he was in difficult circumstances: He was in over his head, owing millions of dollars to investors. On one particular day, they paid him a polite visit at his home and inquired about the status of the investment and how soon they might receive their promised return.

January 12, 2014

WILLIAMS: Seeing people based on the color of their skin is not always racist

There are some aspects of seeing people based on color that we simply are not going to ever eradicate from the human race, even though we would like to do so. Some people don't want to hear this — people who would even consider such a statement racist — so let me start in a gingerly way by discussing other forms of discrimination that don't provoke the same reaction.

December 29, 2013

WILLIAMS: Jesus’ race is unknowable and it doesn’t matter anyway

What explosive emotions have erupted when Megyn Kelly of Fox News declared that Jesus and Santa were white men. Let me focus on Jesus which will readily address the Santa nonsense.

December 22, 2013

WILLIAMS: An insider’s case against comprehensive immigration reform

The debate about comprehensive immigration reform keeps coming up, and while efforts to pass this sweeping legislation have failed several times, it is likely to be an issue for the next session of Congress.

December 15, 2013

WILLIAMS: My season with Mandela

In February and March of 1990, I had a profoundly life-changing experience. At the time, I was working for Robert J. Brown, former aide to President Richard Nixon, as a vice president for the international division of Mr. Brown's B&C Associates. But then, on Feb. 11, Nelson Mandela was released from prison after 27 years. Mr. Brown had been a friend to Mr. Mandela and his wife, Winnie, and he arranged for me to be one of the first to interview Mr. Mandela and to act as his personal secretary after his early release from prison.

December 8, 2013

WILLIAMS: Vision and entrepreneurship are America’s formula for success

Last week, America celebrated another Thanksgiving, a holiday that reminds us to be thankful both for blessings from God and for the many aspects that make this country great. There are far too many reasons to ever list, but among the latter are the virtues of creativity, an entrepreneurial spirit and a vision that gives us the ability to push the envelope and continuously redefine what is possible.

December 1, 2013

WILLIAMS: Remembering our simple blessings

This column is dedicated in remembrance of a holiday that encourages us to take a step back in order to gain clarity and perspective when giving thanks for all the blessings we have come to adore.

November 24, 2013

WILLIAMS: The curse of longevity

The Social Security Act was passed in 1935 guaranteeing retirement pensions to all Americans over the age of 65. Sounds like a good deal except for the fact that the average American life expectancy back in 1935 was 61.7 years.

November 17, 2013

WILLIAMS: Political correctness is back with a new name: Bullying

Over the past few years, bullying has become a hot topic of conversation. Perhaps I should amend that: Bullying has become a hot topic in the media as it has been pushed by progressives to force mainstream acceptance of their agenda.

November 10, 2013

WILLIAMS: ‘Financing the Flames’ while on a burned-out budget

On a trip to Israel several years ago, I met and bonded with the Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist and award-winning author Edwin Black. He has been a guest on my TV and radio shows on several occasions. When he asked me to be a part of his new publication, "Financing the Flames," I was more than pleased and the invitation prompted me to write this piece to share his work with the world.

November 3, 2013

WILLIAMS: Why are we against Obamacare?

There are three basic arguments against Obamacare. And none relate to the catastrophic unveiling of the HealthCare.gov website in recent weeks, which has seen Americans getting 404 pages, inadvertently signing up multiple times or with multiple spouses, or unable to find out basic information on their premiums. While the website is unacceptable, a technical fix is doable (though it still should caution us about the overconfidence of government technocrats).

October 27, 2013

WILLIAMS: Redskins name should stay, but personal attacks should go

Watching the current debate swirling around the Washington Redskins' name, I can't help but shake my head. American Indian nicknames is a tired issue that we have heard about before. Yet something seems different this time, and much of that has to do with the liberal mainstream media jumping on the bandwagon to help fuel the fire.

October 20, 2013

WILLIAMS: We, the people, are trapped on a ship of fools

Usually when two sides cannot come to an agreement, they can let an arbiter weigh their arguments and settle the dispute. Some arbiters try to find the optimum compromise, while others simply rule in favor of one side over the other.

October 13, 2013

WILLIAMS: Getting better teachers requires thorough education reform

Teaching — or at least teaching well — should be thought of as a "trade" not a "job." Those doing an everyday (or even complex) job require training, experience and steadiness to become successful. Teachers need all that as well, but it's more nuanced.

October 6, 2013

WILLIAMS: Obama’s wild oscillations on Syria only advantage Putin

Weeks of remarkable vacillation by the Obama administration on the crisis of Syria have landed the U.S. in the worst possible position — looking indecisive, ineffective and weak. In effect, President Obama shot himself in the foot and handed a stunning victory to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who must be relishing it.

September 29, 2013

WILLIAMS: Myths and disturbing truths about Navy Yard tragedy

I can tell you several things that did not cause the Washington Navy Yard shootings last week: AR-15s, video games, and partisanship. On the flip side, I can tell you what contributed to the massacre: mental instability, poor security, and a failure of the vaunted background-check system.

September 22, 2013

WILLIAMS: We are not born equal

One of the founding principles of our great republic is stated in the first line, second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence, "We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal " The idea of equality governs our interactions and expectations.

September 15, 2013

WILLIAMS: Blacks must face their community’s problems together

A couple of weeks ago, Bernice King, the Rev. Martin Luther King's youngest daughter, led an impressive 50th anniversary march in honor of her father's famous "I Have A Dream" speech. President Obama, two other former U.S. presidents, and many celebrities and dignitaries were in attendance. While participating in my first-ever march, I was somewhat surprised at how many relevant issues of today were overlooked and not considered by the impressive platform of speakers.

September 8, 2013