Customer Reviews

Beyond Blame

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

At first when I read this book I thought I would differ with the author due to our different political beliefs. However, I could not have been so wrong, Mr. Williams just explains that so many of todays youth want the easy way out and get rich quick by any means necessary. I agree with Armstrong that you have to understand the value of hard work in order to succeed legitimately in America, and just because we grew up poor and black is no excuse. The liberals of this country really hurt our community more than helping us by saying we as black turn to crime, because there are no alternatives. I grew up in a small city in Illinois, but I saw so many opportunities for myself to succeed and it did not come from wearing Tommy, Polo, DKNY or other top designer clothing. My success came from my knowledge through education, because education creates options not a life of fast living sell drugs.

Williams describes a "bad" young black man in Washington DC, who asked for help, and Armstrong wrote him insightful letters, giving ideal advice that, if followed, would "save" the young man and his posterity. I now greatly admire Williams and hope he can communicate his beliefs to many more "Brads" who need this help, who will change their lives for the better.

I love this book. It's good to see people like Mr. Williams who stand up for integrity and decency while Janet Jackson's nipple devours freedom.

Now where's my check?

At first I started off really liking this author to the point of giving him 5 stars on this book. He doesn't say anything or do anything new but I admired his drive and background. I few times I saw him on BET and he was a angry, snarling man.

Recently I say his interview on this book with BookTV's Brian Lamb. That's when I saw the author's "true colors." Williams was a grinning, giggling mess to interview. Every other word was "my father" or "my mother" or "me, myself and I." Also he admitted that he misrepresented/lied to get Richard Proyer to speak under Reagan's Dept of Agriculture label. NO INTEGRITY!!! Also, he claims to be a Christian, but Brian Lamb skillfully shot to death Williams' story of "Brad." This Brad is supposedly some backwards young African-American criminal who, according to Williams, fornicated with "1,500 females." Yeah, right! (I heard a simular story told by the late basketball star Wilt Chamberlain.) Whenever the interviewer, Brian Lamb, would ask Armstrong about this Brad, you would see Armstrong panic and give some weak explanation about why he would not disclose his identity, if in fact he existed. To me, it seems Williams created this Brad as some totally messed up person, who, thanks to coming in contact with Williams, is now reformed.

So I give this book only one-star for lack of author integrity. Also, he really hasn't said or done anything worth writing about. He paints himself as a Black conservative, a mere marketing label, so he can garner white sponsors and endorsements of his rather boring radio shows and news columns.

Fine book by a fine, upstanding man, just doing what it takes to get by.

*cough*payola*cough*

I think that we all have something to learn from Armstrong Williams - namely, that being a shill for the Bush administration pays pretty damn well. $240,000 bucks to promote No Child Left Behind?

Damn, for $240,000 I'd promote Let's Feed All The Children Into The Woodchipper.