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PUBLISHED: April 18, 2024 | www.nexttv.com Depression-era regulations won’t protect local journalism in the digital age “Lost at sea” is how the National Association of Broadcasters recently characterized the Federal Communications Commission in deliberating a proposal for priority application review and processing for stations that met certain local programming thresholds. The NAB emphasized that local journalism and programming can be best saved in the digital age by abandoning its obsolete, Depression-era broadcast-ownership rules. Armstrong Williams, manager and sole owner of Howard Stirk Holdings I & II Broadcast Television Stations (Image credit: Howard Stirk Holdings) That theme also echoed at this week’s NAB Show. Curtis LeGeyt, NAB’s president and CEO, explained that a top priority was the education of policymakers (i.e., the FCC and Congress) on the pronounced marketplace imbalance in the fight for advertising dollars and program content between local broadcasters and titans like Google, X, Facebook, Apple, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, TikTok, etc. None of these giants is handicapped by the FCC’s ownership restrictions. That needs to change. In his NAB Show main-stage appearance, LeGeyt added that he works daily “to make sure that local stations across the country have the resources that they need to go and deliver on [their] mission. And that means giving our broadcasters a little bit more scale, the ability to compete with big tech.” I am the sole owner of seven television stations and co-owner of the Baltimore Sun newspaper. I agree with LeGeyt and NAB. Unless the FCC wants the broadcast industry to follow the newspaper industry over the cliff, its rules should recognize that radio and television stations compete for ad and program dollars not just with other local stations, but with gigantic content and distribution platforms with capital resources hundreds of times larger than the largest broadcast operations. As LeGeyt noted, “Washington, D.C., pretends that [broadcasters] only compete against one another for advertising dollars and for audience.” As the extensive record developed over the last 20 years in the FCC’s Quadrennial Regulatory Review process shows, the digital disruption of the media marketplace has fundamentally altered competition for audiences and advertisers. Television broadcasters compete with innumerable online and multichannel outlets. But the FCC’s rules impede local stations’ ability to compete successfully by effectively serving viewers. They are like the horse and buggy in the age of motor vehicles. The FCC’s rules impede local stations’ ability to compete successfully by effectively serving viewers. They are like the horse and buggy in the age of motor vehicles.” The broadcast industry’s ability to function in the “public interest, convenience and necessity” (Section 309 of the Communications Act) requires economic viability. Ownership restrictions uniquely saddling local broadcast stations impair “economic viability” and the public interest. Eliminating the FCC’s anachronistic ownership restrictions will stimulate the development and production of new content more efficiently, technological upgrades, a reduction in redundancy and a streamlining of operations to slash costs and achieve economies of scale. Local broadcasters will then have the means to survive temporary downturns in the economy. At present, giant ad platforms and tech companies that compete directly with radio and TV broadcasters for audiences dominate the market. They own leading audio and video-streaming services (e.g., Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV Plus, Spotify, YouTube Music) further providing a competitive advantage. They control the dominant consumer technologies (e.g., smartphones, smart speakers, connected-TV devices, etc.) used by hundreds of millions of Americans to access digital content. The FCC should write an epitaph to its backward-looking broadcast ownership rules. How can it ignore what all the world can see and daily experience in the marketplace for audiences and programming content in the digital age?

PUBLISHED: April 10, 2024 | www.baltimoresun.com As he took office in December 2020, Mayor Brandon Scott boldly promised Baltimore residents a safer future, withhomicides plunging to less than 300 annually, a target unmet since 2014, when he was in his third year as a city councilman. Six months after his inauguration as mayor, Scott released a violence reduction plan that further promised to reduce all gun violence by 15% annually over the next five years. Scott’s promise was predictably broken before the year was out, with 338 homicides recorded in 2021 and 726 nonfatal shootings, both representing a slight increase from the year before. In 2022, homicides were essentially flat, at 334, and nonfatal shootings fell to 688 — a meager 5% drop. And last year, while homicides finally fell below 300, shootings decreased by just 7%. So much for 15%. The signature of Scott’s administration has been words over deeds. As chairman of the City Council’s Public Safety Committee in 2017 and again in 2019, then-Councilman Scott also unveiled “comprehensive crime plans” meant to arrest the crime spiral that began in 2015, under the administration of his mentor and friend, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who left office in 2016. His hollow crime reduction rhetoric continued under the next two mayors. But instead of diminishing, annual homicides soared to record levels. During his first years as mayor, Scott remained mum about former disgraced State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby’s staggering incompetence and blindness to lawlessness affecting the community, including business owners. In contrast, current State’s Attorney Ivan Bates has honored his crime-fighting promises by creating a Citation Docket to end the folly of crime without punishment for quality-of-life offenses. Mayor Scott, however, has refused even the modest role of a supporting actor, with police under his administration failing to write more than a few dozen citations. This year, City Councilman Mark Conway scheduled several oversight hearings by the Public Safety Committee, which he chairs, to understand why the mayor’s police department habitually remained in their vehicles, refusing to issue citations as directed by the city’s top prosecutor. The hearings revealed the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement had not even signed a memorandum of understanding that had been sent over months earlier from the prosecutor’s office to provide the necessary wrap-around services to prosecute low-level offenders and juveniles. The mayor’s deafening silence to State’s Attorney Bates’ plea for collaboration persists. The state’s attorney tasked his Juvenile Division to work alongside his Major Investigations Unit to target a juvenile crime ring wreaking havoc on select communities across Baltimore. The unit uncovered a crime spree alleged to have been conducted by roughly two dozen juveniles between the ages of 12 and 17. The juveniles are accused of committing over 100 crimes in a two-month interval in 2023, including carjacking, armed robbery, assault and handgun violations. The youths allegedly operated in roving groups ranging from two to eight members and occasionally committed armed robbery and carjackings on an industrial scale. This investigation was fueled by multiple complaints about surging crime, including from Maryland State Senate President Bill Ferguson. It was assisted by a Baltimore Police Department task force endowed with the arrest powers that are key to success. Mayor Scott should be lauding State’s Attorney Bates, the BPD task force, Gov. Wes Moore and United States Attorney Erek Barron for ridding Baltimore of this criminal enterprise. Instead, the mayor touts his Group Violence Reduction Strategy knowing full well the bulk of the city’s prosecutions are the handiwork of Barron and Bates. Further, the mayor is clueless about attacking juvenile, quality of life, and violent crimes, with over 11,000  automobiles stolen in the city in 2023, hundreds of violent carjackings, and even more armed robberies. Mayor Scott has been AWOL in both state and local crime-fighting initiatives desperately needed for public safety. Has he overstayed his welcome? That is for the voters to decide. One thing is certain. This city would be on life support had it not been for Ivan Bates, Erek Barron and Governor Wes Moore. Mr. Mayor, public safety is about more than soundbites. People are scared. They are frustrated and fed up with your inaction, petty political maneuvers and false promises. If you can’t work collaboratively with proven and elected crime fighters, then move aside for those who will. Armstrong Williams (awilliams@baltsun.com) is a political analyst, syndicated columnist and owner of the broadcasting company, Howard Stirk Holdings. He is also part owner of The Baltimore Sun. This column is one of two he writes monthly about culture and politics, in addition to his weekly Owner’s Box column.

PUBLISHED: April 8, 2024 | www.baltimoresun.com Freedom is a concept as old as time itself. It’s something that resonates deep within the human spirit, and that manifests itself throughout history in countless struggles for liberation. But it is also fleeting and can be taken far more quickly than it can be given. As Ronald Reagan famously proclaimed, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” Freedom, to me, is the right of self-determination and human dignity. It is a life free from the perils of bondage, both physical and mental, and from the fear of being punished by another for living autonomously. Freedom is a bird that soars above the constraints and limitations of oppressive governments and people. It symbolizes the limitless capacity of the human spirit when liberated from oppressive rule. Like a bird in flight, freedom propels itself forward with grace and vigor by harnessing the winds of hope. It is the driving force that inspires people to pursue their dreams. The United States is a country that has prioritized the ideal of freedom in its system of government. Its Constitution was drafted with liberty rather than restriction in mind. To ensure that there is always a balance of power and that no one branch of government, whether legislative, judicial or executive, can exert undue influence over the people, our three branches of government were established. Our great Bill of Rights does just that too, a document listing rights of the people, not restrictions. It lists our most fundamental rights, like the freedom of speech, the freedom to practice whichever religion you choose, the freedom to peaceable assembly, the right to bear arms, the right against self-incrimination, the right to a jury of one’s peers, and more. We are a nation that has survived world wars, that has fought back against foreign powers and emerged victorious, all in the name of freedom. Countless Americans have died defending our soil and the freedoms that it promises. We are a nation that endured the worst of racism, slavery, separate but equal accommodations, and more. But we overcame it to become a nation that judges people “by the content of their character” not the color of their skin, as Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. stated. When Ronald Reagan proudly proclaimed “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” it was in the name of freedom, it symbolized the victory over oppressive regimes. It was not just the physical destruction of a barrier, but the ideological triumph of liberty over authoritarianism. It is so fondly remembered because it reminds the American people of humanity’s power and inherent desire for freedom and self-determination. However, much of that has been lost on the American people. Today, freedom is a concept that has been long forgotten. The American people have unwittingly become mentally bound and subjected to the subconscious horrors that coincide with a lack of freedom. We forget what it was like to be oppressed, to be on the verge of losing all hope. New generations of Americans have no concept of what it means to be enslaved, to be forcibly divided by race, or to be oppressed by a foreign government. It is a past that we should never revert to, yet the concepts of freedom that were gained through struggle are ones that are being quickly forgotten. The American people have it really good, yet, in this comfort, there is a growing divide that threatens the very essence of what freedom stands for. The unity of the American people, which was once a marker of our prosperous nation, has now completely eroded as a result of highly partisan politics and has devolved into a show of “who can make the other side look worse?” We are not slaves any longer, but we have become enslaved to these divisions that are holding us back from allowing us to achieve the true potential of America. Americans must never forget the struggles that were endured by those who came before us to achieve the freedom that we have today, and we must never take our freedom for granted. The spirit of freedom should not just preserved in historical monuments or in the actions of famous leaders, it should be carried in the daily choices of ordinary Americans who believe in preserving a nation that values democracy, equality, and justice for all. Armstrong Williams (awilliams@baltsun.com; @arightside) is a political analyst, syndicated columnist and owner of the broadcasting company, Howard Stirk Holdings. He is also part owner of The Baltimore Sun. This column is part of a weekly series written from “The Owner’s Box.”

PUBLISHED: April 1, 2024 | cbsaustin.com The following is an editorial by Armstrong Williams. The conviction of James Crumbley and his wife Jennifer for their role in their son's mass school shooting in Michigan which resulted in the tragic murders of four and injuries of seven tells us one thing: if you are an irresponsible gun owner, you will pay the price if a crime is committed with your gun. It is as simple as that. Lock your gun up, keep it away from your children, and if you have a mentally unwell child, keep an even more watchful eye on your firearm. This was not done in the Crumbleys' case. The safety of our nation and our schools depends on responsible gun owners doing the right thing and keeping their guns out of the hands of their children. There are far too many mass school shootings because there are far too many mentally unwell students and far too many parents who are careless with their firearms. The parents of a young shooter have never been charged, so this is a precedent-setting case, but the clear negligence displayed by the Crumbleys went beyond the failure to secure the firearms; it was their clear and profound lapse in judgment despite the clear warning signs that their child was troubled. They may not have given their child the firearms and said go and commit a heinous crime, but not taking the necessary steps to secure the firearm or get their son the very clear and evident help he needed makes them culpable for his actions, which could've been easily avoided if they acted differently. It’s very possible that lives could have been saved were it not for parents who made excuses to excuse their son’s troubling behavior even though the school took clear steps, including talking to the parents about their child. The Crumbleys missed an opportunity to intervene and potentially prevent a catastrophe. When a child, under the care of adults, displays serious mental health issues, those warning signs must not be ignored. Proactive steps and measures should be taken to get that child the help he or she needs to avoid them not only harming other people, but even themselves. Mental health is a serious problem — but we know with help, you can often save someone. Ignoring the glaring signs of their child’s mental distress, while knowing he had access to a weapon in their home certainly makes them liable. It’s not enough to react to warning signs without taking proactive measures. Mental health issues require serious attention, understanding, and action—not just within families but also within educational institutions, healthcare systems, and through legislative measures. The Crumbleys' oversight is a tragic exam of what happens when the signs of mental distress are ignored or minimized, especially when combined with access to weapons. The conviction of James and Jennifer Crumbley should set a precedent for parents who ignore the warning signs of their child's troubling behavior and their responsibility to seek help. It also serves as a sobering reminder about the responsibility that comes with gun ownership and the safe storage of guns around children. I’m a strong believer in the Second Amendment and do not believe the government should encroach on Americans' constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms. The conviction of James Crumbley and his wife serves as a somber reminder of the responsibilities that come with gun ownership. We have seen too many young people commit heinous crimes, from smash-and-grabs, and armed robberies in inner cities, to young kids in the suburbs shooting and killing their classmates, and one question I’ve always asked is: Where are the parents? We cannot continue to allow parents to allow their reckless and troubled children to wreak havoc on the rest of society without any consequences. The trial of Mr. Crumbley and the ultimate conviction followed by the trial of his wife should serve as a reminder for anyone out there with a troubled child and firearms in the home. Get your child the help they need and secure those firearms for your safety, the safety of the child, and those around them. ___ Mr. Williams is Manager/Sole Owner of Howard Stirk Holdings I & II Broadcast Television Stations and the 2016 Multicultural Media Broadcast Owner of the year.

PUBLISHED: March 31, 2024 | www.baltimoresun.com My infinitely warm and invaluable relationships with family and friends stand on rock-solid religious convictions.  They were instilled from my earliest days by my loving parents, James and Thelma Williams.  They have guided my voyage to business success beyond my wildest dreams. Faith and work ethic has consistently reminded me that a fool can burn down a building, but brains and industry are required to create one. It’s easy to be a critic. Imperfections are inescapable even for geniuses. John Milton’s acclaimed “Paradise Lost” has blunders. But critics leave nothing constructive to inspire. You can’t acquire this wisdom by books or reflection alone. You must attempt to create something original yourself through trial and error. There is no substitute.Too many wish to be doted upon or crave paternalism to escape responsibility. They live stunted lives, ignoring that the tortoise only makes progress by sticking its neck out. My faith has been as constant as the North Star every step of my journey. I have never questioned. I have never wavered. I have never doubted. Volumes have been written answering common questions: how to build companies, set up systems and processes or improve leadership.  But at the end of the day, the best book for success has been available to all for millennia: The Bible. This soaring guide to salvation is timeless like God. The Bible’s messages are for all time and for all places. The purpose of life is changeless. The Bible does not pause to fit today’s fashions. This understanding gave birth to America. No religion. No Plymouth Rock. No Pilgrims. No City on a Hill. Mankind is made of crooked timber. The Bible is like training wheels. It enables us to resist multiple occasions to sin. President George Washington’s time-honored Farewell Address celebrated religion as the wellspring of morality, “a necessary spring of popular government.” John Adams, Washington’s successor, advised that statesmen “may plan and speculate for liberty, but it is religion and morality alone, which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand.” The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune are many. They test your resolve and faith like Jonah and the Whale.  Living without adversity is a luxury. Faith is made of sterner stuff, as Jesus proved. Many cannot confront and grapple with reality. It is too grim. Suicide rates have skyrocketed, especially among youths who have not begun to live. Depression is an epidemic in the next generation. They squander time on social media in lieu of introspection culminating in comforting and enduring faith. The key to success lies with the faith within us. It inspires kindness, industry and every benevolent instinct of the human heart. An investment in faith yields far richer dividends than an investment in Apple or Amazon. Seasons change. Presidents and celebrities come and go with the regularity of the rising and setting of the sun. The choreography of our lives is in constant flux. But our lives following the Bible are as unchanging as the Rock of Gibraltar. Faith is like an anchor that can right your ship when the waters of life turn turbulent, and a shipwreck nears. Faith is that silent force that gives hope to patients afflicted with cancer or other life-threatening diseases. Critics and naysayers mock, ignore or dismiss faith. They are losing out on an unsurpassed source of resolve and strength.  According to their suboptimal way of thinking, something you cannot see, touch or prove does not exist. They do not acknowledge that our knowledge confronts limits. Can love be quantified or proven? Can it be seen? Of course not.  Love is more a mood, a way of life, than a provable fact like the force of gravity. So, too, with faith. Acts motivated by faith are the key to civilization. Without faith, the future is dark. But faith is the secret of productive, meaningful and enjoyable lives. Some may close their eyes to its blaze. But opening them at any time is always an option that promises deliverance. I can testify to the invaluable benefits in store. Armstrong Williams (www.armstrongwilliams.com; @arightside) is a political analyst, syndicated columnist and owner of the broadcasting company, Howard Stirk Holdings. He is also part owner of The Baltimore Sun. This column is part of a weekly series written from “The Owner’s Box.”

PUBLISHED: March 28, 2024 | baltimoresun.com An enormous 95,000-ton cargo vessel commenced its 27-day, 9,000-mile voyage to Sri Lanka at approximately 1:27 in the morning from the Port of Baltimore. Not too long after it left the port, the ship then fell momentarily silent as the power was abruptly cut off. Then, suddenly, an audible transmission of a mayday call over the radio was heard by emergency dispatchers warning that a collision with the Francis Scott Key Bridge was imminent. The Maryland Transportation Authority Police successfully closed the bridge in just two minutes, ensuring that not a single passenger vehicle crossed the span. The ship eventually collided with the bridge. “C13 dispatch, the whole bridge just fell down!” could be heard on an emergency channel. The level of coordination exhibited by the ship personnel, emergency dispatch, and law enforcement is astounding and worthy of admiration. However, despite this extraordinary feat of coordination, eight men were still present to repair potholes on the bridge at the time of its collapse. They all fell into the frigid 48-degree water below them. Two were rescued, one sustained serious injury. Two bodies were recovered. The other four are presumed dead. It is undeniable that efficient coordination saved a great number of lives on that day; however, even the loss of a single life is too many. As a result of this tragedy, six brave men who have made significant contributions to our community will be laid to rest in Baltimore. The coverage of the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore has been painful to watch. The horrific devastation has stirred up numerous discussions, namely the lackluster quality of American infrastructure and the questionable maintenance aboard the Dali, the cargo ship that caused this mess. Thankfully, on Tuesday, President Biden issued a statement confirming that the bridge repair will be funded by the federal government. Yet, if not fixed soon, there may be a cascading effect on the Baltimore economy. However, amidst conversations on structural integrity, ship maintenance, and the economic effects, what seems to be missing from the dialogue so far is the human cost of this calamity. We frequently engage in a blame game when tragedies of this nature transpire. There is a constant desire to assign blame and ensure that those responsible are held to account. Perhaps there is someone to blame in this instance. But let the investigators worry about that; when we get too caught up in who is responsible, we forget about the people who were harmed — here, the people who tragically fell from the bridge and the thousands of workers who will be out of work as a result of the port closing. Six men have all but certainly lost their lives. These are not just names on a list. Six families are currently contending with the indescribable burden of grief as a result of the loss of a loved one. Due to this tragic incident, fathers, sons, breadwinners, role models, husbands, and friends were all tragically lost. Miguel Luna, Maynor Yassir Suazo Sandoval, Dorlian Cabrera, and three others whose names have yet to be disclosed, were all immigrants who came to this country in search of a better life for themselves and for their families. They worked hard not only to provide for their families, but to ensure the safety of those who crossed that bridge, day in and day out. Their loved ones will eternally remember them as individuals who risked their lives by performing perilous labor in order to support their families. That is the highest possible gift a man can bestow upon his family. In a time when our nation is confronted by the peril of international conflict and internal divisions, we must come together and unify behind this tragedy and give aid where possible. Armstrong Williams (awilliams@baltsun.com) is a political analyst, syndicated columnist and owner of the broadcasting company, Howard Stirk Holdings. He is also part owner of The Baltimore Sun. This column is one of two he writes monthly about culture and politics, in addition to his weekly Owner’s Box column.

PUBLISHED: March 28, 2024 | www.creators.com The upcoming general election is going to be one for the ages. Political elections are divisive by their nature, with both sides attempting to do everything they can to defeat each other. However, the United States is gearing up for the rematch no one wants, with former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden embodying distinctly different visions for the future of the nation. Both candidates bring a unique set of strengths and weaknesses to the campaign, reflecting broader ideological, cultural and economic tensions that have come to define American politics. Trump's presidency was marked by commitment to an "America First" ideology, and his now-famous slogan "Make America Great Again" entailed an aggressive stance on immigration, skepticism toward multilateral trade agreements and international alliances, and a highly skeptical approach to government bureaucracy that has endeared him to many conservative voters. His ability to communicate directly and effectively with his base through social media and rallies is unparalleled, bypassing traditional media channels to rally support and mobilize voters. This direct line to supporters not only consolidates his base but allows him to set and dominate the political agenda in real time. However, Trump's tenure was also fraught with controversy and polarization. His four pending criminal trials in Florida, Georgia and Washington, D.C., are a serious risk to his reelection bid. Additionally, his approach to governance, often seen as divisive and confrontational, has alienated moderate and independent voters. The relentless pace of controversies, from impeachment proceedings to his handling of race relations and protests, has further cemented the perception of an administration mired in turmoil and conflict, eroding the sense of national unity. Biden, on the other hand, presents himself as a unifying figure, promising to restore dignity and integrity to the Oval Office and to bridge the deep divides that have emerged in American society. Yet the country is perhaps even more divided than before. With decades of experience in public service, including eight years as vice president, Biden offers a return to a more traditional, diplomatic approach to governance, emphasizing consensus-building and bipartisanship. His policy platform, while progressive, seeks to appeal to both the Democratic base and moderate Republicans disillusioned with Trump's presidency, advocating for a more equitable health care system, measured climate action and a restoration of America's alliances abroad. Nevertheless, Biden's campaign is not without its vulnerabilities. Critics argue his lengthy Washington career epitomizes the very establishment politics that voters rejected in 2016. A majority of Americans are concerned about his age; at 81, Biden is the oldest U.S. president in history. His age and occasional verbal gaffes have raised concerns about his capacity to endure the rigors of the presidency. Voters are concerned by immigration, the state of the economy and the rising costs of everyday goods, a result of persisting inflation. Despite his efforts to energize younger voters and progressives within the Democratic Party who are now rejecting Biden outright because of the Israel and Hamas conflict, coupled with the lowest approval rating of any president at this point in their presidency, the path to reelection doesn't look good for Biden at all. As the general election approaches, Biden and Trump face the challenge of broadening their appeal beyond their core supporters while navigating a profoundly changed national landscape, one shaped by rampant illegal immigration, expensive foreign conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, economic uncertainty and social unrest. Trump's strength lies in his ability to mobilize his base with a clear if contentious message and vision for America. Yet this same approach may limit his ability to attract undecided and moderate voters critical to securing a second term. Biden's promise of stability and unity resonates with many Americans yearning for a return to normalcy, but he must overcome perceptions of being a "status quo" candidate and articulate a compelling vision that speaks to the urgent needs and aspirations of a diverse, divided nation. As Trump and Biden head into the general election, their campaigns reflect a crossroads in American politics. The outcome will not only decide the immediate future of the nation but signal the direction of its political, economic and social evolution in the decades to come. Voters are tasked with a choice that goes beyond the two men themselves, grappling with fundamental questions about the values, identity and aspirations of America in the 21st century. Armstrong Williams is manager/sole owner of Howard Stirk Holdings I & II Broadcast Television Stations and the 2016 Multicultural Media Broadcast Owner of the year. To find out more about him and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

PUBLISHED: March 26, 2024 | www.baltimoresun.com We know the American or NATO storyline about the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin is the bad guy. He breached Ukraine’s borders, inherited from the Soviet empire, on Feb. 24, 2022, after forcibly annexing Crimea in 2014.  Mr. Putin has been charged with war crimes by the International Criminal Court and has refused to nix the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine. He has violated the international law proscription on wars of aggression and is a clear and present danger to democracy in Europe and elsewhere.  He further violated the 1994 Budapest Memorandum committing the United States, Russia and the United Kingdom to refrain from threatening Ukraine’s territorial integrity in exchange for its abandonment of nuclear weapons. President Putin systematically murders his political opponents both at home and abroad. United States President Joe Biden is the good guy. He has showered Ukraine with more than $75 billion in military and related assistance and shared intelligence to defeat Russia.  President Biden has characterized the conflict as a clear test for democracies around the world against autocracy and portrayed the Ukrainian resistance as part of a “great battle for freedom.” Mr. Biden has said of Russian President Putin, “For God’s sake this man cannot remain in power.” But let’s pause and reflect. Is the storyline true?  Is the war in Ukraine more complex? Are Mr. Biden and the United States the good guys simply because they are not Mr. Putin or Russia? Let’s start with the presumed sacredness of Ukrainian or other territorial boundaries. Why should they be sacred? Every boundary in the world has been drawn and defended by the sword. They are not ordained by heaven or any principle of international law. Ukraine’s boundaries have changed numerous times over the centuries. Russia’s Nikita Khrushchev gave Crimea to Ukraine in 1954, and Russia’s Putin took it back in 2014. The United States has not been averse to changing boundaries by force. Our boundaries expanded with the Mexican-American war, a conflict which Union General and later President Ulysses S. Grant deplored in his memoirs: “I…to this day regard the war [with Mexico] which resulted as one of the most unjust ever waged by a stronger against a weaker nation. It was an instance of a republic following the bad example of European monarchies, in not considering justice in their desire to acquire additional territory.” The United States supported the secession by force of South Sudan from Sudan in 2011, and Kosovo’s separation from Serbia in 2008.  It did not oppose the fragmentation of Yugoslavia into Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, and Macedonia after the death of Josip Broz Tito in 1980 by threats or use of force.  After World War I at the Paris Peace Conference, the United States accepted the redrawing of multiple boundaries from the ruins of the Ottoman Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Roman Empire and the Chinese Empire by the victors by force of arms. Didn’t the United States set a precedent for President Putin’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine in its gratuitous 2003 war against Iraq? It was no threat to America’s national security. There were no weapons of mass destruction. The United States policy towards Iraq had been regime change since President William Jefferson Clinton and the 1998 Iraq Liberation Act, notwithstanding that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was a cost-free asset against Iranian hegemony in the Middle East. Then Sen. Joe Biden supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and as president continues to maintain thousands of United States troops there despite calls from the Iraqi Prime Minister opposing their indefinite presence. Who has the moral high ground in Ukraine?  Nobody? All bad guys to a greater or lesser degree? From time immemorial, international affairs have been little more than the strong doing what they can and the weak suffering what they must, as Thucydides observed in “The History of the Peloponnesian War” over 2,000 years ago.  British foreign minister Lord Palmerston added more than 150 years ago, “We have no eternal allies, and we have no perpetual enemies. Our interests are eternal and perpetual, and those interests it is our duty to follow.” What is the national security interest of the United States in the fate of Ukraine? The Vietnam war discredited domino theories, e.g., if Ukraine falls, President Putin will invade and conquer all of Europe and maybe even the United States. Shouldn’t we heed the wisdom of Senator Henry Clay in explaining the United States opposition to assisting Hungary in its war with Czarist Russia in 1849: “Far better is it for ourselves, for Hungary, and for the cause of liberty, that, adhering to our wise, pacific system, and avoiding distant wars of Europe, we should keep our lamp burning brightly on this Western shore as a light to all nations, than to hazard its utter extinction amid the ruins of fallen or falling republics.” I am no longer certain Putin is the bad guy and Biden is the good guy in Ukraine. It’s complicated. Armstrong Williams (www.armstrongwilliams.com; @arightside) is a political analyst, syndicated columnist and owner of the broadcasting company, Howard Stirk Holdings. He is also part owner of The Baltimore Sun. This column is part of a weekly series written from “The Owner’s Box.”

PUBLISHED: March 19, 2024 | www.baltimoresun.com Mr. Trump’s relish for violence is sui generis in the history of presidential politics.  On March 16, he bellowed it would be a “bloodbath” for the United States if he doesn’t win in November: “Now, if I don’t get elected, it’s gonna be a bloodbath. That’s going to be the least of it. It’s going to be a bloodbath for the country.” In other words, the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol will be a tea party compared with what his armed MAGA supporters will undertake if Trump is not elected. True enough, Trump’s military metaphor was made in the context of economic dislocations in Ohio. But Trump has refrained from saying he did not mean a real, physical bloodbath. And he connected “bloodbath” to not being reelected, raising the specter of another Jan. 6th when he complacently watched violence at the U.S. Capitol for three hours without lifting a finger. Trump’s message sent by juxtaposing bloodbath with losing the election was obvious to all but the most obtuse.  Does anyone think Mr. Trump will expressly disavow that he was promising bloodshed if he does not win the 2024 presidential election? Are you surprised that former Vice President Mike Pence has nixed endorsing Mr. Trump despite his previous unwavering loyalty?  Nikki Haley has also balked at an endorsement. Mr. Trump is on the road to self-ruination unless he immediately declares he will actively oppose violence or bloodshed even if he loses the 2024 election. Don’t hold your breath. Armstrong Williams (www.armstrongwilliams.com; @arightside) is a political analyst, syndicated columnist and owner of the broadcasting company, Howard Stirk Holdings. He is also part owner of The Baltimore Sun.

March 20, 2024 | www.baltimoresun.com/ In December, South Africa filed a lawsuit in the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, accusing Israel of committing genocide as a result of the scores of dead Palestinians that have resulted from Israel’s campaign against Hamas. In January the court ruled that at least some acts that South Africa alleged fall under the 1948 Genocide Convention and ordered Israel to take measures to prevent acts that would be considered genocidal.  However, it did not order Israel to cease its military campaign in the Gaza Strip, and the case is still pending. Both Israel and Gaza hailed it as a victory. Now, South Africa’s Foreign Minister, Naledi Pandor, has made a startling new announcement that citizens who return to the country who fought in the IDF will be arrested. “I have already issued a statement alerting those who are South African and who are fighting alongside or in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). We are ready. When you come home, we’re going to arrest you,” she said, according to the Times of Israel. This came after an earlier warning from South Africa’s foreign ministry that its citizens serving in the IDF, “can potentially contribute to the violation of international law and the commission of further international crimes, thus making them liable for prosecution in South Africa.” Campaigns supporting the same type of action in France are underway, though the French government is being far more reasonable on the matter, with its foreign ministry spokesperson, Christophe Lemoine, saying that “dual citizenship implies dual loyalty” and that France will not investigate “what French-Israeli citizens do regarding their military obligations in Israel.” When asked if France would prosecute its citizens should they commit war crimes in Gaza, he called the question “somewhat forward-looking” because it assumed actions that have not happened. “If they do commit these crimes and it is proven, I will answer you when the time comes,” he said. South Africa’s hard line is an extremely dangerous precedent. It is using its prosecutorial powers to punish dual citizens who serve in the army of a non-terrorist state. It is particularly troubling when you consider the fact that Israel heavily relies on foreign-born soldiers to serve in their already relatively small, but effective, army. It would be one thing if a South African pledged their allegiance to ISIS, al-Qaida, Hezbollah or another organization that is internationally recognized as a terrorist outfit that regularly commits heinous acts against innocent people. But it is an entirely different thing to serve in the IDF. Israel is not a terrorist outfit. They are a peaceful nation that has made great efforts to ensure that their campaign against Hamas does not affect innocent persons. Israel can hardly be blamed for killing innocent civilians in a hospital, for example, when Hamas intentionally stores their weapons there and when Hamas refuses to allow those innocent persons to leave when Israel warns them of an attack. South Africa does not understand this, and I can perhaps guess the reason why: because South Africa, like most developed nations, has not, since its formation, been under constant threat of destruction by neighboring countries. Now let’s be clear, it is an absolute tragedy that over 30,000 Palestinians have lost their lives, many of them children. It is a tragedy that over 70,000 people have been injured. But something South Africa needs to understand is that it’s not Israel putting Palestinians in harm’s way; it’s their own government, Hamas. That is the organization bent on committing genocide, which the United Nations defines as “acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.” Hamas is seeking to wipe out the Israeli people. Israel is understandably trying to eradicate Hamas. South Africa must cease its dangerous public campaign against Israel, lest it allow a terrorist group at Israel’s borders to flourish and expand. South Africa is making itself an unwitting pawn in Hamas’ war against Israel, and it doesn’t seem like South Africa is willing to change course. Armstrong Williams (www.armstrongwilliams.com; @arightside) is a political analyst, syndicated columnist and owner of the broadcasting company, Howard Stirk Holdings. He is also part owner of The Baltimore Sun. This column is part of a weekly series written from “The Owner’s Box.”

PUBLISHED: March 17, 2024 | www.baltimoresun.com Joe Biden’s presidency has no theme. He has been less a leader and more a human weathervane, who shifts daily with the political winds. Everything is driven by ulterior political motives to court popularity and to win reelection — even setting aside a seat on the United States Supreme Court for a Black woman, insinuating the appointment was not based on merit. But Mr. Biden exhibits admirable redeeming features. His entire life has been devoted to public service. His personal and family hardships have been overwhelming. He eschews the narcissism and pomposity that earmark political figures. He resisted exploiting the Super Bowl to advance his reelection chances. He has not, however, avoided the ravages of time. At age 81, Mr. Biden is at risk of aging 10 years in practical terms for each year he lives. Mr. Biden’s constitutional insincerity is pronounced. As senator, he vowed to champion the impeachment of President George W. Bush if Bush attacked Iran without a congressional declaration of war, as required by Article I, section 8, clause 11. But as president, Mr. Biden has claimed the power to initiate attacks on his say-so alone, whether against China, Iran, the Houthis or otherwise. To borrow from Shakespeare, upon what meat doth this our President feed that he is grown so great? President Biden’ habitual market interventions are ill-conceived, for example, the billions expended to promote semiconductor chip production.  He has forgotten Adam Smith’s “The Wealth of Nations,” which was gospel to the founding fathers: “What is the species of domestic industry which his capital can employ, and of which the produce is likely to be of the greatest value, every individual, it is evident, can, in his local situation, judge much better than any statesman or lawgiver can do for him. The statesman, who should attempt to direct private people in what manner they ought to employ their capitals, would not only load himself with a most unnecessary attention, but assume an authority which could safely be trusted, not only to no single person, but to no council or senate whatever, and which would nowhere be so dangerous as in the hands of a man who had folly and presumption enough to fancy himself fit to exercise it.” President Biden’s economic follies can be understood.  He is a professional politician who has never met a payroll and is clueless about free market incentives. He cannot make the waves go back. Biden is at least semi-senescent.  He looks mummified. He is 81 years old and anemic.  Special Counsel Robert K. Hur recently remarked on Biden’s serial memory lapses. His grip on reality appears to lessen by the day. Biden on immigration has been a fiasco. It has even led to the impeachment of the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas. Illegal immigration has spiked to alarming levels. Illegal immigrant children are commonly employed in violation of child labor laws, giving unscrupulous employers a competitive advantage. Further, they are educated at public expense under the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Plyler v. Doe (1982). A porous border invites terrorists like members of Hezbollah to infiltrate and perpetrate a bloody sequel to 9/11. President Biden is rolling the dice with our lives. States have a right to fight back in self-defense. At least half the states support Texas’ endeavor to police the border without regard to the U.S. Border Patrol.  A second civil war may be approaching. Over $75 billion has been contributed by Biden to Ukraine’s war effort against Russia with no light at the end of the tunnel. Mr. Biden is clueless about what “victory” should look like. His ulterior motive is to overthrow Russian President Vladimir Putin. But what then? There are no George Washingtons, Thomas Jeffersons, James Madisons or John Adamses in Russia. There never has been. There never will be. True or false: Russians believe they need a dictator to avoid incessant intramural strife or conflict.  Biden is making the American people pay for his fool’s errand in Ukraine. Its fate is irrelevant to the national security of the United States. If it was otherwise, President Biden would have asked Congress for a declaration of war against Russia. Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is a wild card. He could attract voters from Biden to hand victory to Trump. The United States’ ill-executed withdrawal from Afghanistan after squandering more than $300 million every day for 20 successive years of failure enabled Taliban’s return to power and capture of American weapons. But no one has paid a political price for this stupendous, criminal blunder that returned a second edition of the Taliban grislier than the first. What about Hunter Biden, including the infamous laptop, which 51 former intelligence officials falsely and recklessly disparaged as “Russian disinformation?” Add to that the tax fraud and firearm charges and notorious influence peddling.  Americans are asking, “are we seeing a dual system of justice at work?” Biden’s running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris, is more a liability than an asset. She has no accomplishments worth mentioning. As Democrat Walter Mondale said of Gary Hart, “Where’s the beef?” President Biden is spending the nation into ruination. The national debt has soared past $34 trillion, to be saddled on the backs of our posterity. Annual budget deficits exceed $1 trillion as far as the eye can see.  The federal government is crowding out private borrowing. Interest rates are climbing — especially for home mortgages. President Biden should remember that elections are about the future, not the past, and the future looks bleak by any military, economic, medical, educational or social yardstick. Armstrong Williams (www.armstrongwilliams.com; @arightside) is a political analyst, syndicated columnist and owner of the broadcasting company, Howard Stirk Holdings. He is also part owner of The Baltimore Sun. This column is part of a weekly series written from “The Owner’s Box.”

PUBLISHED: March 14, 2024 | www.creators.com Over the past decade, the United States has seen a rise in power of the transgender movement. Once a fringe, left-wing movement premised on the idea that gender is a social construct and that it can be changed at a whim, it has now become mainstream. Today, the question "Can you provide a definition for the word 'woman'?" is now a political question. The transgender movement can be traced back as far as 1952, when trans woman Virginia Prince launched a publication titled Transvestia: The Journal of the American Society for Equality in Dress. Following that, the movement experienced rapid expansion, culminating in a riot in Los Angeles within seven years. The unrest originated as a retaliatory response to the Los Angeles Police Department, which was perceived to have engaged in harassment of the LGBTQ community. Then, in 1966, there was another riot. In 1969, another riot. Finally, as a result of the 1996 publication Transgender Warriors by American lesbian activist Leslie Feinberg, the term "transgender" gained widespread usage. Today, 1.6% of Americans, or 4,800,000 adults aged 18 or over, say their gender is different from their sex assigned at birth. However, that number is on the rise, as 5.1%, or nearly 15,000,000 young adults aged 18-29, fall into that category. This can be attributed to a litany of factors, including changing education environments in classrooms, social media and more. The "marked incongruence between (a person's) experienced or expressed gender and the one they were assigned at birth" defines gender dysphoria. As of now, gender dysphoria's causes remain unknown, and it does not have an established treatment. The term "gender dysphoria," which is frequently used in the medical field, has itself become a subject of political controversy. Today, despite the small numbers of transgender people in the United States, the movement has permeated nearly all facets of life. Educators raise LGBTQ flags in classrooms nationwide and educate students in the elementary school age range that their designated gender at birth may not always reflect their true identity. Such a serious injustice necessitates rectification. Students in elementary school have limited knowledge regarding sexuality; therefore, being informed that they could be of a different gender can be confusing to them — it can change them even if they never wanted to be changed. It is worth noting that around 80% of children who experience gender dysphoria as children eventually overcome it and opt not to identify as transgender as adults. In addition, depression among children who overcome gender dysphoria is extremely uncommon. However, according to the Trevor Project, a national organization dedicated to preventing suicide among LGBTQ youth, around 60% of transgender youth experience symptoms of depression, and 70% experience anxiety. Depression affects approximately 5%-6% of the general population. In addition, around 0.5% of the general population has attempted suicide, while nearly half of transgender youth have considered suicide, and nearly 20% have attempted it. But what causes this depression? Could it be bullying? Could it be that transgender rights are persistently violated? Of course not. On the contrary, transgender people are thriving. Their rights are enshrined in state constitutions, they are protected by numerous state laws, they are given more protections by schools than any other class of students; transgender people may have more rights than the average person. Of course, we can't forget drag story hour, where numerous elementary schools throughout the country have males dressed in scant attire read books about transgenderism to children. It is unnecessary to expose children to males in little clothing in order for them to hear stories. The mind of a child is sacred and must not be exposed to these sorts of things. It can corrupt the mind and, as we've seen, may lead them down the road of gender dysphoria and ultimately depression. Tragically, transgenderism has compromised the rights of biological women. Undoubtedly, women continue to advocate equality in the United States. Women continue to face significant disparities in the workforce and in public life. However, before the complete realization of gender equality for women, transgenderism emerged and complicated the situation. At this time, males beat women in all aspects of life. Do you recall 2015, when Caitlyn Jenner was named "Woman of the Year" by Glamour magazine? The recipient of that award was not a woman who had struggled her entire life to be a woman in a world dominated by men. It was taken from a biological woman by a man. Likewise, transgenderism has entered the realm of athletics. Transgender males have emerged victorious in athletic competitions against biological women on a multitude of occasions. Men have won significant accolades in swimming, wrestling, golf, snooker and even weightlifting, the sport that exemplifies strength disparities. Men who underwent the transition from male to female are often found to have been mediocre at best among their male counterparts. And how about sex changes for minors? It is plausible that the notion that a child could undertake surgical gender transition from their biological to an alternative gender would be utterly absurd and repugnant to the average person. However, 54% of Americans oppose legislation that criminalizes providing medical care for gender transition to minors. Science and common sense support the notion that by our mid-to-late 20s, the brain has reached complete maturity and development. This is why children often engage in foolish behavior without contemplating the repercussions, why a contract formed by a child is deemed void in legal terms, and why alcohol consumption hinders the development of children's minds. Yet, when it comes to transgenderism, all that goes out the window. Men are not women, and women are not men. This is the reality everyone on this Earth must face until their death. America has been divided along lines of common sense by the transgender movement: those who support it and those who do not. The rise of transgenderism will persist as long as rational individuals remain reluctant to express their opinion on the matter. Armstrong Williams is manager/sole owner of Howard Stirk Holdings I & II Broadcast Television Stations and the 2016 Multicultural Media Broadcast Owner of the year. To find out more about him and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.