We just learned that Professor Walter E. Williams passed away.  He was 84 and born in 1936.

In my case, I got to know Professor Williams when a fellow conservative gave me Race and Economics: How Much Can Be Blamed on Discrimination? to read.  It made so much sense that I gave my copy to another friend, bought a second one, and gave it to another friend to read.  I finally bought my own copy and locked it in my desk so I would never give it away again.  What a great book!

In the 1990s, the professor became Rush Limbaugh's favorite Friday substitute.

Dr. Williams was a national treasure.  He was on the faculty of George Mason University as John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics and the author of More Liberty Means Less Government: Our Founders Knew This Well.

My favorite message from Professor Williams was about staying out of poverty, and it had nothing to do with voting Democrat.  Instead, it was all about personal responsibility.

This is what he wrote:

Avoiding long-term poverty is not rocket science. 

First, graduate from high school. 

Second, get married before you have children, and stay married. 

Third, work at any kind of job, even one that starts out paying the minimum wage. 

And, finally, avoid engaging in criminal behavior.

It's so logical but many want to look for other excuses, from slavery to Jim Crow to too many Christopher Columbus statues.

Have a son or daughter in college?  Tell Santa to bring him or her copies of Professor Williams's books.

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Image: Free Market Institute at Texas Tech University