WHEELING - Fox News analyst Juan Williams believes the American family needs to come together to face its problems as a collective unit rather than battle among themselves.
Williams, also a former correspondent for National Public Radio, shared this ideal with more than 450 community leaders on Wednesday night at the Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner held at Wheeling Park's White Palace.
Williams' message was one to which almost anyone could relate: That American citizens need to "create change" instead of laying the burden solely on politicians.
Article Photos
Photo by Jennifer Compston-Strough
Juan Williams, analyst for Fox News, serves as keynote speaker at the Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner on Wednesday.
"There is so much widespread anger toward American politicians," he said. "We really need to examine why you're so angry."
He said Americans generally are too reliant upon politicians to solve problems, such as those relating to China becoming a much larger economic superpower, terrorism and the economic recession.
He also told his audience to "get behind the headlines" - meaning they should stop simply reacting to what is happening and create change themselves. He said the challenge is to put themselves in a position to think about and affect what is going on locally, nationally and globally.
Prior to Williams' remarks, Rep. David McKinley, R-W.Va., described the GOP victory gained at the voting booth last November. With a voting card in hand, McKinley said use of that device led to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi losing her position and to Republicans gains against the controversial "Obamacare" health care legislation.
He said West Virginians coming together and voting Republican is "taking the right steps" to "change the culture."
Before the two guests took the podium, Sterling presented this year's Kathy Fortunato Community Service Award to the Ohio Valley Medical Society, a board on which the late Fortunato actually served. Dr. Chris Tiu and Kathy Brown accepted the award for the society.
Also, chamber board Chairman John Culler presented an award of recognition to the city of Wheeling Operations Department in honor of its response to heavy snow this winter.
