J. C. Watts

J.C. Watts, born Julius Caesar Watts Jr. on November 18, 1957, in Eufaula, Oklahoma, is a distinguished American politician, clergyman, and former college football quarterback. He played for the University of Oklahoma Sooners, leading them to two Orange Bowl victories and two Big Eight championships. After college, he played professionally in the Canadian Football League. Watts served as a U.S. Representative for Oklahoma's 4th congressional district from 1995 to 2003, becoming the first African American Republican elected to Congress from a Southern state since Reconstruction .

Beyond his political career, J.C. Watts is an accomplished author, having written books such as What Color Is a Conservative?: My Life and My Politics and Dig Deep: 7 Truths to Finding the Strength Within. His writings reflect his commitment to individual responsibility, faith, and community values. Watts has also been involved in various leadership roles, including serving as the chairman of the Republican Conference in the House of Representatives and founding J.C. Watts Companies, a consulting firm focused on public policy and business development .

Some of his notable quotes include:

"Character is doing the right thing when nobody's looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that's right is to get by, and the only thing that's wrong is to get caught" .

"If diversity is O.K. for God, it ought to be O.K. for Republicans" .

"I'm secure in who I am. I don't need the validation of those that would say, you have to be a certain thing in order to be accepted. I'm comfortable going against the grain if I need to" .

These quotes encapsulate his philosophy on integrity, diversity, and personal conviction.