If you're wondering why the left hates Clarence Thomas so much, the answer can be given in one sentence: here is a black man who has left the liberal plantation. This is not supposed to happen. Those of us who are "persons of color" are supposed to march in liberal lockstep, spinning out elaborate tales of victimization and dutifully voting for the Democrats on election day. If we don't, we're accused of selling out to the white man.
It is a mark of Thomas' independence of spirit, and also his moral and personal courage, that he decided early on to become his own man. For him conservatism doesn't just mean tax cuts or free markets: it means personal emancipation from the imprisoning categories of race that, even today, keep African Americans and other minorities "in our place." In breaking with liberal expectations, Thomas betrayed no one because he never owed these self-styled benefactors anything in the first place. His new book "My Grandfather's Son" makes it clear that his real debt and allegiance is to his grandfather, who taught him to think for himself and act on those convictions.
When Thomas was nominated to the Supreme Court, the left could not defeat him on ideological grounds. So they hauled in Anita Hill, who in the tradition of Southern slaveowners and segregationists sought to bring this black man down by hurling at him the age-old accusation of being a sexual predator. In his memoir Thomas draws a poignant analogy to the classic novel and film, To Kill a Mockingbird, in which a black male is falsely accused of rape. In retrospect it's incredible that so many aspersions could be cast on Thomas based on not a single piece of strong corroborating evidence. Even so, senators and media pundits engaged in lengthy disputations about pubic hairs allegedly discovered on coke cans. By my recollection, the most exotic theory was advanced by sociologist Orlando Patterson, who speculated that perhaps Thomas had engaged in some Southern lower-class down-home courtship techniques, complete with taunts and lascivious jokes, and that Hill, while understanding Thomas' stylized overtures perfectly well, was manipulating them in order to play the feminist heroine.
Thomas has proved to be an excellent justice, unusually taciturn during oral arguments before the court, but unfailingly principled and passionate in his opinions. No clone of Scalia, Thomas has developd his own approach to constitutional interpretation, emphasizing not literal allegiance to the text but rather a dedication to the central constitutional principles of individual liberty and local self-government over centralized control. Meanwhile Anita Hill has vanished into obscurity since the left no longer seems to have any political use for her. But I expect she'll be trotted out again to "refute" Thomas' memoir. Can we expect outlandish new accusations or a replay of the old ones? I hope she hasn't been saving those pubic hairs.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 5)
1. All of you are looking for racial connections about a man that simply votes the way that he see's things. This is as it should be. The problem is that all of you think that all Blacks and all African Americans view life from the same prespective. That very thought is racist and is responsible much of the racial profiling that occurs in education,employment and the criminal justice system. Stop looking for someone to hate and keep down in order for you to appear up.
L.K.Samm at 10:57PM on Jul 10th 2009
2. SOME OF THE DEMOCRATS WHO LED THE PUBLIC LYNCHING OF CLARENCE THOMAS ARE STILL ON THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE IN CONGRESS!!
CHARLIE at 3:01AM on Oct 2nd 2007
3. And some of the Republicans who, I started to say "believed" Clarence Thomas, but I retract that, because we all know that they were not even concerned about "believing", are still on the Judicial Affairs Committee. It was their determination to get that appointment approved. And they were right in assuming that a grateful Thomas would more than justify their confidence that he would nullify the hated Thurgood Marshall for bringing down school segregation.
Michael Gordon at 6:01AM on Oct 2nd 2007
4. #2 Michael why is it that when the conservatives agree on their beleifs to you it's corrupt but when you see corruption or bigotry by your left that's o.k. Does your hyprocosy know no bounds? have you allowed yourself to be brainwashed to the point that you can't see reasoning if it hit you in the mouth!!
I saw the hearings and knowing that people in power can be abusive toward subordinates I watched and listened to Anita intensively to see if she was sincere and truthful.She wasn't first she never commented this to anyone until the hating dems brought her out and more than obvious coached her.
When she didn't deny that after this happened she volunteered to drive Mr. Thomas to the airport and had no problem being alone with this alleged predator in the car and then continually sought him time and time after, speaks volumes to me or any one with out an agenda!!
Manny at 7:20AM on Oct 2nd 2007
5. For as long as I can remember dems. demean anyone of color or minorities which would break ranks with them. Yet they've done nothing but use us and abuse us(welfare,food stamps) these programs under the guise of helping hook people into depending on govt. for generations.Come election they would remind us that the bad Repubs. just want us and our children to go hungry and do without while the get richer,but as soon as some of us make it we see the light, we no longer have to coward to our true oppressors, these people think for themselves and they tell others you can make it,educate and think for yourself then accordig to dems your a traitor(Condoleeza,Powell,Thomas) have all along with others have broken the yokes of the dems. Remembering it was the dems which were the slave owners.
Klu-Klux Klan Grand wizard Byrd is still laughing and using the word nigger without a whimper from plantation blacks!! Open your eyes people it's right there for you to see unless you wish to blind yourself of the facts!!!
Manny at 7:40AM on Oct 2nd 2007
6. QUOTE which I SAW HAPPENING AS I WATCHED ALMOST EVERY BIT OF THE LONG TESTIMONIES "...it's incredible that so many aspersions could be cast on Thomas based on not a single piece of strong corroborating evidence."
I heard almost all of the hearings as I was home with the child.
LOTS OF ASPERSIONS AND THE USUAL MEDIA BLAST...thus the gullible (or the busy) who did NOT take time to sift thru for some REAL testimony which could stand up in court ---and the very young and naiive....BELIEVED that Thomas was guilty.
I note one Senator who had the APPROPRIATE response. Sen. Ted Kennedy, who sat quietly in judgment(in his glass house - because of HIS PROVEN past) and only asked a few quiet questions.
IT WAS A HIGH TECH LYNCHING.
---------
Then it BACKFIRED because NOW a law was made about allowing the testimony of others (i.e. other women) who could NOW be allowed to testify to whether they heard sexual type talk from the accused at work. Thus, we now had CORROBORATIVE testimony a few years later from other women---against Clinton. And we got into the whole messy Monica Lewinsky thing.
And while Clinton was manipulating Ms. Lewinsky's testimony (a crime) some folders about that Bin Laden guy must have been just sitting on his desk.
vikingmother at 7:49AM on Oct 2nd 2007
7. "No corroborating piece of evidence?" What are you talking about? These guys don't make passes at women in front of others; they always do so in private. I was hit on at my job by two men, one black and the other white, and neither one said anything in front of others, though I guess you wouldn't know about this as you (obviously) have never been approached by anyone.
Tzipporah at 7:56AM on Oct 2nd 2007
8. The reason the Thomas controversy goes on is because he drank deeply from the trough of affirmative action in its formative, unlegislated years. Those of us who went to college with Justice Thomas knew him as a "radical" Black separatist, and honestly, a dull student who had no intellectual standing in a college of the stature of Holy Cross. How he, of all people, got into Yale Law School, when individuals with far better grades and LSAT scores did not, is a story that remains secreted. It is not his current world view I question, but his hypocrisy. Ballyhooing how he "got off the plantation" conflates old history with the late 20th century's history. Some people need a helping hand, whether because of color or other condition of birth or accident. That he now legislates judicially against such help is shameful. He lacks a conscience, he lacks compassion, and he lacks the most basic identiification with people of his own race who still suffer - nw because of his actions. The quality of mercy is not strained.
RDL at 8:37AM on Oct 2nd 2007
9. The fact remains that Thomas was appointed because he is Black (and conservative). To imply that the left is more (or less) racist is myopic. The fact that Thomas was a less qualified jurist is also a fact that remains true today. D'Souza is a blogger with an agenda and unqualified to judge Thomas' performance as a judge. (He also doesn;t seem to think refewrences to "the Plantation" are racist. :-) Interesteing that Thomas invokes "To Kill A Mockingbird". The protagonuist in the novel was in the situation because he was Black. Although ne chooses to overlook the fact, Thomas is on the bench because he is Black.
Bill Pepper at 8:29AM on Oct 2nd 2007
10. THOMAS IS A SPECIAL HUMAN BEING. A SPECIAL AMERICAN.
WHOSE TALK IS TRUE AND PLAIN.
HIS VIEWS ON LIFE AND HIS BACKGROUND SHOW TO ALL AFRICAN AMERICANS THAT NO BARRIER SHOULD GET IN YOUR WAY TO PROSPER.
HIS GRANDFATHER IS ANOTHER IMAGE FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS TO PUT UP AS A SYMBOL OF GREATNESS. AND FOR AMERICANS TO VIEW AS PART OF THE AMERICAN DREAM.
TO LIVE IN HARMONY WITH HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHILE BEING A POSITIVE ELEMENT TO THE SOCIETY HE LIVED IN.
THESE ARE THE POSITIVE ELEMENTS OF AMERICA. THESE PERSONS MAKE AMERICA GREAT AND SHOW AFRICAN AMERICANS THE ROAD FOR POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN THERE COMMUNITIES.
OF COURSE WHICH IS LACKING IN MANY OF THE NATIONS CITIES.
INSTEAD OF TAKING THIS DIRECTION MANY AFRICAN AMERICANS TAKE THE WRONG DIRECTION.
EXAMPLE:OUR PRISONS,OUR AIDS POPULATIONS,OUR UNWED MOTHERS. THE DESTRUCTION OF THE FAMILY UNIT.
GOD BLESS THAT WE HAVE JUDGE THOMAS.
FRED GRANT at 8:44AM on Oct 2nd 2007
11. Wow! What a racist crock of shit!
Thomas publishes his "Po' Po' Pitiful Me Memoirs", and the resident racist scumbag has a virtual orgasm.
Uncle Tommy needs to get down on his knees and thank God...
If it wasn't for OJ, he'd be the most reviled black man in America.
BT at 8:50AM on Oct 2nd 2007
12. DD, FOR THIS ONE OCCASION, YOU TROT OUT THE "we" and the "us", an dlump yourself in as a minority and a person of color. Personally, the way you carry on the other 364 days of the year, we don't want you. You are a prejudiced racist, who stated emphatically that West Indian blacks are darker than American blacks (to prove a point and sell a book), and you also see nothing wrong with using the word "plantation" flippantly and in reference to a liberal construct.
You are truly double-talking trash.
Here's one equally offensive: Why is DD UNTOUCHABLE, and CASTE in such a bad light? Because he is a pseudo-intellectual racist, who is stealing money from Stanford, an instition I once held in high regard.
stuart joshua at 9:14AM on Oct 2nd 2007
13. I feel sorry for Thomas. He will always be seen as a token justice and not for his color but for his abilities. He is Harriet Myers. He is the guy that will always for with the conservatives on any issue no matter the evidence or the constitution.
And as for slamming Anita Hill in his one-way tirade all I can say is that if it wasn't true most people would have shrugged it off to politics, laughed and moved on. If it was true, and he got busted for it, but no punishment followed... then my guess is the guilt and remorse and pain as well as the thought that he was only being pushed forward because he was black will haunt him until his end.
Very sad. Again I feel sorry for him. He needs some serious counseling.
RMWiersema at 9:16AM on Oct 2nd 2007
14. From: Manny at 7:40AM on Oct 2nd 2007
Remembering it was the dems which were the slave owners.
Klu-Klux Klan Grand wizard Byrd is still laughing and using the word nigger without a whimper from plantation blacks!! Open your eyes people it's right there for you to see unless you wish to blind yourself of the facts!!!
V -The "fact" is, Manny, it was CONSERVATIVES who were slave owners and klansmen. Robert Byrd is an anmomaly....most people with his past long ago fled to the GOP. Y'know, people like Jesse Helms, Strom Thurmond, David Duke and Trent Lott?
To compare the Democratic party of today with the Democratic party of 150 years ago is ignorant at best and blatantly dishonest at worst.
Which adjective describes YOU best, hmmm?
Ventrue at 9:19AM on Oct 2nd 2007
15. From: Manny at 7:20AM on Oct 2nd 2007
I saw the hearings and knowing that people in power can be abusive toward subordinates I watched and listened to Anita intensively to see if she was sincere and truthful.She wasn't first she never commented this to anyone until the hating dems brought her out and more than obvious coached her.
When she didn't deny that after this happened she volunteered to drive Mr. Thomas to the airport and had no problem being alone with this alleged predator in the car and then continually sought him time and time after, speaks volumes to me or any one with out an agenda!!
V -Oh, you mean kinda like Juanita Broadderick remaining in then-Gov. Clinton's employ after he allegedly raped her and only coming out of the woodwork after she was dredged up by Clinton's enemies 22 years later?
Ventrue at 9:27AM on Oct 2nd 2007