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 3 of 5)
31. Funny how just yesterday D'idiot was going bonkers over those uppity homos in San Francisco, yet when Uncle Clarence gets called out for his nasty book revenge towards Anita Hill, then suddenly the sexual hijinx are off limits. Hill MUST be a plant, sent in by the nasty white Dems to stop the blacks.
What a crock. D'Idiot just made himself a redundant bigot again.
Tim at 3:03PM on Oct 2nd 2007
32. sell out and a man without a people, except those who turned him......
Mancha de Platano at 3:32PM on Oct 2nd 2007
33. an other OJ.....lol
Mancha de Platano at 3:33PM on Oct 2nd 2007
34. RDL: Clarence Thomas's behavior on the bench is typical of Republicans both white and black who will take advantage of any and every liberal social program to get ahead in life, and then once they have take the attitude:"I've got mine, now screw everybody else!"
emelpe at 5:01PM on Oct 2nd 2007
35. If Abe Lincoln were to come back and see today's republican party he would advocate the very thing that he hated the most. Another civil war.
Re: your blog and Clarence "tell me how to vote Tony" Thomas I can find nothing more disappointing than the lack of integrity and scholarship on the present court. It has become public that Justice Sutter threatened to resign from this court in protest. For Scalia to publically call those who disagree with him "idiots" and for Thomas to vote in tandem with him is sad.
DD for you to blog in support of Thomas is also sad.
Where are our heros? They are not out ranting, raving and calling other people names while voting in their cronies best interests.
Steve Seivers at 5:35PM on Oct 2nd 2007
36. #13 and#14 from ventliar,Manny to compare the democratic party of today with that of 150 years ago is ignorant at best and blatantly dishonest at worst.
V-Oh you mean kinda like Juanita Broderick remaining in then Gov. clintons employ after he allegedly raped her and only coming out of the woodwork after she was dredged up by clinton enemies 22 yrs.later
Ventrue first of all I called no one names and Mrs. Broderck is a lady and a human who isn't dredged up she's not here to defend herself like Hill is defending herself, you coward direct your stupidity to me! but since you declared war instead of bringing truth and you choose to show your lack of proficient vocabulary eat this imbecil!! Jesse Helms and Strom Thurmond have done more for blacks then John Kerry,Al Gore and racist clinton put together. Duke is your daddy so I won't talk about him and like the coward dem that you are you make accusations but no substance.
Juanita Broderick succumed to media seeking the truth and even liberal dems say they believed her but because of time your god clinton got away. She worked for the govt. not clinton, obviously you communist think this country belongs to the clintons and thus your an unconditional zombie with allegiance to them. By the way she claimed that he bit down on her mouth to keep her from screaming even a baffoon like you knows the sensitivity of the lips and the excruciating pain to the point that such an act would paralize you, and the predator still hasn't changed his ways.
Are we to believe that after the Repub.Lincoln and countless othe Repubs died to free slaves that now we're bigots and even more absurdely incredulous you Dems have Morphed? so now you denouced evolution and your Morphist WOW !! what Lunatics. Juanita Brodericks interview was on TV and she wasn't coached, (OHHH by the way gore from Tennese and Clinton from Arkansas both still fly the confderate flag) what Hogwash that you've morphed. You dems have evolved and now instead of walking upright you walk bent over backwords with your head up your ass no wonder you don't remember history!!!
Ventrue on the second page your DADDY Communist Tony is telling you not to respond to me, better listen to him or he'll spank you but OHHH how ignorant of me your both gay so you'll both like it!!!
Tony says the Southern slave owning Democrats left the Democratic party over 100 years ago. Where did they go Manny maybe you can tell us.Thomas is the worst kind of hypocrite, he climbed to the top with help of social programs and then pulled up the ladder. What a piece of dung.
You tony and Ventrue, your bigot hate toward Thomas and me a Puerto Rican who broke ranks when I saw and felt the hate filled bigoted democrats for what they truly are!!! Continue to spew your hate bigots everyone who has eyes to see and ears to hear will know the truth!!!
GOD SAVE US FROM THIS MANIACAL LIBERAL HATING BIGOTS!!!!
GOD BLESS AMERICA FROM THE AMERICAN HATERS!!!
Manny at 5:49PM on Oct 2nd 2007
37. You obviously do not know anything about the history, experiences, or ramifications of our nation's legacy of slavery, where, just FYI, all the "people of color" were Black people - - which no doubt partly explains why you are so ill-informed. The only reason you are writing anything about Clarence Thomas, is because he rose to his position on the backs of those very Black people who slaved on those plantations, as well as all of us who have, in tribute to them, worked, and even died, to continue to fight for equality for ourselves, and for all other 'people of color' - - like yourself. You have your job because we, and our ancestors, fought to change the lily white landscape. You should be grateful, acknowledge this fact, and help those who continue the struggle.
carol dorsey at 6:26PM on Oct 2nd 2007
38.
Clarence Thomas is an UNCLE TOM who couldn't write a judicial opinion without leaning over Scalia's shoulder.
Or to make it easier for him-- Scalia just faxes a more simplified version of his opinion, over to Thomas' office, to sign his own name.
A little plagarism never hurt Clarence, has it?
Who wrote his book for him?
How come nobody knows, "Your grandfather's son"- is your FATHER? --NOT your "grandfather?"
Idiots worshipping morons.
Thomas Jefferson said --Never trust a Tory/Republican. He said-- If you can't teach them enough to convert them to become liberal, progressives, then, you must kill them.
That's why there was a Revolutionary War.
Jamie at 6:33PM on Oct 2nd 2007
39. Once a nigger, always a nigger
stacey at 6:54PM on Oct 2nd 2007
40. Thomas got smeared because he was a conservative black man, plain and simple
Btw, the actual word liberal more closely defines someone who is conservative. Our forefathers wanted to make sure that the federal government had as little power as possible, that the power belonged to the states. So by definition, they were conservatives. I serioulsy doubt that Washington or anybody else would of supported our modern big government, abortion, and other things of that nature. Anyway, all you left wing nuts can keep trying justify your views by trying to compare your views with the founding fathers, but the truth is they wouldnt of bought your socialist,communist, and in some cases anarachist bullcrap. Also, if all you left wing nuts keep throwin bs out there saying all conservatives(not talking about neocons) are racist, then i'll just throw in some bs and say all liberals want pedophiles to get away with their crimes without being punished.
sion2123 at 7:02PM on Oct 2nd 2007
41. I have always thought Thomas was unfairly albeit electronically lynched.
Just the other day I listen to him in an interview he gave on Rush Limbaugh's show and he is very intelligent, and yet reasonable; he genuinely seems to be a very thoughtful and nice man.
I cannot imagine why the Left hates him so; I think they should be ashamed of themselves.
Ken Berg at 7:29PM on Oct 2nd 2007
42. You are right. I am a black woman, have voted for republicans (the last time it was for Bush Sr.), have ties to the south, was very VERY close to my grandparents and I wake up to hate Mr. Thomas every day. Look, he is who and what he is. We have to deal with him when we have to deal with him. In trying to sell your newspaper and columns, remember there are a lot more men and women who grew up like him and have ideals like him, that don't have to pit us against us for white folks sake. We have the same issues in our realities just like white folks. He did it pure and simple. You choose not to believe him, that's fine and that has nothing to do with him providing the service he was hired to do. If you think he's good, I think so too. If you think he benefits this country then that's cool too. But he did it. He did it. You see him as a man and we do to. We see him as a black man, you see him as a man. But at night, behind closed doors, with our close and personal friends we both are calling him a black man, we can just do it to his face.
KK at 11:26AM on Oct 4th 2007
43. From: Manny at 5:49PM on Oct 2nd 2007
Re:#35
Ummm, Manny...were you drunk when you posted that dreck or is it just that English is a second language for you?
Either sober up or get hooked on phonics, and then get back to me.
From: sion2123 at 7:02PM on Oct 2nd 2007
"Also, if all you left wing nuts keep throwin bs out there saying all conservatives(not talking about neocons) are racist, then i'll just throw in some bs and say all liberals want pedophiles to get away with their crimes without being punished."
"Btw, the actual word liberal more closely defines someone who is conservative."
V -They say that the hand it quicker than the eye, but for some, it's clearly quicker than the brain as well.
From: Ken Berg at 7:29PM on Oct 2nd 2007
40. I have always thought Thomas was unfairly albeit electronically lynched.
Just the other day I listen to him in an interview he gave on Rush Limbaugh's show and he is very intelligent, and yet reasonable; he genuinely seems to be a very thoughtful and nice man.
I cannot imagine why the Left hates him so; I think they should be ashamed of themselves.
V -I dunno....probably the same reason the Right hates Hillary Clinton.
BTW, did you say Rush Limbaugh? The same Rush Limbaugh who pulled a MoveOn.org move on our soldiers by calling them "phony"? The same Rush Limbaugh who um, "cut and ran" when his country needed him during the Viet Nam war because of a pilonidal cyst?
Now why would an "intelligent, reasonable, thoughtful and nice" person want to sully his reputation by hobnobbing with the likes of Limbaugh?
Ventrue at 9:53PM on Oct 2nd 2007
44. Dinesh D'Souza, you're an idiot.
sheila at 10:56PM on Oct 2nd 2007
45. "V -They say that the hand it quicker than the eye, but for some, it's clearly quicker than the brain as well." That's your response? Wow, my great grandma could of come up with something better than that, and she's dead. Maybe you should spend more time reading history books, and less time trying to make "witty comments" on a blog. Ah but who am I kidding, your probably just a person with a low self esteem who has nothing better to do but skim through blogs and make "witty" comments to make yourself feel better about your existence. That or you've picked up one too many doobies.
sionx2123 at 10:57PM on Oct 2nd 2007