The history books regarding Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 will read how Clarence Thomas, the only African-American on the Supreme Court, was the strong force in dropping Brown v Education down the sewer. Nothing new of course, Thomas has been the most vocal voice against Affirmative Action since he was given the spot on the court through the Affirmative Action plan of George Herbert Bush 16 years ago. After enjoying affirmative action programs to gain admittance into a Catholic high school, Holy Cross College, Yale Law School, and the Reagan Administration to decry sanctions against South Africa Clarence had this to say:
“Affirmative action is critical to minorities and women in this society… But for affirmative action laws, God only knows where I would be today. These laws and their proper application are all that stand between the first 17 years of my life and the second 17 years.” Clarence Thomas 1983.
Making a name for himself in the Reagan Administration for siding with the racist government of South Africa, Republicans took notice of his racial self loathing and had Reagan put him charge of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission where he did everything possible to stall race based suits. Once Thomas got his he made damn sure to deny everyone else theirs. One of the most disgusting human conditions used only by the most disgusting of human beings.
The Anita Hill Hearings, which pitted a beautiful articulate black woman, the NAACP, the entire historic Civil Rights movement, 90% of African-Americans, Democrats and liberals against an ugly bitter man not up for the job, created such a seething self loathing hatred in the man it became the impetus of all his Supreme Court decisions. The failure of his White inside to overcome his Black outside.
He soon traded in his African-American wife for a rich White one, changed his religion from Protestant to Catholic to please his mentor Anton Scalia, and has become a best friend of Rush Limbaugh whose program he says he listens to most everyday. Clarence Thomas has worked very hard to become the most hated Black man to African Americans in American History.
"He [Thomas] has done more to turn back the clock of racial progress than has perhaps any other African-American public official in the history of this country." Retired U.S. Appeals Court Judge A. Leon Higginbotham Jr wrote in May 2007.
Clarence Thomas relies on of those false truisms radicals of all stripes play with, that gaining educational and job opportunities through Affirmative Action is demeaning to Blacks and Women who should work for it like anyone else. A statement that denies the reality of racism at play in this nation. I just read that the $126 million Powerball winner has not stepped up with the ticket as yet. We can only assume Clarence Thomas won it and tore it up like any good American would do.
One last note. In Googling Thomas last night I cannot recall ever reading more hardcore vitriol directed at the man since I began Googling. Perhaps it is time to lay off Poor Clarence and put him in the Pity Pen with Dan Quayle and George W. Bush. It’s not their fault they do not have the intellectual capacity needed for their jobs, the blame is God’s.