Today I watched a 60-Minutes interview with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. The rare interview comes on the heels of the release of his memoir, My Grandfather's Son. In it, Thomas traces his upbringing as a black man in the segregated deep South and his ascent to the nation's highest court. I was eager to hear from the famously reticent judge. Perhaps more than any other conservative in America and as conservative black man, Thomas has been the recipient of unrelenting and venomous calumny from the usual gang of race-baiting pimps on the left. He makes no apologies for his views. He strongly opposes affirmative action as an offensive, racist scheme that belittles black people and clouds any legitimate achievement. In the interview, he refuses to allow himself to be defined narrowly as a "black" man. "I am a man who happens to be black." In a society where race and color seem to permeate every discussion, Thomas' attitude is so refreshing. As he put it, he refuses to "drink the kool-aid" of the liberal black establishment. I look forward to reading his book and to many more years of sound decisions formed by the pen of this erudite justice.
Here is the link to the two-part interview on 60-Minutes
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/09/27/60minutes/main3305443.shtml
And here's another good analysis of Justice Thomas and his critics on National Review.
http://bench.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NTM0ZWE1M2M0ZmQ3M2NlYTIyMDIwNWQ2Mzc0Yzc3Mjc=
thomas really had to overcome a lot. And in his 60 minutes interview he seemed like a pretty down to earth nice guy. I think it is funny that in a country that puts so much on the individual, the fact that he marches to the beat of his own drum ticks everyone off so much.
ReplyDeleteVery good point...I thought America was all about "individuality" but when Thomas refuses to march lock-step with the mainstream black movement, he's castigated. There's the tolerance of the left for you.
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