The Clarence Thomas Supreme Court Is Making People Miserable

After more than 30 years on the Supreme Court, Justice Clarence Thomas remains a polarizing figure. Oct. 15 marked 31 years since Thomas’ confirmation to the nation’s highest Court. Anniversaries are usually a time for celebration, but the idea of another decade or more with Thomas on the bench is enough to bring tears to one’s eyes.

Appointed by former President George H.W. Bush, Thomas became the second Black person to serve on the Court. Born in Pin Point, Georgia, Thomas was the son of a farm worker. While his rise from rural poverty is admirable, his stances adopted upon achieving success have left much to be desired.

This summer he made headlines for an egregious concurring opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Thomas signaled that other rights people hold dear could be on the chopping block, raising alarms in moderates and liberals alike. But it’s not the first time Thomas has indicated he wanted to throw the masses under the bus.

Civil rights leaders opposed his nomination 

When he retired, the late Justice Thurgood Marshall expressly stated he did not feel it was necessary for Bush to appoint a Black person in his place.

“There’s no difference between a white snake and Black snake; they’ll both bite,” Marshall said. “So I don’t want to use race as an excuse.”

Even the NAACP opposed his nomination, citing several issues with his record, “most notably as Chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and his reactionary philosophical approach to a number of critical issues, not the least of which is affirmative action.”

Further, NAACP Board Chair Dr. William F. Gibson noted Thomas’ inconsistent values regards to civil rights made him an “unpredictable element” on the Court. Civil rights icon Rosa Parks also reportedly was no fan of the Thomas appointment.

“His statements on Brown v. Board of Education case… and even on the Roe v. Wade to me indicate that he wants to push the clock back,” wrote Parks. “The Supreme Court now appears to be turning its back on the undeniable fact of discrimination and exclusion …I believe that Judge Thomas will accelerate that trend, and that will be destructive for our nation.”

Thomas is scared of the Court expansion movement

As previously reported by NewsOne, Thomas whined about calls for Court expansion and what he claimed was eroding credibility. The elder justice has effectively taken no responsibility for the harm posed by him and his wife, Ginni Thomas a known “conservative activist.”

Groups like Demand Justice support Court expansion as a response to what they say are stolen seats from the people.

“The way we fix the Supreme Court is that we need to add seats,” Brummer said in a previous interview with NewsOne. “Mitch McConnell denied Barack Obama a nominee. And then Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump denied the American people another nominee when there was a vacancy.”   

Before he became attorney general, Merrick Garland was Supreme Court-bound. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked former President Barack Obama’s attempt to replace the late Justice Samuel Alito. McConnell claimed the appointment was too close to an election. Yet he turned around and allowed former President Donald Trump to appoint Justice Amy Coney Barrett within weeks of the 2020 election.

He wants to destroy affirmative action  

Often treated as a problematic handout by conservatives, affirmative action is on the chopping block this session at SCOTUS. Despite being a likely beneficiary of affirmative action at Yale program, Thomas has objected to the admissions approach that afforded him the opportunity to attend one of the country’s most elite institutions.

Affirmative action doesn’t mean “less-qualified” non-white men are taking spots away from other people. As a remedy, it was meant to open doors and expand access to opportunities most Black people and other groups were blocked from receiving.

SEE ALSO:

Clarence Thomas Quits Teaching Law School Seminar After Students Demand His Removal

Over 80 Major Corporations File Briefs Defending Affirmative Action Ahead Of Upcoming SCOTUS Term

Clarence Thomas’ Hypocrisy On Full Display In Comments About Protecting The Court’s Integrity