Justice Thomas has just released his much anticipated memoir about his upbringing, years of government service, the confrontational and x-rated Supreme Court hearings and his musings about today's issues. "My Grandfather's Son" is Justice Thomas' story about his upbringing and how it can be seen throughout his life. Due to my close relationship with this oft-misunderstood man, I am particularly grateful that his story will finally be told. In the book, Justice Thomas addresses Anita Hill, allows us a glimpse into his childhood and gives some insight into his personality.
I worked for the Justice during his stint at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) as his Confidential Assistant and twenty four years later he remains my mentor and friend. "My Grandfather's Son" will stun many as Thomas reveals the missing pieces of the puzzle regarding Anita Hill. Hill and I were colleagues at the EEOC during Justice Thomas' days as chair. During those heated and sordid hearings I was a staunch defender of Thomas, for in knowing Anita during her days at EEOC there was nothing in her behavior or conversation to indicate that she was being truthful in her allegations against the Justice. However, the anger and bitterness that he once felt and expressed over the confirmation hearings in the '90's' has not been seen in the past five years. No matter how many may try to say that he still possesses this anger, the truth is that he has overcome his feelings of animosity. In the beginning of his tenure on the Court, during our luncheons and private meetings in his chambers, Anita's name and actions were constantly a part of the conversation, but in the last several years he has not mentioned her name. While he does finally address her allegations in his book, he does so not for retribution, but for the sake of history and setting the record straight.
US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' upbringing was a humble one. He grew up in South Carolina with his grandparents. In explaining the name of the book, Thomas says, "so many people throughout my life have said I was just like my grandfather." He talks about his challenges with dialect and not having support when he went off to school. Having grown up in the South he learned a dialect called 'Gullah' and had little exposure to the industrial world of the Northeastern United States. Thomas reflected that, "it was easier to learn the foreign languages, which were new and distinctive, than it was to learn the standard English." He also mentioned his father being uncertain about his attending college in New Haven, Connecticut. However, Justice Thomas said that one of his greatest strengths, which he took from his Grandfather, was being strong-willed. He has used his determination to get through school, and to follow a course of action even when it seemed he was all alone. His resolve has enabled him to stand up for his beliefs or keep silent even in the face of enormous opposition, and has helped him to formulate opinions on and defend his understanding of the truth.
Many will dissect his latest testimony and come to their own conclusions about the Justice and the motivation behind his rulings on the court. Thomas, however is the one of the humblest, sincerest and brightest individuals I've known throughout my years in Washington, DC. He has a tremendous understanding of the law and how to make it fair and blind for all Americans. We hear countless stories of individuals meeting him from the Supreme Court to the heartland of this country and coming away impressed and acknowledging that he's not the same person often portrayed in the press. In the past a favorite sport among the media was to make light of his intellect and contributions to the court. They often referred to him as a clone of Justice Scalia. Although, with the passing of time and more of Thomas being revealed by his rulings, the elite media has finally admitted that he has incredible intellect and is held in high esteem by his colleagues on the court. I respect Thomas as an honest, decent, and courageous person in this nation. Given his road to the Court and the past assassination of his character it's amazing that he's found peace, solitude, and total forgiveness for those that chose to demonize him for their own agendas.
Justice Thomas has a lifetime appointment on the court, which he feels is the perfect job for him. He loves his work and is always glowing about his eight amazing colleagues on the court. Critics will continue to draw their own conclusions about him for the next 40 years, but his book is evidence that he has found the peace and solitude that he has always searched for in his life. The hardships he faced have made him fully cognizant of race and the double standards that still permeate this country. For this reason he makes it a priority to spend time with Black youths in an effort to encourage them. In his wife Ginni and the Supreme Court, where he considers it a privilege to serve, Justice Clarence Thomas has found comfort and support, which enables him to provide hope for anyone who has faced the harshest of obstacles as he did growing up in America.
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