Remember July of ’91? Yeah, me neither, much, but that’s due to all the alcohol and marijuana and, besides, that’s why the good lord invented Wikipedia.
Anyway, it was in July of ’91 that Clarence Thomas was nominated to the Supreme Court of the United States of America. That’s an important job.
A little older, a little fatter, but just as much of a dumbass as he was 20 years ago
Feminists were enraged, because accusations of sexual harassment had been made, and completely ignored by the Senate, a body which was just about as almost all male in ’91 as it is today. Eventually, the Senate relented and agreed to hear the charges, about how he put his pubic hairs on a can of Coke and made stupid jokes about a porn star called Long Dong Silver. Normal office hijinx, the boys in the Senate decided, and went ahead and confirmed him, figuring the ladies would be mollified that they’d at least heard the complaints, even if they didn’t take them seriously.
They got away with it, too, because one thing drops out of the news and a new thing arises to take it’s place and the struggle goes on, but the issue is always different. Otherwise, politics would be boring.
To say that Thomas has been less than stellar as a judge would be an understatement. To say he’s been less than adequate as a judge would be more like it. For the last almost 7 years, since sometime in February of 2006, he has not said one thing on the record, has not asked any questions or offered any opinions during proceedings. His m.o. has been “Whatever Antonin Scalia says goes for me, too.” That’s perfectly legal, of course – just a little bit weird, and probably a sign that Thomas is not very bright. Even among conservatives, there are better legal minds than Scalia’s. Hell, even among the gang down at the barbershop in Mayberry there are better legal minds than Antonin Scalia.
Still, that’s been Justice Thomas’ policy, up until today, when he spoke. It wasn’t anything brilliant, it was kind of muttered, and followed by loud laughter, and it was some stupid comment about how just because some guy had a law degree from Yale didn’t make him a good lawyer. (Thomas also got his degree from Yale, so Q.E.D.)
It was particularly inappropriate, because the case was about a guy saying his right to a speedy trial was being denied because the state of Louisiana hadn’t provided him with a court appointed attorney – for 5 years. Making a joke about it is just rubbing salt in the wound. It shows incredible insensitivity.
You can go back to not saying anything, now, Clarence. You have officially confirmed the old saying “It’s better to be silent and have people think you’re a fool, than to speak up and remove all doubt.”
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