‘Defending Liberty’: Defiant Clarence Thomas Slams Critics for ‘Undermining’ High Court
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas – his impartiality under attack from liberals because of his attendance at a meeting of conservative donors sponsored by the Koch brothers and his wife’s tea party activism – struck a defiant tone in a Saturday night speech in Charlottesville, Va., telling a friendly audience that he and his wife “believe in the same things” and “are focused on defending liberty.”
Delivering the keynote speech at an annual symposium for conservative law students, Thomas spoke in vague, but ominous, terms about the direction of the country and urged his listeners to “redouble your efforts to learn about our country so that you’re in a position to defend it.”
He also lashed out at his critics, without naming them, asserting they “seem bent on undermining” the High Court as an institution. Such criticism, Thomas warned, could erode the ability of American citizens to fend off threats to their way of life.
“You all are going to be, unfortunately, the recipients of the fallout from that – that there’s going to be a day when you need these institutions to be credible and to be fully functioning to protect your liberties,” he said, according to a partial recording of the speech provided to POLITICO by someone who was at the meeting.
“And that’s long after I’m gone, and that could be either a short or a long time, but you’re younger, and it’s still going to be a necessity to protect the liberties that you enjoy now in this country.”
Thomas spoke at the closing banquet for the symposium, which was sponsored by the Federalist Society, a conservative legal group.
It was the first time Thomas has spoken out – at least in a semi-public setting – about the mounting controversies that have swirled around him and his wife, Virginia Thomas, who goes by “Ginni” and who was in Charlottesville with her husband.
The justice’s critics have argued that his attendance at, and speech to, a private January 2008 gathering of major conservative donors sponsored by the billionaire industrialist Koch brothers in Palm Springs, Calif. and his wife’s political activism have compromised his position on the court.
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Wild Thing’s comment………
God Love and Protect this stellar American.
I have immense respect for Clarence Thomas. I highly recommend his autobiography My Grandfather’s Son and am amazed and humbled by how hard he worked, both physically and academically, from a young age into manhood, unlike a large percentage of American kids today who have never experienced a hard day’s labor. God bless Justice Thomas and his family, and God help those who perpetuate evil against them.
A genuine decent, honest patriotic American – which is precisely why obama and his pals want him destroyed.
Emphasizing the importance of the Supreme Court, Thomas said “It’s not a game with me. It doesn’t deal with any ego stuff with me. This is about our country. And one of the things I want to do is I want to go to my grave knowing that I gave everything I had to trying to get it right.”
God Bless Justice Thomas.
Photo of Thomas at Daytona.
A very admirable man. I really believe he puts America before himself. As to his attendance at conservative meetings and his wife’s tea party support. You can bet that obama’s two appointess attend lesbian meetings and probably pro abortion conferences.
We fully support Justice Thomas. And for those who want to get rid of him, they’ll need to go through us and that won’t be easy or fun for them.
Oh that’s right I forgot about his wife belonging to the Tea Party…Ironic…Evidently she’s not allowed to have an opinion of her own. The left and Ron Paul supporters, are really very shallow bastards.
I like Justice Thomas. He’s a decent and honorable man.
High school seniors Terrence Stephens and Jason Ankrah, star football players at Quince Orchard High School in Gaithersburg, Md., were sitting on a plane returning from a recruitment session at the University of Nebraska when they struck up a conversation with the man sitting next to them.
Their seat-mate just happened to be a major Cornhuskers fan.
When they started chatting, Stephens and Ankrah didn’t have a clue they were holding court with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
“I was amazed this guy knew so much about us as football players and as people,” said Stephens. “That was shocking. I felt honored to be known by someone of his caliber. He was just a regular old guy, sitting in coach, which really shocked me.”
NOTE: Justice Thomas was riding coach, not first class.
By the time the plane landed, the students had figured out who Thomas was, and they promptly told their principal they wanted to invite Thomas to give the keynote speech at their high school graduation. Of course, Principal Carole Working didn’t exactly think Thomas would take them up on it. But he showed up at the high school on Monday.
“These young men had no idea who I was as I formed my first impression. I was just another stranger to them. They were wonderful ambassadors for your school and for their fellow students,” said Thomas at the Quince Orchard graduation ceremony.
When Stephens and Ankrah arrived on-stage to receive their diplomas, they were both embraced by Justice Thomas.
Thank you everyone so very much.
Bob, WOW what a great story, thank you so much for sharing that. Fantastic, I love it.