Clarence Thomas
"The Judicial Philosophy of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas"
Clarence Thomas.
In the annals of American history, this name has risen to the forefront of noted Supreme Court Justices and has become synonymous with the ideals and philosophies of uncompromising conservatives. Undeniably, the same name also congers thoughts of hypocrisy, desertion, and self-denial toward one of America 's most divisive and enigmatic political figures. Since his nomination by President George H. Bush to the United States Supreme Court, Justice Thomas has been inundated with criticism by those who oppose his expressed jurisprudence and with praises by those who follow his hard-nosed, unapologetic style of governance in his role as America 's second African-American Supreme Court Justice.
Justices Thomas ' political views against abortion, affirmative action, and several race-based efforts to counteract discrimination, stand in stark contrast to the agenda of the vast majority of civil rights groups and politically active African-Americans (Smith & Baugh, 2000). With a personal viewpoint so different from so many African-American people, it stands to reason that such conflicting attitudes and values and may have been shaped and molded by his life experiences; the experience of growing up impoverished, in the segregated, rural community of Pin Point, Georgia. Born to Leola Anderson, Thomas, along with a younger brother and sister, grew up in indigent conditions until the age of seven when, after accidentally burning down his mother 's home, (Wikipedia, Clarence Thomas, 2002) he and his younger brother went to live with their grandfather, Myers Anderson.
It is at this time in Thomas ' life where certain personality traits seems to have formed and where a diligent work ethic and obedience became commonplace as the stoic Anderson made no allowances for their age and began teaching the two young boys the reality of hard work and rigid discipline (Foskett, K. 2004). Although,
Clarence Thomas.
In the annals of American history, this name has risen to the forefront of noted Supreme Court Justices and has become synonymous with the ideals and philosophies of uncompromising conservatives. Undeniably, the same name also congers thoughts of hypocrisy, desertion, and self-denial toward one of America 's most divisive and enigmatic political figures. Since his nomination by President George H. Bush to the United States Supreme Court, Justice Thomas has been inundated with criticism by those who oppose his expressed jurisprudence and with praises by those who follow his hard-nosed, unapologetic style of governance in his role as America 's second African-American Supreme Court Justice.
Justices Thomas ' political views against abortion, affirmative action, and several race-based efforts to counteract discrimination, stand in stark contrast to the agenda of the vast majority of civil rights groups and politically active African-Americans (Smith & Baugh, 2000). With a personal viewpoint so different from so many African-American people, it stands to reason that such conflicting attitudes and values and may have been shaped and molded by his life experiences; the experience of growing up impoverished, in the segregated, rural community of Pin Point, Georgia. Born to Leola Anderson, Thomas, along with a younger brother and sister, grew up in indigent conditions until the age of seven when, after accidentally burning down his mother 's home, (Wikipedia, Clarence Thomas, 2002) he and his younger brother went to live with their grandfather, Myers Anderson.
It is at this time in Thomas ' life where certain personality traits seems to have formed and where a diligent work ethic and obedience became commonplace as the stoic Anderson made no allowances for their age and began teaching the two young boys the reality of hard work and rigid discipline (Foskett, K. 2004). Although,
References: (cont.) OYEZ U.S. Supreme Court Multi Media Clarence Thomas, retrieved November 7, 2005, from http://www.oyez.org/oyez/resource/legal_entity/106/biography Thomas, Clarence, (1998) I am A Man, A Black Man, an American, Archives of American Public Address, retrieved October 21, 2005, from http://douglassarchives.org/thom_b30.htm Clarence Thomas, Wikipedia, retrieved September 16, 2005, from http:en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarence_Thomas