Amy Coney Barrett, Samuel A. Alito, Jr., Brett Kavanaugh, Neil M. Gorsuch, and Clarence Thomas all voted to overturn Roe v. Wade (Chief Justice John Roberts voted in favor of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which held that there is no constitutional right to an abortion, but ultimately opposed overturning Roe).On that long list of names, however, only one is really receiving any attention: Clarence Thomas.The Bush-appointed justice is a hero to millions; detested by countless others. Ever since Roe fell, public animus toward the only black member of the Court – which has existed since his infamous confirmation hearing – has worsened.Legendary actor Samuel Jackson called Thomas “Uncle Clarence,” a reference to “Uncle Tom,” a derogatory term for a subservient black man.“You better hope that they don’t come for you, Clarence” warned an irate Whoopi Goldberg, suggesting that interracial marriage and slavery may be up for debate thanks to Thomas’ anti-abortion ruling.Radio personality Howard Stern called the justice “that lightweight, Clarence Thomas, who’s been sitting there like Darth Vader, dormant, waiting for other kooks to join the Supreme Court…” Stern’s co-host hoped “they slap him on a plantation.”Even Martha Stewart got involved, referring to Thomas simply as an “old black man who doesn’t know who he is.” SEE ALSO: Hopeful for a Pro-Life Supreme Court Decision? You Can Thank Trump Voters. I haven’t even mentioned Hillary Clinton, who labeled the justice “a person of grievance” or the Twitter account “Is Clarence Thomas Dead Yet?” which provides “[d]aily updates on whether the least qualified and biggest scumbag on the Supreme Court has departed earth yet.”Needless to say, the left detests Clarence Thomas (seemingly more than anyone else on the Court), and it isn’t afraid to say so.But why?Why are mentions of Thomas’ name inescapable, yet we hardly hear a word about Samuel Alito? Why is it that no one is insulting Justice Gorsuch? Just Thomas.Interestingly, Clarence Thomas himself may have identified the reason he would receive disproportionate hate for overturning Roe decades ago during his Senate confirmation hearing in 1991.In one of the ugliest moments in recent political history, Anita Hill alleged, during Thomas’ confirmation hearing, that the would-be Supreme Court justice had sexually harassed her when the two previously worked together, allegations Thomas denied and supporters questioned. In a response that arguably saved his confirmation hearing, Thomas retorted that “[t]his is a circus. It is a national disgrace. And from my standpoint, as a black American, as far as I am concerned, it is a high-tech lynching for uppity-blacks who in any way deign to think for themselves, to do for themselves, to have different ideas, and it is a message that, unless you kowtow to an old order, this is what will happen to you, you will be lynched, destroyed, caricatured by a committee of the U.S. Senate, rather than hung from a tree.” SEE ALSO: The Attacks on Kavanaugh are False, Just like the Attacks on Clarence Thomas were False Clarence Thomas hit the nail on the head. So many pundits and activists on the left despise the black justice not only because of how he votes, but because they believe that he, as a black man, is obliged to agree with their leftist narrative.Of course, it’s absurd to see judicial matters in terms of race. Justice, by definition, is blind. But unfortunately, that’s not how the left operates. Repeatedly, and in no uncertain terms, the left has made clear its racist belief that blackness is inextricably linked to progressivism.It is true Clarence Thomas was the only justice to suggest in his Dobbs v. Jackson opinion that the Court should reconsider previous rulings regarding contraceptive rights and gay marriage, but the vitriolic hatred directed at him began long before that. As one Newsweek opinion writer observed, “examples of attacks on Justice Thomas for daring to think differently—for refusing to assent to the views liberals demand of black Americans—could fill a book.”Whether they realize it or not, Americans are incredibly blessed to have Justice Clarence Thomas on the bench. For decades, he has been the recipient of vile hatred from the left – because of the color of his skin. Yet he perseveres, unwaveringly committedly to the law, justice, and the Constitution.Even as he comes under assault for his courageous stand, let’s show our support for Justice Clarence Thomas and pray that he would be protected from the evil war being waged against him.Jakob Fay is a former SIA Coordinator and current writer for the Convention of States Project, a project of Citizens for Self-Governance
