Posted on 11/04/2005 7:16:54 AM PST by Jean S
NEW YORK An editorial in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel this week that opposed President Bush's nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court has drawn fire from conservatives for its criticism of Justice Clarence Thomas.
The opinion piece, posted first on the paper's Web site Oct. 31, sought to slam Bush for adding another white man to the court, which diminishes its diversity. But in doing so, the column sparked opposition from some for the characterization of Thomas as "a black man who deserves an asterisk because he arguably does not represent the views of mainstream black America."
Editorial Page Editor O. Ricardo Pimentel said the paper had received nearly 150 letters, e-mails, and phone calls from critics, noting that most were from outside the state.
"They've been fairly unprintable and unmentionable, sometimes calling us racist," Pimentel told E&P. "I think folks are jumping to conclusions that we think Thomas isn't black enough. That is not what we said. We just said his views are not within black mainstream thought."
None of the letters or e-mails had been printed or posted online, Pimentel said. But, he added, "they're coming."
The portion that seemed to draw the most opposition pointed to the fact that, in replacing retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Conner with a white man, Bush would be hurting the court's diversity. "In losing a woman, the court with Alito would feature seven white men, one white woman and a black man, who deserves an asterisk because he arguably does not represent the views of mainstream black America," it read.
The editorial also stated that, "in picking Appeals Court Judge Samuel Alito for the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday, President Bush gave his right flank what it wanted: a true-blue conservative. The question now is: Is Bush giving the country what it needs?"
It later noted that, "Another minus is that the nomination lessens the court's diversity. O'Connor herself had expressed the desire that her successor be a woman. O'Connor seems to have grown wiser about diversity as a result of her Supreme Court experience. She came to see the virtues of having a court that looks like America -- doubtless a big reason she softened her opposition to affirmative action in recent years."
The editorial was written by an African-American, editorial writer Gregory Stanford, who was unavailable for comment. It quickly brought sharp rebukes from conservative and right-leaning black-targeted Web sites and commentators.
Powerlineblog.com, the conservative Web site based in the neighboring state of Minnesota, weighed in, saying, "The editorial board of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel won't hold the lead for long, but for the moment they may have offered the most despicable mainstream commentary on President Bush's nomination of Judge Alito to the Supreme Court.
"But here is what I really don't understand: the liberals at the Journal Sentinel apparently think that Supreme Court justices are like House members who represent constituencies, and are supposed to vote according to the wishes of those they represent," the blog comment continued. "That's a stupid idea, obviously."
At Project 21, which describes itself as the National Leadership Network of Black Conservatives, a press release stated that the group condemned the newspaper, saying, "Justice Thomas is not on the Court to represent 'mainstream black America' any more than Justice Antonin Scalia is supposed to stick up for Americans of Italian descent or Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is supposed to be the Court's voice of American Jewry. Is there a mainstream black view on so-called 'right to die' cases? What is the proper Jewish position on the Endangered Species Act's impact on property rights? Who knows? Justice Thomas represents the conservative judicial philosophy of the president who appointed him. So far, he is doing that quite well. If liberals want to affect the philosophical tone of the Supreme Court, they should consider winning the White House."
OpinionEditorials.com also complained, writing "This bigoted attitude that any successful and non-liberal leaning black man or woman doesn't represent 'black America' is down right ignorant like most of the opinions held by the liberal left."
Finally, Rush Limbaugh had his say on his Nov. 2 radio show, telling the Journal Sentinel, "You people are doing one of the greatest services that we could hope to have done. You are cracking up right along with the rest of the left. You will go out and you will write stories about Bill Clinton as the first black president and you will think that you are being brilliant, and you will think that you're being clever. You take an African-American, Clarence Thomas, and you say he's not black; he doesn't qualify because he doesn't represent the views of the blacks in this country. How would you know, in Milwaukee?"
Pimentel said he had no regrets about running the editorial, and had no plans for a column or other explanatory note about it. "I let it in as a statement of fact," he said of the editorial. "That Clarence Thomas did not represent mainstream black thought. I think that is demonstrably true if you look at his rulings. A reasonable person could surmise that, saying he would weaken the voting rights act, outlaw affirmative action, dilute black voting power, make it difficult to prove various kinds of discrimination, and approve cruel and unusual punishment."
What Pimentel is really saying is that (1) the constitution is not a fixed set of rules but something that is only for advisory purposes and (2) the real purpose of judges is to satisfy the desires of the particular ethnic or gender the judge represents. Pimentel sees nothing wrong with this "logic". And the left wonders why some people see them as totally bereft of common sense.
By the way I used to read the Journal regularly. Stanford has always been a racist and a race-baiter. Nothing's changed since I quit reading the Journal ten years ago.
Apparently they, like all liberals, think mainstream America is that small group of Communism adorers.
Blacks should be thankful that Thomas does not represent the thoughts of the loud black activists who are living off the carcasses of the others whom they keep impoverished and ignorant. Victims of all stripes are to be denied role models lest they catch a clue.
Diversity is important only if the SC becomes a Super Legislative Body and the Constitution becomes a living document. That is what the fight is all about.
When was the last time anyone suggested that a nominee held views that "are not within white mainstream thought"?
This paper sucks.
I'd know. I have to read this stupid piece of trash on SUndays becuase it's our only print media. Isn't that a monopoly???
Yeah, we do have a lot of black people. Although, once Michael McGee or Willie Hines wins Mayor (because whites are fractured over Dem vs. Rep), this city is Detroit II. McGee already tried ot give blacks reparations
ping
Oh, I see you posted this! There's a duplicate post that I pinged everyone to, before you pinged me. (Milwguy)
We'll make them aware of the situation, either way. Jerks!
I keep pointing out that as Protestant white males, Stevens and Souter should have asterisks, since they hardly represent mainstream white male Protestant thought in this country.
Ginsburg and O'Conner hardly represented the mainstream thought of married women in this country, so their status as married women deserves an asterisk, too.
How stupid is this all going to get?
Miss affirmative action SCOTUS judge supports affirmative action? Who would have thought?
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"We just said his views are not within black mainstream thought."
Bull If one looks at studies done over the years, they will notice that the majority of blacks hold values that are traditionally thought to be representative of the GOP. Tough on crime, high on faith, family values etc.
I think Justice Thomas is exactly in line with black mainstream (silent majority) thought.
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