Posted on 03/08/2007 9:24:33 AM PST by presidio9
They are two of the most important men in American law: Clarence Thomas, arguably the most controversial member of the U.S. Supreme Court; and Theodore V. Wells Jr., the star litigator who is currently representing I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, on charges of lying in the Valerie Plame CIA leak investigation. Thomas is a Republican; Wells, a lifelong Democrat. Both are African American, but Thomas famously condemns affirmative action while Wells vigorously supports it in his capacity as co-chair of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund Board of Directors.
What binds them together is the experience they shared as students at the College of the Holy Cross and, in particular, the influence of the man who brought them there: the Reverend John E. Brooks. The men's bond with the Boston-born priest, now 83 and president emeritus, began almost four decades ago and remains strong to this day. "I love Father Brooks," says Thomas. "He's a great man." While Thomas "never liked school," the affection he feels for Brooks is so strong that he was willing to break a long-standing silence in the media to talk about him and the impact of that formative experience on his life. "Father Brooks realized we needed to be nurtured; that we were going to have unique problems," Thomas recalls.
The story of Brooks is important--and overlooked. A former academic dean who became president of the college in 1970, Brooks was by turns recruiter, mentor, negotiator, and friend to the 28 African American men who ventured to the Jesuit college in the largely white, industrial city of Worcester, Mass., during the racially tense fall of 1968. Brooks helped shape an exceptional group of overachievers. Along with Thomas and Wells,
(Excerpt) Read more at businessweek.com ...
ping
Ted Wells was Totally INCOMPETENT in Libby's trial.
John Brooks is a great man, not only for this, but for his achievements in building the academic reputation, physical plant and endowment of Holy Cross.
"Almost all of the college's 65 black students decided to quit. "We were all so frightened about the consequences of quitting school," says Wells, but he adds that everyone felt they had to take a stand. "It was discriminatory and unfair."
This is American spirit at its best. Thanks for posting!
I will never forgive Father Brooks for declining the invitation to the Big East Conference. HC is not and never can be a football school.
Not true. Wells will win on appeal.
BTW, if Wells was totally incompetant, what does that make Fred Thompson, who oversaw the defense?
Short trip to Coney Island Hotdog from HC.
Any grads want to share their highest qty. eaten in one sitting?
I spent more time at The Lamplighter II than Coney Island Hotdog.
I suppose you both tried the V.C. and red sauce at the Miss Worcester Diner?
Lamp lighter you say...Never heard of it!
I was more of a fan of the Fuzzy Grape in Webster!
I honestly never went there. I was a big fan of Ralph's Chadwick Square Diner's cheese burgers and chili.
Oh, yea, I might have had a sip of beer.
Also, there was a sandwich shop over in Tatnuk Sq. by Worcester State. It was great. They opened one downtown but like everything else, it closed.
I never understood the compulsion to go out for food when you could always count on "three hot lines, no waiting" at Kimball.
Oh, an aristocrat, eh? You must not have played rugby.
Do you remember when Worcester was named #1 Medium sized city in the US to live?
Back in the mid 80s.
They came up with a great motto, something like: "Worcester, Paris of the 80s"
I can really see the comparison.
Snort!
I played one season at Worcester State before I transfered.
But yes, I grew up in Sturbridge so I did enjoy the finer things!
Typical how restaurants and other businesses don't seem to last in Worcester. In the mid-80s (I believe) there was a Burger King just down the hill from HC, right near the Ho Jos. It was closed by the early 90s. How bad does a fast food joint have to be to go out of business within stumbling distance of a college?
Lately they've been trying out (apparently seriously) Worcester as the Rome of New England. You know, the seven hills of Rome are comparable to the hills of Worcester, something like that.
They even had a great T-Shirt.
It was all black:
It said London - Picture of Big Ben
Rome - Picture of the colosseum
Paris - The Eiffel Tower
Worcester -
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