Clarence Thomas, SCOTUS, Sexual Harassment, Supreme Court, Weirdness

Ginni Thomas Sets the Bar for the Most Bizarre Thing Ever Done by the Spouse of a Sitting Supreme Court Justice

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As I tweeted last night, and we mentioned in Morning Docket earlier today, this Ginni Thomas story is the most ridiculous thing ever. In case you’ve been excommunicated from the internet all day, here’s what happened.

Virginia Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, called up Anita Hill — the woman Justice Thomas allegedly sexually harassed — and asked her to apologize. According to a statement released by Ms. Thomas, she called Hill to “extend an olive branch.”

I’ve got lots and lots of jokes about this — most of which are unfit for publication (trust me, you do not want me to go there). So instead of taking pot shots that would range from soft drink preferences to the state of interracial dating and marriage, let’s just ask this simple question:

What was she thinking?

Okay, here’s the full statement from Ginny Thomas about her intentions, from the New York Times:

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“I did place a call to Ms. Hill at her office extending an olive branch to her after all these years, in hopes that we could ultimately get past what happened so long ago,” she said. “That offer still stands. I would be very happy to meet and talk with her if she would be willing to do the same. Certainly no offense was ever intended.”

I’ll pause so defenders of Tea Party darling Virginia Thomas can rush blindly into the comments to defend their heroine.

For those of you who have learned not to reflexively believe whatever comes out of the mouth of Tea Party stars, you might be interested in Thomas’s actual voice mail to Anita Hill:

“Good morning Anita Hill, it’s Ginni Thomas,” it said. “I just wanted to reach across the airwaves and the years and ask you to consider something. I would love you to consider an apology sometime and some full explanation of why you did what you did with my husband.”

Ms. Thomas went on: “So give it some thought. And certainly pray about this and hope that one day you will help us understand why you did what you did. O.K., have a good day.”

In what UNIVERSE is that message an “olive branch?” Seriously, I’m dying to know what kind of hellish existence resides in some alternate dimension where “pray about this and hope that one day you will help us understand why you did what you did” even approaches a conciliatory tone.

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Anita Hill claims she was sexually harassed by this woman’s husband, and 20 years later, this woman calls her up and tells her to pray, understand, and apologize? Thomas says she meant no offense — but please tell me, how could Anita Hill not be offended? Honestly, how on God’s green Earth could Anita Hill be anything other than offended?

And you know what? I’m fine with Ginni Thomas calling her up. From her perspective, Anita Hill tried to ruin her husband’s life. It’s the right of spouses to zealously defend their lovers, even if defending them makes them look idiotic.

But freaking own it. Don’t give us this song and dance about your best intentions. You knew exactly what you were doing, Ginni Thomas. Jesus, I thought you were supposed to support the party of personal responsibility. So take some. You wanted to insult this woman, you succeeded, and you’re not getting your apology. All’s fair when seeking long dong justice (dammit, I said I wouldn’t do that).

Just don’t say you meant something you clearly didn’t mean. Instead, tell us why you really did what you did. What happened, after all this time, to make you think you should give Anita Hill a call? Because that’s the real story here, whatever it is.

Clarence Thomas’s Wife Asks Anita Hill for Apology [New York Times]
Virginia Thomas Leaves Anita Hill a Voicemail Asking for An Apology — Hill Says No [ABC News]

Earlier: Mrs. Clarence Thomas Hosts Her Own Tea Party

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