Clarence Thomas Is Coming To Town

YALE LAW SCHOOL — MESSAGES FROM ‘THE WALL’

STUDENT EMAIL #1

Dear Wall,

I have now heard from several people that Justice Thomas will be visiting the law school in the coming weeks. So, a question for whoever’s organizing his visit, whether it’s a student organization or the school administration: Will Justice Thomas appear in a public forum, open to all students, where those who do not share his views can ask respectful questions?

Cheers,

[RABBLE-ROUSER]

STUDENT EMAIL #2

Sponsored

Since a bunch of people have asked, I figured I’d share what I found out. All of this is second-hand information, so I hope anyone who is more fully informed will feel free to correct or supplement it.

Justice Thomas is coming on Wednesday, December 14. (I am not sure if he is physically visiting YLS, or just New Haven.) He will apparently address closed-door sessions of the Federalist Society and the Black Law Students Association (BLSA); meet with Dean Post; and lecture in Professor Amar’s Federal Jurisdiction class on the subject of habeas corpus. I am also told that the YLS Administration has contacted multiple student organizations to encourage them not to protest his visit. There will be no public event.

[RABBLE-ROUSER]

STUDENT EMAIL #3

Dear [RABBLE-ROUSER],

Sponsored

As you’ve noted, Justice Thomas will not be appearing in a public forum. He will be attending several private meetings during his visit, one of which will be with BLSA. I can assure you that BLSA is an organization with a great deal of ideological diversity and that our meeting with Justice Thomas will consist of a substantive conversation informed by varying viewpoints, some of which will not mirror those of Justice Thomas, I’m sure.

I am more than happy to receive any questions, comments, or concerns by people in our wider law school community re: BLSA’s meeting with Justice Thomas.

Best,

[KING OF BLSA]

STUDENT EMAIL #4

I find this claim in [RABBLE ROUSER]’s e-mail to be pretty disturbing: “I am also told that the YLS Administration has contacted multiple student organizations to encourage them not to protest his visit.”

Is the YLS administration against all protests or only protests of supreme court justices? Why is it appropriate for the YLS administration to chill student expression? That’s messed up.

[OCCUPY 127 WALL STREET]