The Supreme Court Opinions of Clarence Thomas

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The Supreme Court has embraced its objective to assist the government in its framework and structuring through law as well as the interpretation of the law. However, plenty of their work has remained a mystery to the general public. Jeffrey Toobin enlightened the audience in The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court; however, most curious to me was the manner in which Jeffrey Toobin speculates that Justice Thomas, a Justice he has since criticized in The New Yorker as disgraceful, was selected because of his race, in effort to balance racial equality on the beach(31). I think this is important because it has the potential to taint Toobin;s book with the influence ways in which he seems to want Justice Thomas to be perceived.
Justice Thomas appointment was deliberate in that he presented the African American demographic, but also because he retained conservative views. Justice Thomas was approved by the smallest of margins, 52-48, and has been “unusually reticent in answering the senators’ questions” so as to avoid the same fate as nominee Bork” (Toobin 25, 31). Toobin’s interpretation of Justice Thomas was curious. Clarence Thomas might have been professionally silent, but was repeatedly open to expressing his beliefs and views, especially with his supporters. He has also clarified that he does not ask questions so as to not badger the lawyers (Zurcher). The professional silence of Justice Thomas within the Supreme Court helps to illustrate not only the complexity of the Supreme Court and its composition, but also in the manner which silence and arguable inaction can concretely impact the operation and perception of the Supreme Court.
Justice Thomas can be viewed as a less influential figure in more current times...

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...Toobin, Jeffrey. “Clarence Thomas’s Disgraceful Silence.” The New Yorker. N.p., 21 Feb 2014.
Web 11 March 2014. http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/comment/2014/02/Clarence-thomas- disgraceful-silence.html>.
Toobin, Jeffrey. The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court. New York: Dubleday,
2007. Print.
Totenberg,Nina. ‘Clarence Thomas” Influence On The Supreme Court.” NPR. NPR, 11 Oct.
2011. Web Mar 11. 2014.
Thomas-influence-on-the-court>.
Welsh-Huffins, Andrew. Dennis McGuire;s Last –Mintue Plea To Avoid Execution Rejected. 15
Jan. 2014. Web 18 Mar. 2014. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/15/dennis-mcguire_n_4605115.html.
Zurcher, Anthony. ‘Clarence Thomas: Supreme Court Sphinx.” BBC News. N.p., 21 Feb. 2014.
Web. 12 Mar. 2014. .
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