Mainstream black thought and an asterisk revisited
Nov. 12, 2005

By Gregory Stanford

In 2003, the nation's top court weighed whether jury selection in a Texas death penalty case was racially biased. The Dallas County prosecutors had 1) grilled prospective black jurors much more rigorously than they had others, 2) used their free strikes to exclude 10 of 11 black people from the pool but only four of 31 non-black people and 3) made a history of such racially lopsided ousters.

The Supreme Court concluded, 8-1, that jury selection was unconstitutionally biased. The sole dissenter: Justice Clarence Thomas. He wrote that allegations of bias rested only on "circumstantial evidence and speculation." Even ideological compatriot Antonin Scalia departed company from Thomas on that one.

This case typifies Thomas' civil rights jurisprudence. He would raise the standards of proof so much that victims of bias would rarely win - that is, unless they're white and complaining that an affirmative action program discriminates against them. He has voted to uphold all challenges to affirmative action that came before the court on the ground that the corrective policy is "noxious" and "government-sponsored racial discrimination."

A recent Journal Sentinel editorial touched on Thomas' record and in so doing raised a firestorm. In an aside, the editorial said that, as far as diversity is concerned, Thomas deserves an asterisk because his views lie outside the mainstream of African-American thinking.

I wrote that editorial, reflecting the consensus view of this paper's Editorial Board - a view that remains unchanged despite the furor. I asked to write about it now in this column - which reflects my own views - for two reasons. I have been personally vilified. And whether I'm involved or not, the subject matter is column-worthy, so revealing is it about the dynamics of race.

To my dismay, what I believed to be a mere statement of fact drew charges of racism. Conservative talk radio and the right-wing blogosphere fanned the flames.

www.jsonline.com/news/edit...369898.asp


Black Activists Denounce Racialist Milwaukee Newspaper Editorial: Journal Sentinel Accuses Clarence Thomas of Not "Representing" Black America

Nov. 3, 2005

Members of the black leadership network Project 21 are condemning a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial in which United States Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas is said to need as "asterisk" next to his name with regard to his race because he "does not represent the views of mainstream black America."

In an editorial written by Greg Stanford that appeared in the October 31 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that was largely critical of the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to the vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court, Stanford also chose to take issue with Justice Thomas's racial allegiance. The editorial stated: "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."

The notion that there is a black way of thinking that is expressly liberal in nature is strongly denounced by Project 21 members.

www.nationalcenter.org/P21PRM...05.html