Clarence Thomas

[richardmurray]

Someone somewhere suggested Clarence Thomas , a current  < 2023>  supreme court judge in the usa, is elitist. While I dislike Clarence Thomas I think that label is a mischarecterization. Elitism at its core is a matter of selection, in the same zone as eugenics or a caste system or the phenotypical order in the usa. But I don't see Thomas as someone that champions others based on selection. This is about merit, since he is a lawyer or judge of years he knows merit derives from a sense of gaining no matter the ways or means not the idea in modernity which is earn through acceptible or so called good ways or means. Thomas to me is clearly of the I got mine get yours mentality. He has no communal attachments. And to be blunt, though I dislike him, his philosophy has historical truth. When you look at most of the black community leaders  in the usa most well thought of or known, they have one thing in common, fiscal impoverishment. When you look at most of the black fiscal aristocracy in the usa from the war between the states till now,  they have one thing in common, individualism or they don't risk a penny for or give time to the black community. 
And this connects to one of the fundamental problems when black people talk about the usa or even its founding, ala July 4th. 
The problem is most people in the usa, any phenotype, tend to suggest the founding of the usa was the start of some grand communal experiment. But I argue that is a crude lie.  Again, you can take any community in the usa, barring the native american since they are the only indigenous group, and it is easy to see that the populace of said community in the usa doesn't make their larger global community better. 
Do irish in the usa make ireland better? Do italians in the usa make italy better? Do jews in the usa make israel safer? Clearly blacks in the usa have a detrimental effect on black people outside the usa, ala mandela in south africa. Even beyond phenotype, do women in the usa make female groups better outside? I argue no. The USA is best for one thing or breeds one thing, individualism. Now if you want to grow as an individual the usa is positive,most positive, but if you want your community to grow, the usa is negative, most negative. 
Clarence Thomas is a prime example. The truth is, black people in leadership positions who say they are communal , ala a barack obama, have done no more or less than thomas in terms of the black community. The difference is Thomas doesn't lie about the truth, while an obama does. 
Tell the truth folks. No shame in the truth being a lot of negatives. Wishing or hoping the truth to not be what it is for a given place or populace or time is foolish.

 

A shadowy club in California recently associated with Clarence Thomas is being sued for multiple labor violations. Here's what the secret retreat is known for.

Former workers, known as valets, are suing an elite men's club for alleged labor violations.
The lawsuit claims they were forced to work over 15 hours daily without breaks. 
The Bohemian Club has been associated with right-wing political figures, including Clarence Thomas.
The Bohemian Club, an all-men's private society in California that counts former presidents among its members, faces a class action lawsuit from servers for alleged labor violations. 

The exclusive club occasionally pops up in the news, primarily for its association with elite and wealthy men. Most recently, a ProPublica report detailing Justice Clarence Thomas' relationship with Harlan Crow mentioned the club. 

Thomas, who went on luxurious vacations with the billionaire real estate magnate and GOP megadonor, accompanied him to Bohemian Grove — a hidden woodland retreat often associated with the club that hosts events like a 14-day summer camp.

Former valets who used to work at Monastery Camp in Monte Rio, California, which they described as one of the "most prestigious and well-known camps at Bohemian Grove," filed the complaint on June 5.

The valets, who attended to wealthy guests during summer camp, claim in the complaint that workers were required to work over 15 hours a day with no breaks or meal periods while only receiving pay for 8 hours a day. The suit alleges that club management "continually worked together to come up with methods to avoid paying payroll taxes and overtime."

The suit names Bohemian Club treasurer William Dawson as someone who directly asked employees to "falsify payroll records." It also claims that valets were asked to hide when the owner of the payroll company Pomella LLC, also named as a defendant in the suit, came to inspect the Grove. The suit alleges that the payroll company was also aware of the falsified timesheets.

The lawsuit also alleges that valets working at around 100 other camps plaintiffs say are associated with the club are run by captains that have engaged in similar labor violations. The lawsuit says that Bohemian Club may seek to distance itself from these camps during litigation, but asserts that these affiliate camps are a joint venture of the main club and that members pay the club to access these sites.

The members are suing for up to $1.5 million in damages.

In a statement to the Press Democrat, Sam Singer, a communications representative for the club, said that the club "has always valued and respected its employees, and that includes our commitment to full compliance with all applicable wage and hour laws and regulations." 

"We believe these three individuals know full well they did not work for the Club and that this lawsuit is a transparent attempt to drag the Club into their individual circumstances," Singer told the Press Democrat. "The Club will vigorously defend itself in this action, as it would in any other meritless lawsuit."

The Bohemian Club, which has thousands of members and has been associated with Republican presidents like Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon, and George HW Bush, has been hosting the summer camp for over 150 years and describes itself as a club of "gentlemen who are connected professionally with Literature, Art, Music, or the Drama."

The club, full of elite men often tight-lipped about its members and events, has garnered the interest of conspiracy theorists, left-leaning protestors, and interested onlookers. Although there is still much to learn about the club, one ritual was uncovered by InfoWars host Alex Jones, who snuck into the Bohemian Grove summer camp to film a strange ritual that consisted of robed members burning a coffin effigy — named "Care" — in front of a 40-foot owl statue.

According to previous investigative reports, the Grove also hosts various social activities, like plays and comedy shows featuring men portraying female characters. The club is also known for hosting "Lakeside Talks," where members, often those of the political elite, speak about policy ideas.

The Bohemian Club and a lawyer for the plaintiffs did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

URL
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/a-shadowy-club-in-california-recently-associated-with-clarence-thomas-is-being-sued-for-multiple-labor-violations-here-s-what-the-secret-retreat-is-known-for/ar-AA1dlmGn?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=W069&cvid=b39fee1dccf24cb2a2de19bc899dd1cf&ei=30
 

 

[ProfD]

Uncle Clarence Thomas is self-serving and the most self-hating Black man on planet.  He's suffering in that Black skin.   

 

Conservatives selected Uncle Clarence to the SCOTUS for the very same reasons.  White folks knew he would be a useful tool and food.  No need to worry him championing a d8mn thing Black folk-related.

 

As I mentioned in another thread, the only reason Uncle Clarence wears that black robe is because it's standard issue for the SCOTUS.  Otherwise, he would be wearing a white like an altar boy. 

 

If a picture is worth a thousand words:

 

 

 

There is nothing about this Black man that reflects happiness.  But, he is a safe bet for white folks.

[Pioneer1]

You almost NEVER see that negro smiling.
In almost every picture of him, you see him with a frown or scowl or look of disappointment on his face.

Not surprisingly.....
I was skimming through a documentary on Youtube that said he used to be down with the Panthers and other Black power movements back when he was in college.

A lot of Uncle Toms and Conservatives used to be Liberal and even down with the Black Power when they were young.

 

 

 

 

[Troy]

I had previously watched the Frontline documentary and it was fascinating.

 

 Just cause you rarely see a photo of Thomas smiljng does not mean he is not having a blast. Did you hear about all those extravagant trips he was given over the years. I’m sure he was cheesin’ the whole time—we just don’t have access to that.  …and the media you consume does not show this side of him.

 

In true American fashion Thomas did what it took to maximize himself. In that regard is a success. Which seems to be all he cares about.  
 

He never attempted to be a Thurgood Marshall. I don’t think they make men like Marshall any more. The structures are no longer in place.  The best Black  minds don’t want to go to Howard, the NAACP is a shell of it’s former self, and liberal presidents like Johnson are seemingly unelectable.

 

 

[Delano]

54 minutes ago, Troy said:

He never attempted to be a Thurgood Marshall.

He had the lowest net worth of any judge on the Supreme Court. Clarence clearly wasn't going that route.

[zeke1234]

One of the TV stations shows him being a Black Panther when he younger.   What is interesting is

his 'relationship' over race that has been formed between him and Katangi Jackson in light of recent

Supreme Court decision on Havard affirmative action case.  Three pages below from the decision at  https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/20-1199_hgdj.pdf

 

 

Jackson's dissent is a must read.   Two Blacks, married to White spouses, one claims race matters, the other says no.  This 'mental silliness'

got us onto  slave ships for 300 years.  We are our own worst enemies.

 

 

[Troy]

Yeah, I need to read these arguments -- thanks for sharing.  I'll come back after I get through them. 

 

 

[richardmurray]

@Pioneer1 

you say black conservatives used to be liberal but those terms liberal or conservative are based on the white community of the usa. 

I rather use the terms communal or individual. Many black people in the usa, most black people in the usa, when young are communalist. But the usa : populace/government/fiscal environment , are white not black, and it has always given, and will always give,  black people a choice sooner or later. 

If you want to make money in the usa as a black person, being an individual is the way to go historically.  Two types of individualsit in the black community in the usa. 

One who publicly displays it, like a Clarence Thomas or an Oprah Winfrey. Or one who masquerades as a communalist: most Black elected officials or Black CEOs or black entertainers. 

yes, a few elected officials/ceo's/entertainers who are black are communalists but they are very few. and I don't see that as a problem as communities under all governments become what they chose. At the end of the day, the black people who fought for the usa when it was being founded fought for individual power, not communal power. Any black person in the colonies who thought that the betterment of the black community was in the secession of such colonies from the british empire was a fool. But, said people functional goal was individual power. The ability of a black individual to do whatever they want to help oneself while not the community . was their goal and that has been achieved. 

 

@Troy exactly, the usa isn't about communities and the greatest problem is many people keep thinking the usa is about bettering communities when it truth, it betters none and I even include the white community in the usa. When you look at modern usa, the truth is, white individuals are thriving, not necessarily the white community en large. whereas in the past, in the usa, with the daughters of the american revolution side jim crow, for all the pain to the black community , it bettered the white community. 

 

@Delano great point

 

@zeke1234 his opinion flat out says what I have said about individualism in this very website countless times. 

The question is why do black people in the usa dislike the communalist/individualist dichotomy in debate? We in general seem to not want to admit it. I wonder why? 

[ProfD]

Both Justices Thomas and Jackson are the beneficiaries of Affirmative Action and sometimes the end result.  They are two Black folks fully integrated into a white society who will do nothing to upset the apple cart of racism. 

[Pioneer1]

richardmurray

 

 

I'm not sure I'd put Clarence Thomas and Oprah Winfrey in the same category.

 

Oprah is EXTREMELY wealthy....much wealthier than Thomas.
Thomas is just comfortable with a lot of perks, but he doesn't come close to having the wealth Oprah has.

 

Also, although Clarence is a bonafide text book definition of a Sell Out.....I think Oprah is a self made woman who got a lot of support from people of ALL races.
She got rich tapping into the emotions of women of all races....the majority of whom just happen to be White.
But she's done a lot to help Black people as individuals around this nation and even outside of it through charities, drives, paying for scholarships, etc....

 

[Stefan]

I don't care how Clarence Thomas views himself. Of how the majority of folks with a steady pulse describe him.

Without a doubt, Thomas has nothing but contempt for all other Black people. He will gladly defecate on their rights and talents in public as if HE is the only Black person deserving of respect and admiration. That's why he looked at Anita Hill as a female who existed solely to sexually satisfy him. And when she refused to play that role, he condemned her. 

His disgusting view of this brilliant woman is NOT up for debate. Because it became fodder for a U.S. Senate hearing.

How Clarence Thomas saw Anita Hill stunned the nation

I have no idea why Thomas thinks he is above all other Black people. I also fail to understand why he tries to portray himself as not needing no one's help to get through law school. But he got that help. I also have no idea why anyone Black wastes their time trying to understand Thomas because it's been clear for years he's out to do as much damage to the psyche and reputation of Black America as he can.

You see, Thomas has never forgot, nor forgiven, his childhood tormentors. They made fun of him because of the poor part of Georgia where he grew up. And he regurgitates this resentment and hatred on every major case that involves the people he despises the most - his very own.

[Pioneer1]

I figured something must have happened in Clarence's childhood to give him so much hatred and venom for other Black folks.
Either picked on by other Black kids or dissed by Black girls....something.
 

[ProfD]

4 hours ago, Pioneer1 said:

Oprah is EXTREMELY wealthy....

 

She got rich tapping into the emotions of women....the majority of whom just happen to be White.

Oprah went from a journalist to a talk show host. White men gave her a platform to entertain their housewives. They paid her a ransom. She's not self-made.

 

Oprah is a beneficiary of being hand selected by white supremacists to be one of few AfroAmericans they were willing to allow make a billion dollars working for them.

 

The fact that Oprah's an AfroAmerican female billionaire was a dagger white folks stuck in Black men.

 

Anything Oprah does charitable for Black folks is commendable. However, you’ll never see her biting the hand that has fed her well. 

[richardmurray]

@Pioneer1 fair enough

 

[Stefan]

Here is a news analysis of Clarence Thomas' B.S. that he succeeded all on his own. He is not a self-made man. He has been financially aided by rich, White Conservatives since he joined the High Court. 

However, this piece truly highlights the contradictions in Thomas' viewpoint of those who better themselves and improve their financial standing with legal programs that aid the needy. Because it contrasts Thomas' brutish dismissals of those programs which according to him, are wrongheaded and unneeded - although the man himself has no problem being helped individually by the rich.

As author Kali Holloway wrote: Thomas was never against reparations — he just wanted them for himself. 

His entire decades-long lie of him achieving everything on his own with no help or benefit from any program is absolute garbage!  If one really desires the full measure of the phony known as Clarence Thomas, then read the accompanying stories associated with the links:

The real truth behind Clarence Thomas' phony claim Affirmative Action was always wrong

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/clarence-thomas-long-battle-against-affirmative-action/

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/07/clarence-thomas-club-wealthy-conservatives
 

@Pioneer1

I found this piece on Clarence Thomas' childhood in Pin Point, Ga.

I am just going to post it without further comment. I just don't think anymore needs to be said. 

Why Clarence Thomas does not like Black People

[Troy]

Nobody is “self-made.” The successful may be smart and hardworking, but no one accomplishes anything, in a modern society single handedly-- unless you drop completely off the grid and are living in the wilderness, surviving on your own. Even then someone reared you long enough for you to live on you own.

 

13 hours ago, ProfD said:

Anything Oprah does charitable for Black folks is commendable. However, you’ll never see her biting the hand that has fed her well.

 

Seems to me after you've generated a billion dollars in wealth, you can pretty much do whatever you want.  Biting the hand that feeds her... how much money does one need?  It is not like she has kids to take care of... I dunno.  I think homegirl is doing exactly want she wants.   If she never generated another penny, she should could live 100 comfortable lifetimes on what she already has. I don't see her negatively vis-a-vis Black men.

 

I just read the article about Clarence Thomas.  He is not the only one to grow up poor, certainly not the only Black person.  Like so many others, my father was raised in that type of poverty Clarence started out in. Given his entire life he should be one happy MFer.

 

I'm sure he does not think he hates Black people. That is also not a leap I'm willing to make either. It does appear that Clarence may have self-esteem issues... leading to a lack of empathy and self-reflection needed to understand that he got to where is with whole lot of help, including affirmative action.

 

Affirmative action was never perfect, but it was a lot better to what we had before it.  I benefited from affirrmatove action.  But that benefit was still eclipsed by structural racism.

[ProfD]

14 minutes ago, Troy said:

Seems to me after you've generated a billion dollars in wealth, you can pretty much do whatever you want.  Biting the hand that feeds her... how much money does one need?  It is not like she has kids to take care of... I dunno.  I think homegirl is doing exactly want she wants.   If she never generated another penny, she should could live 100 comfortable lifetimes on what she already has.

As  I mentioned in another thread, most wealth is in the cloud.

 

A paranoid billionaire couldn't have a Brinks truck pull up and drop all of their money in the front yard.

 

It's conceivable that the US treasury could produce  large denomination bank notes for such individuals.

 

Otherwise, as long as Oprah cannot touch or cash in her wealth,  she's a mouse click away from losing it all especially if she p8sses off white folks. 

 

Remember how Kanye's fortune dropped like the Dow Jones over that claim of antisemitism. 

 

Death Row Records was worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Someone bought it for pennies on the dollar when it was sold at auction. 

 

Oprah's business assets are worth a few billion dollars as long as she's cooperative and white folks are in agreement. 

 

My house is only worth a half million dollars as long as someone is wiling to pay that much for it.

[Pioneer1]

Damn....Death Row was auctioned off????
 

[ProfD]

14 hours ago, Pioneer1 said:

Damn....Death Row was auctioned off????
 

Yep. The fact that hardly anyone knew Death Row sold at auction was by design.

 

Regardless of how anyone feels about the music produced by Death Row, there goes Black intellectual property into the hands on non-Black folks. 

[Pioneer1]

ProfD

They were negative as hell, but Death Row had a lot of talent and promise.
I think even Jodeci was getting close to signing on to Death Row Records.

I think it really went downhill after they brought Tupac aboard, because he had issues getting along with the other artists.
 

[ProfD]

7 hours ago, Pioneer1 said:

I think it really went downhill after they brought Tupac aboard, because he had issues getting along with the other artists.

Nah bro. Suge Knight single-handedly destroyed Death Row Records. He was too busy acting like a thug instead of doing business like a CEO.

[Pioneer1]

On 7/16/2023 at 5:24 PM, ProfD said:

Nah bro. Suge Knight single-handedly destroyed Death Row Records. He was too busy acting like a thug instead of doing business like a CEO.

I still remember seeing that dude back at the Source Awards getting up with his crew with his drawers hanging out coming on stage just to diss Puffy and push Death Row, lol.

He looked semi-retarded like he was slobbering at the mouth.