Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, one of the greatest jurists ever to serve on the high Court, is the feature of Senator Ted Cruz’s, R-TX, new book, Going Further: The Incomparable Clarence Thomas.
It picks up right where Thomas’ autobiography, My Grandfather’s Son, left off – with Thomas heading into the Court’s chambers to discuss cases.
Sen. Cruz wrote the book by drawing upon nine hours of exclusive, wide-ranging interviews with Justice Thomas, who also appeared on Sen. Cruz’s podcast, “Verdict with Ted Cruz.”
Thomas’ life story is utterly remarkable. A descendant of slaves, he was born in Pin Point, Georgia, and grew up in abject poverty. At age seven, Thomas moved to his grandparents’ house and was raised by his grandfather, Myers Anderson, whom he calls “the greatest man I have ever known.”
His grandfather used to wake young Thomas up before dawn to work. A stern man of discipline and principle, Anderson would refuse to let him wear gloves in the freezing cold.
“Gloves are for the weak,” his grandfather would tell him.
After experiencing the racism and segregation of the South, Thomas became a radical leftist who was sympathetic to the Black Panthers. “I was an angry black man,” he wrote.
Now 78 years old, Thomas was first nominated to the Supreme Court by former President George H.W. Bush in 1991. He was confirmed later that year following a contentious confirmation hearing, led by then Senator Joseph R. Biden, and accusations of sexual harassment by Anita Hill.
Sen. Cruz shared a famous clip of Justice Thomas defending himself from Hill’s accusations in the hearings, saying, “I’d rather die than withdraw from the process.”
Now our nation’s second longest-serving justice, Thomas is perhaps the Court’s most conservative member, as he remains committed to constitutional originalism and textualism.
What changed from his younger years?
After a protest he was a part of turned violent in 1970, Thomas prayed, asking God to take hate out of his heart. He recounted that moment speaking with Sen. Cruz.
Today, Thomas expresses disdain for the Left’s argument that he should not be a conservative because of his race.
The justice has faced multiple racist attacks by media personalities, outlets and politicians during his tenure, including being called an “Uncle Tom” and “Uncle Clarence.”
“[Thomas] doesn’t like black people, he doesn’t like being black,” Rep. Benny Thompson, D-Miss., once remarked. Former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton named Thomas an angry “person of grievance.”
Justice Thomas, however, doesn’t agree he should think a certain way just because of his skin color: “I would prefer not to go into buildings to not being able to embrace the ideas that I find I agree with.”
In June 2022, Thomas was one of five justices to vote to overturn Roe v. Wade, the egregious 1973 decision where the Court concocted a constitutional “right” to abortion out of thin air.
One month earlier, Politico had published a leaked first draft of the majority opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.
To this day, it’s unknown who leaked the draft in an apparent attempt to spark protests to preserve Roe.
Justice Thomas, who condemned the leak at the time, told Sen. Cruz the Court has changed in the time since the leak: “There was a trust. There was an honor. Even as you disagreed, there were lines you did not cross.” Unfortunately, that’s no longer the case.
The justice, who regularly travels across the country in his RV with his wife in the summertime, disclosed he no longer stays in Walmart parking lots.
“It’s Buc-ee’s now,” Thomas joked. “Hey, Buc-ee’s is a destination.”
You can listen to the rest of the conversation or learn more about Justice Thomas’ remarkable life by reading My Grandfather’s Son and Going Further.
And remember, the next time you stop at Buc-ee’s, look around for any RVs. You might just find Clarence Thomas cruising the country – one he no longer hates but loves.
Related articles and resources:
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Clarence Thomas Becomes Nation’s Second Longest-Serving Supreme Court Justice
Justice Thomas Warns Progressivism Opposes America’s Founding Principles
Cheering Justice Thomas’ Important Defense of Children From ‘Trans’ Procedures
Celebrating Clarence Thomas’ Remarkable 32 Years on the U.S. Supreme Court
On This Independence Day, Clarence Thomas Explains What’s Great About America
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Author Interview: ‘Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words’
Justice Thomas Condemns Supreme Court Leak, Says ‘Live Not by Lies’
Justice Thomas Says Supreme Court Won’t be ‘Bullied’ on Abortion Decision
Celebrating Giants Like Justice Clarence Thomas During Black History Month
Photo from Getty Images.
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