In my volunteer work with prisoners and former prisoners, one of the greatest challenges I sometimes face is teaching them the empathy required to respect boundaries. More evidence has surfaced to demonstrate that Supreme Court Justice, Clarence Thomas has no respect for boundaries, not only in his treatment of Anita Hill, but also in other relationships, and in his conduct as a Supreme Court Justice. This trait extends to other Republicans as well.
When Anita Hill accused Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment during his explosive 1991 Supreme Court confirmation hearing, Thomas vehemently denied the allegations and his handlers cited his steady relationship with another woman in an effort to deflect Hill’s allegations.
Lillian McEwen was that woman…
…To McEwen, Hill’s allegations that Thomas had pressed her for dates and made lurid sexual references rang familiar.
"He was always actively watching the women he worked with to see if they could be potential partners," McEwen said matter-of-factly. "It was a hobby of his."…
…Given that history, she said Hill’s long-ago description of Thomas’s behavior resonated with her.
"He was obsessed with porn," she said of Thomas, who is now 63. "He would talk about what he had seen in magazines and films, if there was something worth noting."… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <Washington Post>
This is a from a three page article well worth the read.
I only wish McEwen had come forward at the time. She could have saved this nation from one of its worst Justices ever. If Thomas has no respect for personal boundaries, is it any wonder that he abused the boundaries of his office by attending, with Scalia, a closed-door strategy meeting for major Republican fundraisers before the Citizens United decision?
The Republican Party seems to attract politicians with no respect for boundaries: Larry Craig, John Ensign, David Vitter, just to name a few. Here’s another extreme example.
A woman illegally strip-searched by a Wareham Police officer in the 1991 incident involving the officer’s supervisor, former Sgt. Jeff Perry, has released a statement harshly criticizing the now-candidate for Congress, saying Perry “should not be in a position of power.
In the statement first released to the Boston Globe, the woman, Lisa Allen, described her take on the incident:
Perry knew what (convicted former officer Scott) Flanagan did, he had to hear me screaming and crying. Instead of helping me, Jeff Perry denied anything happened.
Allen was 14 at the time… [emphasis original]
Inserted from <WBUR>
That Perry could stand by while an officer he supearvised committed this act shows that he had no respect for boundaries.
I’m a big believer in second chances, but the second chance must be earned. To do so, people must take responsibility for their actions, make whatever amends are possible, and do whatever it takes to change. Until all those steps are complete and time-tested, they are not fit to serve, because they will not respect the boundaries of their offices.
13 Responses to “Republicans Respect No Boundaries”
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There were a couple of other women who were ready to testify, so I can’t help but feel some of the blame for Thomas being confirmed rests with then Sen. Joe Biden who chaired the Judiciary Committee. As per the cited WaPo Article:
Given Thomas’ sexual harassment and love of porn, it begs the question: Would have Biden called any women who, per chance, had a “relationship” with Thomas while working as the world’s oldest “profession.”
Nameless, it appeared to me that she did not reveal the salient side ofv their relationship to Biden, but I agree that he should have called the other women.
It all comes down to “it’s OK as long as you’re a republican”….no matter what “it” is. Thomas is POS. I think Boston Legal got him the best, when one of the lead characters harrassed the court long enough in one episode that Thomas, behind the bench, woke up and actually said something. The joke was that he hadn’t opened his mouth or contributed anything of substance in 20 years.
Exactly, Bee. He always votes the way Scalia tells him to vote. Other than that, he just takes up space.
Thomas and his wife are both despicable. They are the epitome of the typical self-centered, “I’ll do as I please and to hell with you” Republican. And you’re right—this guy is the worst Justice on one of the worst Supreme Courts ever!
I’m not sure he is the worst, but he’s in the top four.
the senate;s treatment of Anita Hill during the Thomas confirmation was despicable. Notable Specter and Hatch but even Biden. They were all protecting John Danforth – who championed the idiot Thomas. One big happy boys club and Hill suffered the consequences. She didnt even want to testify.
Now for Ginni – the teabagging scum wife of this useless and moronic justice. Who calls someone at 730am on a Saturday in their office and leaves a message like that – extending an olive branch ! i will tell you – only someone sipping the cooking sherry lined with pubic hairs.
but like Bill Kristol (another asswipe) said of Christine O’Donnell – “she is a reliable vote” – of course not one Republican speak up against Thomas during the hearings or Ginni now – he is a reliable vote for the team.
End of story – hence you have Angle, Palin, Miller, Paul, O’Witch, Buck, Rubio and other assorted jackass morons – they are all reliable votes.
DC, I remember watching it on TV, and I was shocked.
I wonder if Ginni knew what was about to come out. I bet she was trying to diffuse McEwan’s revellation in advance.
Amen to the rest.
Linda McEwen was not ALLOWED to testify; she came forward and wanted to testify, but the group in charge, including Biden, wouldn’t let her. If him chasing him around the office with his tongue hanging out and talking about porn, isn’t a personal “relationship”, I don’t know what is. He did the same to Anita Hill. And for clarification purposes to DC’s post, Thomas’ wife Ginni actually had the huge, brass balls to call Anita Hill at 7:30 am on a Saturday morning to ask HER for an apology, 19 years after the fact. 😯 I would have told her to fuck off in the loudest voice possible, but I’m sure that Anita Hill was more polite than that and just told her no. Imagine, asking for an apology for her husband sexually harassing this woman 19 years ago and asking the woman he harassed for several YEARS for an apology. If anything, HE owes HER a massive apology that should at least be jewelry worth over $10K. Those two are nothing but clear and devout teabaggers and the height of hypocrisy at that. They both still claim that he did nothing wrong, which also puts them in complete denial. I do remember that after that all happened, men stopped chasing me around offices and complimenting me on my various body parts (boobs, legs, etc.) in public and even elevators, which was really nice. I have Anita Hill to thank for that.
With respect to his opinions on the bench, I don’t think he’s ever even written one and he doesn’t even bother to listen to half the cases. He just waits for his friend Scalia to vote and copies it, like a bad kid in school. To say he’s worthless, is a severe understatement. He just takes up valuable air from the rest of us. 🙄 🙄 🙄 😡 Otis just corrected me, he has written ONE opinion which probably needed a staffer to correct for all the grammatical and spelling errors. Neither one of us can remember what it was about, so clearly, it wasn’t memorable. I could look it up, but that’s 5 minutes of my life I won’t get back. 👿
An this other asshole, Scott Flanagan and his supervisor Jeff Perry, strip searching a 14 yo???? First of all, strip searches are illegal (but may not have been back then), but on a 14 yo? What POSSIBLE REASON would they have to do that? What POSSIBLE reason would they even THINK they had to do that, other than to see her naked body – the poor thing has to be scarred for life. I’m glad she came forward to recount her story though, now that this complete douchebag and PERVERT is running for office. That’s one brave woman. Damn, that shit really pisses me off! 😡
I really did actually get chased around a warehouse once when I was doing an audit of a subsidiary of my company. Then I thought to myself, “why am I running from this asshole?” I stopped, turned around and faced him and said “Knock it off, or I will tear your head and balls off and stuff them down your bloody throat.”. Needless to say, he stopped chasing me! 😈
Lisa, my understanding is that McEwen had revealled only that she had a relationship with Thomas at the time, and kept Thomas’ private perving in her presence secret, only revealing it in the article I posted. Am I mistaken.
Some of my behavior in the 1970s would be considered harrassment in today’s climate, but mine was humor, not hitting on. Back then, it eas considered normal.
If the message that Thomas’ wife left for Anita Hill is any indication, she is in dcomplete denial about her husband’s inappropriate behavior.
Ahab, I question whether it was denial. It the early 1970s a girlfriend and I joined a “swingers club” in Denver. Most of the Republican leadership in the state were also members. While they love to preach morality, they consider themselves above practicing it.