Ever heard the saying, “not all skinfolk are kinfolk?” Well, that’s how many Black Americans feel about Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
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Seriously, according to YouGov, the guy has an 18 percent approval rating among Black Americans, which might be why people are not super-pleased about Republicans pushing through a statue of Justice Thomas in a predominantly-Black city like Atlanta.
In a Tuesday 32-20 Georgia Senate vote, Republicans elected to erect a statue of Justice Thomas on the state Capitol grounds.
Democrats, who are in the minority, instead offered to erect a statue of the late John Lewis, a civil rights legend and Georgia congressman. Unsurprisingly, Republicans didn’t go for it.
“This native son of Georgia deserves a place of honor and recognition on our Capitol grounds, a place where future generations of Georgians can learn valuable lessons from his legacy and gain inspiration and belief that their lofty dreams are obtainable too in America, regardless of the circumstances into which they are born,” said state Republican Senator Ben Watson, according to the Associated Press.
Democratic Senator Nan Orrock, who represents Atlanta, countered that Justice Thomas is an incredibly controversial figure.
“His service is problematic,” said Sen. Orrock, according to the Associated Press. “There’s a cloud over his service … and that cloud continues today.”
In addition to his incredibly controversial rulings tearing away at the gains of the civil rights movement, Anita Hill credibly accused Thomas of sexual harassment.
“There’s a whole laundry list of positions that Justice Thomas has taken that I find offensive,” said State Senator Jones Emanuel Jones, according to the AP. “Sometimes, when I talk to the majority party, I say, ‘Y’all just don’t get it.’”
It’s also worth mentioning that Thomas’ wife, Ginni Thomas, has been accused of working to overturn the 2020 election.
All of this combined, it’s not that shocking that Atlanta isn’t exactly looking to greet a bronze symbol of Justice Thomas’ contribution to society with open arms.
The bill still has to go through the state house. So there’s still time for Republican lawmakers to walk back a monument to Thomas’ greatness.
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