Source: Fox News
Summary
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas recalled a promise he made after his grandparents’ deaths during a discussion with Hoover Institution fellow Peter Robinson. Thomas described his grandparents’ influence on his life and values, including their emphasis on self-reliance and hard work. He also reflected on economist Thomas Sowell’s impact on his thinking. Thomas shared stories about his upbringing in segregated Savannah, Georgia, where his grandparents had limited formal education. He credited his grandparents, his Catholic nuns, and Sowell for shaping his views on personal responsibility and achievement.
Our Reading
As expected, the matter has reached another stage.
Thomas speaks of his grandparents with reverence.
He pauses, collects himself, then continues.
He repeats the phrase “old man can’t is dead” like a mantra.
His story feels like a script he’s rehearsed many times.
Author: Evan Null
Clarence Thomas and the Weight of Memory
Clarence Thomas spoke of his grandparents with deep reverence, recalling their lives and the values they instilled in him. He described how their limited formal education did not diminish their influence on his worldview. Thomas emphasized the importance of self-reliance and hard work, values he traced back to his grandparents and the Catholic nuns who educated him.
The Influence of Thomas Sowell
Thomas credited economist Thomas Sowell for reinforcing the values he had learned from his grandparents. He described Sowell’s work as giving him permission to think differently from other Black leaders. Thomas saw in Sowell a reflection of the attitudes he had grown up with, such as self-discipline and a focus on personal responsibility.
The Role of Education
Thomas highlighted the role of education in his life, even as he acknowledged the limited formal schooling his grandparents received. He spoke of his grandfather, who was raised by a freed slave, and his grandmother, who had only a sixth-grade education. Despite this, they instilled in him a strong work ethic and a belief in self-improvement.
Stories of Resilience
Thomas shared stories of his grandfather’s resilience, including a saying he often repeated: “Old man can’t is dead.” The phrase, which he repeated during the discussion, reflected the mindset of a man who never complained about his circumstances. Thomas saw this attitude as a key to success and a lesson he carried throughout his life.
A Familiar Narrative
Thomas’ story, filled with references to his grandparents, Sowell, and his Catholic education, felt like a familiar narrative. It was a story of overcoming adversity through personal responsibility and a belief in self-reliance. The way he told it suggested it was one he had shared many times before.
