Mind Reflections: What Anita Hill Said at Purdue 9/25/2017

Reflections: What Anita Hill Said at Purdue
by Jolivette Anderson-Douoning

I sat with my daughter Nadja and listened to Anita Hill speak tonight at Purdue University. This is what I recall intellectually and emotionally about her comments on Thurgood Marshall and Clarence Thomas.

Thurgood Marshall laid a foundation for working within American structures and systems toward equality. He was the first Black Supreme Court Justice and when he retired many must have hoped that another Black person would take his place. Well, a Black man did take his place but the quality and character and racial consciousness of the Black man that took Thurgood Marshall's place on the SCOTUS did NOT serve the interest of EQUALITY for Black people in the manner, method, or memory of the late Justice Thurgood Marshall.

Marshall was a 'Race Man'. He acknowledged that Race, Racism, Racial prejudice and biases were present in society and were determining factors in the DENIAL of ACCESS to equal treatment under the law, and I dare say, in all manner of the lived experience in the United States. He worked toward what Dr. Anita Hill called the "Inclusive Community" and he believed that government had a role and responsibility to address the structures and systems that denied ACCESS TO INCLUSION.

When Clarence Thomas was tapped to take the place of Thurgood Marshall, he believed what Ronald Reagan had promoted during his time as POTUS in the 1980s. The now Justice Clarence Thomas believed that EQUALITY is about the INDIVIDUAL. He believed that Black folk should "pull themselves up by their bootstraps" ie work hard and you will rise and succeed, as if there are no barriers to you based on your Race (or gender, geography, etc.)

He believed that the Government should have no role in EQUALITY for individuals. His thinking fell in line with Ronald Reagan's announcement that he would NO LONGER FIGHT the 'War Against Poverty' that previous Presidential Administrations had fought. He then proceeded to wipe out funding for 'social programs' that affected after-school programs, child care programs, food programs, and more. These things should NOT BE THE BUSINESS OF THE GOVERNMENT (emphasis mine). Thus, 'government IS the problem, too much government, they wanted LESS GOVERNMENT in the lives of the INDIVIDUAL.

This 'less government' involvement cry is the gateway for the battle cry for privatization and segregation all rolled into one thing. Let's call it the INTERSECTION OF PRIVATIZATION AND SEGREGATION, but Dr Anita Hill said, you must know each one individually before you can understand the 'Intersectionality' of it all. (EX: I had to taste corn and lima beans separately before I knew they would taste good together in my succotash).

-- Thomas seems to have been and still is claiming that "advocacy for equality" was / is not a governmental issue.

-- Marshall seems to have been claiming that governmental systems and structures hold some people back from access to equality, equal treatment under the law, and the right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness".

Clarence Thomas, at that time in history, was being used to prop up what the Reagan Republicans wanted to be a 'New Day on Race in America'. A day that did not hold them accountable, as White men perhaps, for what has been done to Black people since and before the beginning of this country.

The end. (for now)