By: Donald V. Watkins
Copyrighted and Published on February 28, 2024
An Editorial Opinion
The word "jackanapes" is a colloquial term for a monkey on a leash or an impudent person. In American society, "jackanapes" is typically associated with a monkey who dances for an organ grinder.
In my view, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is the first and only “Uncle Tom” in American history to make it all the way to “jackanapes” status. By his words and actions as a Supreme Court Justice, Thomas is an impudent "Uncle Tom" on a leash.
Unlike a traditional “jackanapes” who is owned by one organ grinder, Clarence Thomas proudly buck-dances for billionaire Harlan Crow and the close-knit group of organ grinders depicted in the photo below that was published last year by ProPublica.
Clarence Thomas is rewarded handsomely for his non-stop buck-dancing for these well-known organ grinders. Instead of peanuts, bananas, and pats on the head as his reward for his buck-dancing, Thomas gets: (a) free trips to exotic ports of call around the world, (b) hefty consulting fees for his wife (which were supposed to be kept on the "down-low"), (c) money to fix up his mother's home, (d) money for a relative's private school tuition, (e) loan money to buy a new RV (which was never repaid), (f) repeated pats on the head and accolades, and (g) de facto immunity from federal prosecution for his pay-to-play schemes at the Supreme Court.
None of these "jackanapes" perks has been reported on Thomas' tax returns or annual financial disclosure forms. Because Thomas is an iconic "jackanapes," he does not have to worry about a criminal prosecution on federal bribery and tax evasion charges.
Clarence Thomas' organ grinders seemingly "love" him and admire his iron-clad devotion to their racist causes. In their eyes, Thomas is the perfect "jackanapes."
Throughout his 32 years on the Supreme Court, Thomas has been reliable, dependable, consistent, and properly trained on how to buck-dance to his organ grinders’ music. Thomas has NEVER complained about buck-dancing, nor disappointed these organ grinders.
What is more, Thomas has used his considerable buck-dancing skills on the Supreme Court to inflict the maximum possible pain and suffering on Black Americans.
Last week, we learned that Clarence Thomas and his wife Ginni are grooming, platforming, and launching the legal career of flaming White racist Crystal Clanton. I define a “flaming” White racist as someone who texts the following message to a fellow White co-worker: “I HATE BLACK PEOPLE. Like fuck them all . . . I hate blacks. End of story.”
There have been “Uncle Toms” among us for hundreds of years. However, Clarence Thomas, is the first and only “Uncle Tom” in American history to make it all the way to “jackanapes” status.
Tell us how you really feel! Wow, an insightful read. Throughly enjoyed .
Clarence Thomas enjoys finding creative ways to hurt Black Americans. He actually hates Black Americans. Here is one example of Thomas' hatred of Blacks.
In May 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that prosecutors in Georgia violated the Constitution by striking every Black prospective juror in a murder case against a Black defendant named Timothy T. Foster. The victim in the case was an elderly White woman. An all-White jury convicted Foster of murder. He was sentenced to death.
The vote of the Justices was 7 to 1 to spare Foster’s life, with Justice Clarence Thomas dissenting.
The aspect of Foster’s case that sticks out most to me is the vote of the eight Justices who decided the case. The…
In the 1960s, my all-Black teachers at all-Black Alabama State College Laboratory High School in Montgomery, Alabama prepared me to get into any college and professional school based solely on my exceptional academic preparation and high test scores. No affirmative action was needed. Mr. Ramus Rhodes, a brilliant janitor at the University of Alabama’s law school, groomed me as a law student to become a highly skilled and successful litigator. In contrast, Clarence Thomas had a mediocre college preparatory background. He was admitted to college and law school as a beneficiary of the very affirmative action programs he killed as a Supreme Court Justice. To me, the greatest sin of all is the sin of ingratitude. Clarence Thomas wallows in…
It's bad enough Thomas is full of junk. Having this woman as a clerk, and doing nothing about it, is absolutely ridiculous.
So that we are clear, I had a record-setting career in law for 46 years because courageous Black and White Americans of interracial goodwill gave me the honor of representing them in the best and most impactful criminal and civil cases in America. These clients hoisted me upon their shoulders so that I could see further and fight harder for the fair administration of justice. I could NEVER betray these men and women of honor the way Clarence Thomas does on a routine and consistent basis.