The Woman Not Called During the Clarence Thomas Hearings

[deminks]

http://www.rollcall.com/news/opinion/woman-not-called-clarence-thomas-hearings

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The political theater that put Clarence Thomas on the Supreme Court, and Anita Hill and the issue of sexual harassment in the national conversation happened in 1991, but the recent HBO movie "Confirmation" rehashed those debates.

Angela Wright Shannon, then known as Angela Wright — or the other woman who accused Thomas of inappropriate words and behavior — got to see herself portrayed by Academy Award-winning Jennifer Hudson in that film, which she was asked to consult on but chose not to. She heard characters repeat the words of a column she wrote, not for publication but for a writing sample, which was leaked to the office of Senate Judiciary Committee chair Sen. Joseph Biden and led to a subpoena.

When I was features editor of The Charlotte Observer in the mid-1990s, Shannon was a reporter on my staff. She had worked for Thomas in the 1980s as director of public affairs at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Now 61, she works in Charlotte as a freelance writer, editor and actor and cares for her 50-year-old developmentally delayed and deaf sister, Cheryl. After watching the HBO movie, she decided she still had something to say.

(snip)

What Thomas has said:

“He says he fired me because he heard that I called somebody the F-word [faggot] and he wasn’t going to take it. Number one, it never happened. It’s bothersome that nobody on the committee even bothered to probe. If they had probed just a little bit, they probably could have realized he wasn’t telling the truth, just asked him where did that happen and what did you say to her.”

[Editor's Note: In 1994, the Washington Post found the person Shannon supposedly slurred, and he also said the incident never happened.]

(end snip)

[mnhtnbb]

1. Worth reading the whole piece.

There's an editor's note that the WaPo found the person in 1994 whom Thomas claimed Wright slurred--and gave as his reason for firing her--and the person also denied it ever happened!

Also, I like her description of how Republicans vs Democrats fight:

The Republicans metaphorically stoned Anita Hill, while the Democrats, Biden being the gatekeeper, let it happen ... To me, having worked on both sides of the aisle — Republican and Democratic — what I know for sure, Republicans are like bare-fisted street brawlers, Democrats do pillow fights.”

[truedelphi]

2. The good old, Old Guard part of the Vichy Democratic Party establishment.

I think it is also worth noting that one reason few people in power wanted to speak out on Anita Hill's behalf is because we all know now how many in the Senate utilized their interns for some not so pretty "personal services." It was not only that they didn't want to appear racist - they wanted a clear message sent to any women (or young male interns, for that matter) coming forward to reveal their experiences at the hands of the Top Government Elected Officials: "Come forward and we will figuratively tar and feather you, you whore-y little tramps."

[JDPriestly]

3. I'd K&R this a million times if I could. Thanks for posting.

[Hortensis]

4. Good read, thanks, Deminks. Shameful business.

I have never forgiven then-Senator Biden for his role. In addition to Ms. Shannon, other women also came forward and were not allowed to testify.

[ReRe]

5. Gee...

... I would give anything to be able to go back and right all the wrongs. And this would be at the top of the list.

[jwirr]

6. K&R

[justiceischeap]

7. If you have Amazon Prime

You can watch the Anita Hill documentary for free. It really makes everything that happened to Ms. Hill all that much worse. She comes across as very sheltered (at the time) and watching snippets from the hearings makes you feel like people were kicking a dog.

[cui bono]

8. Good to know, thanks! Gonna watch tomorrow while I fold laundry. n/t

[wheniwasincongress]

9. There were actually like 4 women

who all wanted to testify, but Joe Biden decided to not let them.

[Octafish]

10. Kick for Justice.

Thank you, deminks!



Clarence Thomas is BFEE.