Justice Clarence Thomas has done well for himself.  He is in no need of defense by anybody.  His life and work are inspiring by any measure.  But the despicable, racially motivated, coordinated media attacks against him and his family are so unfair that even a slight appreciation of justice would compel a reasonable person to speak.

His professionalism and honor play a part, too, so that reasonable observers can appreciate that in shining a light on the praiseworthy work of the good justice and the nefarious motives of his critics, one speaks for him who "cannot speak for himself," given the seriousness with which he takes the oath he took.

What pushed me over the edge to add my voice to those decrying the media smear machine against Justice Thomas and his family was a loathsome sentence written by a Washington Post "reporter" that described Justice Thomas as "the Black justice whose rulings often resemble the thinking of White conservatives."  It's been a week, and I cannot shake it.

Can you imagine the deep prejudice that's required among not one, but a group of writers and editors to publish a sentence like that in a "respectable" newspaper?  They can try to correct it all they want, but the animus that produced such a vile sentiment is alive and well at the Post.

Justice Thomas has endured this prejudice all his life.  During Black History Month, his critics seem to love to target him because of the color of his skin.  Last year, Amazon (owned by Jeff Bezos, who also owns the Post) decided to cancel a beautiful documentary, Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words, also during Black History Month.  Again, they might be forced to correct course later on, but the smear machine is real and ruthless.

It seems also that they are growing desperate as they see Justice Thomas's increasing influence at the Court.  "The man who succeeded Thurgood Marshall, becoming the second Black justice, may end up with a legacy just as consequential," reads the panic at the New York Times.

From MSNBC's Joy Reid calling Justice Thomas "Uncle Clarence," mimicking the racial slur "Uncle Tom," to panelists on the view claiming he "doesn't really represent the Black community," the unfair, racially motivated attacks are despicable and should be condemned by all Americans, regardless of political affiliation.

The latest strategy by the media smear machine also seems related to race.  They are now targeting Justice Thomas's wife, Ginni Thomas.  She, like her husband, does not follow the liberal elite approved patterns.  She has committed the grave sin of being a conservative white woman.  They worry that her conservative ideas are rubbing off on Justice Thomas and his decisions at the Court.

From the left's point of view, this is understandable, though no less contemptible.  Since they continually push for activist judges to promote social "progress" under the guise of constitutional law, they have always believed that the other side must be doing the same.  But Justice Thomas's judicial philosophy and track record bear the unmistakable marks of a meticulous jurist who stays painstakingly true to the text of the Constitution and the laws at issue on any particular case so that personal policy preferences have no bearing on his judicial decisions.

They, for example, hate that he disapproves of Roe v. Wade.  "See, his wife is a pro-life conservative; he is listening to her!"  But they have a problem with the text of the Constitution, not with Justice Thomas.  The Constitution says nothing about abortion.  The Court invented the right, and Justice Thomas rightly contends that the Constitution provides a way for it to be amended, and it is not at the hands of unelected judges.

This reasonable, honorable, constitutional approach to judging has won him the unabashed hatred of the left.  It's a deeply personal, prejudicial hatred that continues to be exposed in the pages of America's most prominent newspapers.  For shame.

It is unfair, unjust, cruel, discriminatory, immoral, and inexcusable.  I, for one, cannot be silent about it.  It is what is tearing this country apart.  It is unnecessary.  I hope you, dear reader, will join me in condemning it in the strongest possible terms.

Image via Flickr, public domain.