Summary Talks in the Othmer: Corey Robin on Making Sense of Clarence Thomasâs America (Youtube) www.youtube.com
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One Line
Corey Robin's book explores the influence of Clarence Thomas's black nationalist background on his legal decisions and conservative ideology.
Slides
Slide Presentation (12 slides)
Key Points
- Clarence Thomas's past as a black nationalist and its influence on his jurisprudence
- Thomas's belief in a separate black destiny and the enduring nature of racism
- Thomas's interpretation of the Commerce Clause and its potential impact on civil rights legislation
- Thomas's conservative views on political speech, money in politics, and corporations
- Thomas's vision of two constitutions and the restoration of the black patriarch
- Thomas's belief in adversity and the importance of striving to be twice as good
- Thomas's racial inflection of abortion and its potential implications for future decisions
- The need for liberals and Democrats to understand different paths to the political right and reckon with pessimism about race.
Summaries
17 word summary
Corey Robin's book examines how Clarence Thomas's black nationalist background shapes his legal decisions and conservative ideology.
145 word summary
Corey Robin's book explores how Clarence Thomas's background as a black nationalist influences his legal decisions. Thomas's belief in a separate black destiny and enduring racism sets him apart from mainstream black conservatives. His time as a student and involvement in the Black Student Union reveal his black nationalist leanings. Thomas views race as a complex product of history, tradition, culture, and institutions that separate black people from the rest of America. His interpretation of the Commerce Clause aims to undermine civil rights legislation progress. His opinions on political speech, money in politics, and corporations reflect his conservative ideology. Thomas envisions two constitutions, one supporting the black patriarch and the other aiming to create a world where he doesn't exist. Corey Robin's analysis provides valuable insights into Thomas's background and offers a deeper understanding of his unique perspective on race and the Supreme Court's role.
153 word summary
Corey Robin's book explores the impact of Clarence Thomas's background as a black nationalist on his jurisprudence. Thomas's belief in a separate black destiny and his view of racism as enduring set him apart from mainstream black conservatives. His time as a student and involvement in the Black Student Union demonstrate his black nationalist leanings. Thomas sees race as a complex product of history, tradition, culture, and institutions that separate black people from the rest of America. His interpretation of the Commerce Clause seeks to undermine progress in civil rights legislation. His opinions on political speech, money in politics, and corporations reflect his conservative ideology. Thomas envisions two constitutions, one supporting the black patriarch and the other aiming to create one where he does not exist. Corey Robin's analysis provides valuable insights into Thomas's background and offers a deeper understanding of his unique perspective on race and the role of the Supreme Court.
493 word summary
Corey Robin's book delves into the hidden past of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas as a black nationalist and the profound impact it has had on his jurisprudence. From his college days as a campus militant to his current tenure on the Supreme Court, Thomas has always embraced black nationalism, believing in a separate black destiny and the enduring nature of racism.
Thomas's youth offers insight into his black nationalist views. As a student at Holy Cross in the late 1960s, Thomas was involved in the Black Student Union and firmly embraced black nationalist ideology. His admiration for Malcolm X and his belief in the importance of black men as the source of pride and salvation for the black community further demonstrate his black nationalist leanings.
Thomas sees race as a complex product of history, tradition, culture, and institutions that set black people apart from the rest of America. He believes that racism has no historical roots and therefore no historical ending, distinguishing him from mainstream black conservatives who may argue for a colorblind society.
Examining Thomas's interpretation of the Commerce Clause, Robin highlights Thomas's radical view on its scope. Thomas seeks to overturn Chief Justice John Marshall's original precedent and believes that by narrowing the interpretation of the Commerce Clause, progress made in advancing civil rights through legislation like the Civil Rights Act can be undermined.
Thomas's opinions on political speech, money in politics, and corporations also reflect his conservative ideology. Robin argues that Thomas aims to authorize wealthy individuals to dominate the political realm.
Robin explores Thomas's belief in two constitutions: a black constitution and a white constitution. The black constitution supports the black patriarch, while the white constitution aims to create a patriarch where he does not exist. Thomas suggests that recreating the conditions of Jim Crow may restore the figure of the black patriarch and enable the black community to thrive once again.
Despite the jarring nature of Thomas's views, they align with mainstream respectability politics that emphasize being twice as good in the face of racism. However, Thomas takes it further by suggesting that harsh consequences and punitive measures are necessary to restore black masculinity and virtues of responsibility.
Corey Robin's book sheds light on Clarence Thomas's hidden past as a black nationalist and its influence on his jurisprudence. Thomas's belief in a separate black destiny, his view of racism as enduring, and his emphasis on the black patriarch distinguish him from mainstream black conservatives. His interpretations of the Commerce Clause and his views on political speech and capitalism further reflect his conservative ideology. Ultimately, Thomas's vision of two constitutions reveals his belief in the restoration of the black patriarch through conditions reminiscent of Jim Crow.
Overall, Corey Robin's analysis provides valuable insights into Clarence Thomas's background as a black nationalist and the ways in which it shapes his jurisprudence, offering a deeper understanding of his unique perspective on race, racism, and the role of the Supreme Court.
655 word summary
Corey Robin's book delves into the hidden past of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas as a black nationalist and the profound impact it has had on his jurisprudence. From his college days as a campus militant to his current tenure on the Supreme Court, Thomas has always embraced black nationalism, believing in a separate black destiny and the enduring nature of racism. Unlike mainstream black conservatives, Thomas does not believe that racism can ever be overcome.
Thomas's youth offers insight into his black nationalist views. As a student at Holy Cross in the late 1960s, Thomas was involved in the Black Student Union and firmly embraced black nationalist ideology. He engaged in protests and activities, even leading a walkout of black students to protest certain policies. Thomas was vocal against interracial relationships and confronted interracial couples on campus. His admiration for Malcolm X and his belief in the importance of black men as the source of pride and salvation for the black community further demonstrate his black nationalist leanings.
Robin also explores Thomas's views on race and racism. Thomas sees race as a complex product of history, tradition, culture, and institutions that set black people apart from the rest of America. He believes that racism has no historical roots and therefore no historical ending, distinguishing him from mainstream black conservatives who may argue for a colorblind society. Thomas perceives racism as pervasive and enduring, with no clear resolution in sight.
Examining Thomas's interpretation of the Commerce Clause, Robin highlights Thomas's radical view on its scope. Thomas seeks to overturn Chief Justice John Marshall's original precedent and believes that by narrowing the interpretation of the Commerce Clause, progress made in advancing civil rights through legislation like the Civil Rights Act can be undermined.
Thomas's opinions on political speech, money in politics, and corporations also reflect his conservative ideology. Robin argues that Thomas aims to authorize wealthy individuals to dominate the political realm. While race is not explicitly injected into these opinions, Thomas's broader vision of black nationalism and his emphasis on the market and capitalism align with his overall worldview.
Robin explores Thomas's belief in two constitutions: a black constitution and a white constitution. The black constitution supports the black patriarch, while the white constitution aims to create a patriarch where he does not exist. Thomas suggests that recreating the conditions of Jim Crow may restore the figure of the black patriarch and enable the black community to thrive once again.
Despite the jarring nature of Thomas's views, they align with mainstream respectability politics that emphasize being twice as good in the face of racism. However, Thomas takes it further by suggesting that harsh consequences and punitive measures are necessary to restore black masculinity and virtues of responsibility.
In conclusion, Corey Robin's book sheds light on Clarence Thomas's hidden past as a black nationalist and its influence on his jurisprudence. Thomas's belief in a separate black destiny, his view of racism as enduring, and his emphasis on the black patriarch distinguish him from mainstream black conservatives. His interpretations of the Commerce Clause and his views on political speech and capitalism further reflect his conservative ideology. Ultimately, Thomas's vision of two constitutions reveals his belief in the restoration of the black patriarch through conditions reminiscent of Jim Crow.
Corey Robin also discusses Thomas's perspective on adversity, his alignment with other justices on abortion, and the practical implications of Thomas's views for liberals and Democrats. Robin addresses the issue of class in Thomas's worldview and explores Thomas's belief in the importance of black people working together within their communities. The evening concludes with a discussion of Thomas's intellectualism and his role as a Supreme Court justice.
Overall, Corey Robin's analysis provides valuable insights into Clarence Thomas's background as a black nationalist and the ways in which it shapes his jurisprudence, offering a deeper understanding of his unique perspective on race, racism, and the role of the Supreme Court.
1230 word summary
In his book, Corey Robin explores the enigma of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and the lack of attention given to his past as a black nationalist. Robin was compelled to write the book after discovering Thomas's hidden history and the influence it had on his jurisprudence. He argues that Thomas has always been a black nationalist, from his days as a campus militant in college to his current tenure on the Supreme Court. Thomas's black nationalism is rooted in the belief that black people have a fate and destiny separate from the rest of America, and that racism is pervasive and enduring. Unlike mainstream black conservatives who believe in a colorblind society, Thomas does not believe that racism can ever be overcome.
Thomas's youth provides insight into his black nationalist views. As a student at Holy Cross in the late 1960s, Thomas was involved in the Black Student Union and embraced black nationalist ideology. He participated in activities and protests, including leading a walkout of black students in protest against certain policies. Thomas was outspoken against interracial relationships and confronted interracial couples on campus. His admiration for Malcolm X and his belief in the importance of black men as the source of pride and salvation for the black community further demonstrate his black nationalist leanings.
Robin also delves into Thomas's views on race and racism. While Thomas does not believe in race as a matter of biological superiority or inferiority, he sees it as a complex product of history, tradition, culture, and institutions that set black people apart from the rest of America. He also believes that racism has no historical roots and therefore has no historical ending. This fatalistic view distinguishes him from mainstream black conservatives who may argue for a colorblind society. Thomas sees racism as pervasive and enduring, with no clear resolution in sight.
In examining Thomas's interpretation of the Commerce Clause, Robin highlights Thomas's radical view on its scope. While most conservatives oppose the broad interpretation of the Commerce Clause, Thomas goes further and seeks to overturn Chief Justice John Marshall's original precedent. He believes that by narrowing the interpretation of the Commerce Clause, the Civil Rights Act and other legislation can be overturned, undermining the progress made in advancing civil rights.
Thomas's opinions on political speech, money in politics, and corporations also reveal his conservative ideology. Robin argues that Thomas aims to authorize men of means to dominate the political realm. While race is not as explicitly injected into these opinions, Thomas's broader vision of black nationalism and his emphasis on the market and capitalism align with his overall worldview.
Robin explores Thomas's belief in two constitutions: a black constitution and a white constitution. He argues that Thomas sees the black constitution as supporting the black patriarch, while the white constitution aims to create a patriarch where he does not exist. The black constitution emphasizes the role of the black patriarch in protecting and advancing the interests of the black community. However, Thomas believes that the black community has been corroded by the rights revolution, which granted welfare rights, criminal justice rights, and sexual liberties. He suggests that recreating the conditions of Jim Crow may restore the figure of the black patriarch and enable the black community to thrive once again.
While Thomas's views may seem jarring, they align with mainstream respectability politics that emphasize being twice as good in the face of racism. However, Thomas takes it further by suggesting that harsh consequences and punitive measures are necessary to restore black masculinity and virtues of responsibility.
In conclusion, Corey Robin's book sheds light on Clarence Thomas's hidden past as a black nationalist and the influence it has had on his jurisprudence. Thomas's belief in a separate black destiny, the enduring nature of racism, and his emphasis on the black patriarch distinguish him from mainstream black conservatives. His interpretations of the Commerce Clause and his views on political speech and capitalism further reflect his conservative ideology. Ultimately, Thomas's vision of two constitutions reveals his belief in the restoration of the black patriarch through conditions reminiscent of Jim Crow.
Corey Robin discusses Clarence Thomas's perspective on society and his belief that individuals must strive to be twice as good in order to succeed. Thomas sees adversity as a means of building strength and believes that when things become too easy, people become complacent and lazy. This belief is rooted in Thomas's Catholicism and his view that adversity breeds virtues such as courage and grit. Thomas's perspective is not unique to himself; it reflects a broader belief among conservatives in the 1970s that America was suffering from too many rights, leading to softness in society.
One area where Thomas's conservative views align more closely with other justices is on the issue of abortion. While Thomas's opinions on abortion seemed relatively mainstream when Corey Robin wrote his book in 2019, Thomas later wrote an opinion linking abortion and birth control to white eugenics and racial discrimination. This argument has historical roots, particularly in criticisms of Margaret Sanger's views on race. However, Thomas's racial inflection of abortion is significant, as it has been picked up by other justices, indicating a potential shift in future decisions.
In terms of practical implications, Robin discusses the need for liberals and Democrats to grapple with the idea that multiculturalism and increasing diversity do not automatically lead to more liberal politics. He points out that Republicans have made efforts to build outreach to minority communities, and the erosion of support among certain minority groups in the 2020 election highlights the importance of understanding different paths to the political right. Robin also addresses Hillary Clinton's speech during the 2016 primaries, where she expressed a fatalistic view that racism would never be eradicated. He suggests that this pessimism about race is not unique to Clarence Thomas and should be reckoned with.
Thomas's belief in hierarchy and his defense of conservative values are also discussed. Robin argues that conservatism is fundamentally about defending hierarchy, but also about making that philosophy appealing in a democratic society. Thomas's vision of black male patriarchs within their communities aligns with this conservative ideology. Despite being economically and socially marginalized, these men hold power and authority within their homes. Thomas's sincerity in his beliefs is acknowledged, but his intellectual rigor is questioned, particularly in relation to his opinions on issues such as gun control and cross burning.
In response to audience questions, Robin addresses the issue of class in Thomas's worldview, noting that it is present in the book through discussions of colorism and racial harms as stigmas. He also discusses Thomas's belief in the importance of black people working together and creating internal support mechanisms within their communities. While Thomas is aware of his legacy and has groomed clerks and built a network, it is uncertain whether he is inspiring a new generation of black conservatives.
The evening concludes with a discussion of Thomas's intellectualism and whether he is at peace with himself. Robin suggests that Thomas's role as a Supreme Court justice is more political than intellectual, and that throughout American history, most justices were not intellectuals. While Thomas does talk about originalism, he does not present it as impersonal like Scalia did. The personal, political, and ideological elements are front and center in Thomas's opinions, which are seen as political statements rather than purely academic or legal reasoning.
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Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bTYhopqWTs&t=1584s
Page title: Talks in the Othmer: Corey Robin on Making Sense of Clarence Thomas’s America - YouTube
Meta description: Corey Robin, one of the foremost analysts of the right, brings fresh and often prescient perspectives to our understanding of American conservatism. His grou...