The American Spectator

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Moreover: "[T]here is no reason to think that black students cannot learn as well when surrounded by members of their own race as when they are in an integrated environment."

And, in a brilliant shot across the liberal bow: "Indeed, if our history has taught us anything, it has taught us to beware of elites bearing racial theories."

These are the words of a fearless man with a combination of intellect and integrity second to none. If his memoir is half as well produced, it will be a joy to read for any American who cares to think for himself rather than to accept platitudes and conventional wisdom as gospel.

And speaking of conventional wisdom (CW), let it be noted that somehow old CW never got it right way back when Anita Hill was leveling her noxious charges at Thomas. The accusation was not just a he-said, she-said exercise. There were facts laid on the table, and the facts as presented did not support her story. Not to rehash the whole case, but Ms. Hill's timeline did not and could not hold up to scrutiny. For one thing, her lone supposedly contemporaneous "witness" (and a hearsay witness at that) originally testified that Hill complained to her of being sexually harassed in the spring of 1981. But Hill did not even begin to work for Thomas until well into the fall of that same year.

It was not coincidental that, while the hearings were still fresh (before CW had a chance to revise the real history of the case), polls showed that nearly twice as many Americans believed Thomas as believed Hill.

But all that is ancient history. What remains is 16 years of tremendous high court jurisprudence, carried out by a man described almost universally as warm and kind, with a deep and huge belly laugh and a talent for lasting friendships.

Clarence Thomas is an American hero. We are blessed by his continued service on the court.

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