Concern appears to be lessening among Jewish organizations that Clarence Thomas, the black conservative nominated by President Bush to take over Thurgood Marshall’s seat on the U.S. Supreme Court, is a supporter of the anti-Semitic views of Black Muslim leader Louis Farrakhan.
This concern was raised when it was revealed earlier this month that Thomas, in a 1983 speech, had praised Farrakhan for his espousal of black economic self-help.
Henry Siegman, executive director of the American Jewish Congress, said at the time that if Thomas had expressed admiration for Farrakhan “he has disqualified himself from service on the Supreme Court.”
But Siegman said Thursday that he has since received numerous letters from Jews who have worked with Thomas and speak very warmly about him and his opposition to Farrakhan.
They have said that he is sensitive to the issue and is the last person to condone anti-Semitism or any other bigotry, Siegman said, adding that while the AJCongress is still concerned about Thomas’ views on many issues, the testimonies to his lack of anti-Semitism are “reassuring.”
Other Jewish organizations have reportedly been receiving similar assurances from Jews who know Thomas.
Agudath Israel of America, the only national Jewish organization to have endorsed Thomas so far, also said that it was reassured by Jews who worked with Thomas that he does not share Farrakhan’s anti-Semitism.
When his 1983 remarks on Farrakhan were revealed, Thomas immediately issued a statement declaring that “I am, and always have been, unalterably and adamantly opposed to anti-Semitism and bigotry of any kind, including by Louis Farrakhan.”
Supporters of Thomas, argued that Far-rakhan’s anti-Semitism was not as well-known in 1983 as it became in 1984, when the Black Muslim leader received national attention during the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s first campaign for the presidency.
But some Jewish leaders maintained that Farrakhan’s diatribes against Israel, Jews and Judaism were known for more than a decade.
COMPARED FARRAKHAN TO SKINHEADS
Thomas’ supporters point to a 1989 interview in a national Catholic weekly in which the nominee compared Farrakhan to neo-Nazi groups like the Skinheads.
“You never want to have hate groups in your society, whether it is Farrakhan or the Skinheads,” Thomas told the Los Angles-based Catholic Twin Circle.
Thomas was responding to a question about the Skinheads, and it was he who injected the comparison with Farrakhan.
The interview is being reprinted in the newspaper’s July 28 edition because of the new interest in Thomas, said Lori Sayer, the newspaper’s editor, who made a copy available to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
In his remarks on the Skinheads, Thomas played down their importance. “You don’t see any politicians embracing Skinheads and surviving,” he said.
“It will scare me when people begin to say, “Well, I can understand where the Skinheads are coming from,’ when they begin to get some moral sanction from our legal institutions,” he added.
Thomas also said that while there are still individuals who are as racist as others were in the past, “the difference is now they don’t have the overall moral sanction of society.”
The Senate Judiciary Committee will begin confirmation hearings for Thomas on Sept. 10. He is expected to be questioned closely on his views about Farrakhan, affirmative action, abortion, and his record as chairman of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from 1982 to 1989.
In his 1989 interview, Thomas said the commission for the three prior years had filed 500 cases annually, more than any previous commission. He said that during his tenure, the commission also collected a billion dollars in relief for persons claiming discrimination.
But he charged that the commission was “hampered by Congress which, every year, guts the budget for EEOC” proposed by the president.
“They just don’t want the EEOC to be successful during a Republican administration,” Thomas said.
Thomas also said that he did not believe the civil rights movement will grow because the issues today are tougher and harder to dramatize than desegregating a lunch counter.
“The issues today are much harder,” Thomas said.
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