Anita Hill versus Clarence Thomas Case

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Anita Hill versus Clarence Thomas controversy is among the prominent cases that touch gender politics and race relations in a profound extent. It led to significant changes in the way of taking civil rights in the nation as well as provoking the women’s participation in political affairs and gender equality forums. The Anita Hill versus Clarence Thomas Case challenged the Supreme Court in coming up with the final decision that was awaited many. The case involved sexual harassment that many civilians were eager to hear the government position on the same issue. After the case, significant changes occurred in the nation’s policies making citizens more alarmed with regards to the civil rights. In this paper, the Anita Hill versus Clarence Thomas Case is discussed into an in-depth extent with regards to the law changes that occurred after the case and the political effects it postulated in the nation.

The case of Anita Hill and Clarence Thomas raised after the decision of Thurgood Marshall to retire. Marshall is a famous justice practitioner who was the first African-American individual to join United States Supreme Court through appointment. Marshall fought for civil rights and justice throughout his leadership epitome and is considerably remembered for his battle towards racial segregation that suggested public schools to be segregated. His retirement notification drawn many civilians’ attention as well as civil rights association forums as they wondered whether the next member to be appointed to the Supreme Court will adhere and continue with Marshall’s project to promote justice against the public rights (Short, 2016). The Civil Rights Advocate was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Lyndon Johnson in the year 1967 and decided to retire twenty-four years later.

After Marshall’s declaration to retire the Conservative party whom at the moment had dominated the political atmosphere significantly taken the step seriously. Their aim was placing a conservative in the seat to replace Marshall so that they can be advantageous when it comes to issues involving the Supreme Court. During this period the Republican President George Bush was in the mandate after the administration of President Ronald Reagan. It was a golden opportunity for President Bush for selecting a more conservative Supreme Court Judge. The President’s Priority was Clarence Thomas who was an African-America conservative forty-three years old of age who was based on Pinpoint, Georgia. The president had the assurance that Thomas fit the chance to maintain racial make-up in the Supreme Court as well as adding conservative value and voice on the decisions regarding Affirmative Action and abortion.

However, President Bush’s proposal was met with controversy as many Civil Rights and African-American associations stayed on the opposition side of Thomas being the nominee for Supreme Court judge. Among the movements that opposed Thomas nomination include the Urban League, the NAACP as well as the National Bar Association among many other gender and Civil Rights organizations. The fear that the organization had regarded the conservative standpoint of Clarence Thomas claiming that he might abandon Marshall’s achievements and great efforts to fight for Civil Rights. The women associations were equally concerned about Thomas nomination as they worried that would rule against the legal abortion rights. Furthermore, the public civilians also raised their voice arguing that Thomas did not have adequate experience to prepare him becoming the High Court judge as he only had two years of experience as a state’s judiciary. All these voices might to some extent have a sense of truth among them but did not have clear evidence to present that would prevent the appointment of Clarence Thomas.

Regardless of all the opposing voices, Thomas proposal moved to the Senate approval hearings which had to determine whether he deserves getting the seat or not after the president’s nomination. During the first days of hearings, the proceeding seemed to be monotonous and many were not interested. The Senate inquiry into his stand against legal abortion, Thomas claimed that he had not come up with an opinion on the matter and ended up being dropped. The committee seemed to easily accept Thomas nomination a few days later but they ended up splitting. The Senate Committee split in half and the proceedings ended up without clear recommendation. The controversy at the Senate level arises after the emergence of Anita Hill who claimed to have been sexually harassed by Thomas.

Anita Hill was a law professor at the University of Oklahoma had previously worked for Thomas at Equal Employment Opportunities Commission where he was the head. Anita Hill’s accusations to have been sexually harassed postulated a dramatic turn toward Thomas nomination. She accused Thomas to have harassed her without an appropriate discussion about pornographic films as well as sexual act after she went against his will of dating him. The media trended the issue of Thomas denial and Anita Hill’s allegations where many civilians and Civil Rights movements backed her up. During his testimony towards the issue, Thomas claimed it to be a high technology execution for pretentious Blacks. The incident before the Senate Judiciary Committee becomes an individual’s case against the other. The case dramatically ended and the Senate Committee went against many people’s will as Clarence Thomas for by fifty-two percent vote and confirmed as the as the new judge to replace Marshall’s gap at the Supreme Court (Woloch, 2018).

Significant Changes were experienced after the case in consideration of the policies regarding racial segregation and gender politics. To the people who were against Thomas nomination and supporting Anita Hill allegations took his appointment as an overthrow. However, Anita Hill versus Clarence Thomas Case had a long-term effect and consequences during the Justice Thomas serve as the Supreme Court judge. Furthermore, the Equal rights movements were evoked and nation awareness towards sexual harassment at the workplace was effectively put in consideration. The numbers increased at a significant rate from Thomas’s approval and also the law’s cost on the same issued elevated. Also, Anita Hill controversy provoked feminine gender as the number of women getting involved in politics increased (Michelman, & Thomas, 2017). Many women felt that Anita Hill’s allegations were not taken seriously at the Senate as a high number of the committee members were men. An enormous number of women vied for different political vacancies at the United State Senate as well as others new seats and a significant number of them gained the victory.

In consideration of the people fears and Anita Hill’s allegation, I disagree with the Senate Committee opinion of mandating the Supreme Court justice to Clarence Thomas. It is right that democracy was done as they considered the majority votes, but they were supposed to significantly put into consideration the charges and civilians voices as all in all the laws are made for them to follow. One cannot get the basic scenario of the kind of sexual harassment that Hill accused Thomas of, but all in all, it is unethical to be involved in such issue. The public might view it as political torture as the Senate went per the president’s will and that may make them stand on the other side of not supporting the government.

Yes, it is true that the case was important to the nation as it plays an important role in formulating the nation’s history regarding civil rights. It was effective in stimulating women’s eagerness to be part of the government in every political rank to ensure gender equality and consideration of their right. After the case, a high number of women seen the importance of being involved in national political activities as their voices will be easily heard if they have adequate representatives in the body. The government sensation towards sexual harassment at the place of work by either the boss or other people at the higher hierarchy is important as significant laws will be put in place as the cases tend to increase (Fineran, 2016).

As discussed above, Anita Hill versus Clarence Thomas Case controversy acted as a reflection of the many fears that exist in the Americans live today. Justice Thomas’s proposal to substitute Justice Marshall impelled new perception on the undertakings of the contemporary Civil Rights association and flickered more discussion about Affirmative Action policies. Furthermore, Anita Hill allegations towards Clarence Thomas highlighted the civilians’ awareness on unequal representation in the political sector as well as sexual harassment at workplace and how the painful it is in their life. Anita Hill versus Clarence Thomas case will remain significant in the nation’s history and any will keep the reference in consideration of media influences, race relations and gender politics in the American nation.

References

Fineran, S. (2016). Teaching an Online Course on Sexual Harassment: A Course for Graduate and Undergraduate Students1. Campus Action Against Sexual Assault: Needs, Policies, Procedures, and Training Programs: Needs, Policies, Procedures, and Training Programs, 92.

Michelman, A. S., & Thomas, C. (2017). In phase one of the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on. Gender and Justice, 33, 321.

Short, E. L. (2016). ANITA HILL AND CLARENCE THOMAS, NAFISSATOU DIALLO AND DOMINIQUE STRAUSS-KAHN. Talking About Structural Inequalities in Everyday Life: New Politics of Race in Groups, Organizations and Social Systems, 285.

Woloch, N. (2018). Because of Sex: One Law, Ten Cases, and Fifty Years That Changed American Women’s Lives at Work by Gillian Thomas. Labor: Studies in Working-Class History, 15(1), 128-129.