Commentary
-
Our commentary partners will help you reach your own conclusions on complex topics.
Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas in his later years on the Court is beginning to speak out loudly.
And you can hear deep into his heart and humor during a recent speech at the University of Notre Dame on the topic of the Declaration of Independence.
His presentation was a brilliant and profound articulation of what America is about at its core.
Thomas not only tells his own personal story and how his experiences led him to understand what America is about, but what led him to conclude that the injustices of the country were not about flaws in the country but about flaws in human beings. What he conveyed to the students there were lessons in how to live up to the founding ideals handed down to them. That what needed to be fixed are the people – not the nation.
And I hope those students heading into adulthood heard him – as his insight strikes at the heart of the divisions going on today that are so bitterly dividing us.
He discussed how easy it was for him to slide into feelings of victimhood and thus focus on racial differences and grievances as a young man, yet, Thomas said, “As I matured, I began to see that the theories of my young adulthood were destructive and self-defeating ..” Thomas said, “I had rejected my country, my birthright as a citizen, and I had nothing to show for it.”
“The wholesomeness of my childhood had been replaced with an emptiness, cynicism, and despair. I was faced with the simple fact that there was no greater truth than what my Nuns and grandparents had taught me. We are all children of God and rightful heirs to our nation’s legacy of equality. We had to live up to the obligations of the equal citizenship to which we were entitled by birth.”
“The Declaration captured what I had been taught to venerate as a child but had cynically rejected as a young man. All men are created equal, endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights.”
Despite the strident voices dividing us today, Justice Clarence Thomas observed that there are many more of us who feel America is not so broken, as it is adrift at sea.
He said, “For whatever it is worth, the Declaration of Independence has weathered every storm for 245 years. It birthed a great nation. It abolished the sin of slavery…While we have failed the ideals of the Declaration time and again, I know of no time when the ideals have failed us.”
The Declaration of Independence “establishes a moral ideal that we as citizens are duty-bound to uphold and sustain. We may fall short, but our imperfection does not relieve us of our obligation.”
Justice Thomas’ message about the Declaration was not just for those Notre Dame students. It is for all of us – summarized: there are eternal truths, they are true for all of humanity, and it is the personal responsibility of each individual to live up to them.
His message is exactly what every American needs to hear in these troublesome and divisive times.
-
Biden using taxpayer dollars to buy voters is indefensible
In July 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned President Biden’s attempt to cancel more than $400 billion in student debt. Biden has since been exploring ways to bypass the ruling. Recently, he announced that over 270,000 individuals enrolled in his income-driven repayment plan (SAVE) will have $7.4 billion in debt canceled. This action brings the…
-
Trump should move ahead with federal abortion bans
Decades-long Republican efforts to roll back abortion access are now paying off in the aftermath of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Supreme Court ruling which overturned Roe v. Wade. And yet today, an overwhelming majority of Americans say that they believe at least some abortion access should be protected. GOP presidential candidate Donald…
-
Biden’s White House shows hostility toward Christianity on Easter
President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden recently hosted an education-themed Easter egg roll at the White House, while also acknowledging International Transgender Day of Visibility. Some Republicans criticized the White House for banning religious themes from designs in the children’s egg decorating contest. Straight Arrow News contributor Star Parker argues that the White House…
-
Kamala Harris’s abortion clinic visit endorses crime against humanity
Kamala Harris became the first American vice president in history to visit an abortion services provider while in office on Thursday, Mar. 14. That visit was a part of her “Fight for Reproductive Freedoms” tour, which she hopes will mobilize Americans concerned about dwindling access to reproductive healthcare and abortion services. Straight Arrow News contributor…
-
Schumer must stand down on attacks against Israel
On March 14, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, issued a stark warning that Israel was at risk of becoming a “pariah,” and advocated for a new election to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Schumer’s remarks on the Senate floor, notable given his history of unwavering support for the Jewish state, sparked widespread controversy among…
Latest Opinions
-
Supreme Court justices split over Idaho’s abortion law
-
Businesses sue over FTC ban on noncompetes
-
National Enquirer ex-publisher: Tabloid made up stories to help Trump
-
Bird flu fallout: USDA says milk is safe, states must test dairy herds
-
Biden administration cracks down on flight refunds and hidden fees
Popular Opinions
-
In addition to the facts, we believe it’s vital to hear perspectives from all sides of the political spectrum.