Hawaii ACLU Members Compare Thomas to 'Hitler,' 'Anti-Christ'
WASHINGTON — After comparing him to "Hitler" and characterizing him as an "Uncle Tom," a vocal group of members of Hawaii's American Civil Liberties Union convinced their board to reject an invitation for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to participate in an upcoming conference.
Pam Lichty, the president of the ACLU of Hawaii, said Monday that the board had voted against a proposal to invite Thomas to debate national ACLU President Nadine Strossen about affirmative action at the Davis-Levin First Amendment conference. The purpose of the conference, according to founder Robert Rees, "is to offer pitched debates on constitutional issues." The idea for Thomas to participate was first discussed by ACLU members after Justice Antonin Scalia had participated in an earlier conference.
Lichty said Thomas, who is African-American and is known as one of the more conservative members of the high court,...