MSNBC host Tiffany Cross called Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas the “Justice Pubic Hair on My Coke Can” during a segment meant to celebrate the anniversary of Justice’s confirmation in which she criticized Thomas and his wife, Virginia “Ginni” Thomas.
On Tuesday, the Georgia Senate approved a proposal that would have a statue of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas placed in Atlanta, the capital of the state. This resulted in outrage from the Democrats and some media outlets.
The Republican-led Senate in Georgia voted 32-20, along party lines for the erection of Thomas’ statue. Thomas is originally from Pin Point, Georgia, which is near the city of Savannah. Senate Bill 69 is going to now need to be approved by the state House.
Republican Sen. Ben Watson, who is the representative of Thomas’ birthplace, sponsored the bill, noting that Thomas has had a life of “tremendous achievement” and that he deserves recognition on Georgia’s “Capitol grounds.” The statue would be entirely funded through private donations according to Watson.
The Democrats have argued that Thomas is too controversial of a figure and should not have his statue in the state’s capital. One state lawmaker even called Thomas a traitor to his race. Sen. Emanual Jones, who like Thomas is also Black, said that Thomas is “a person of color that goes back historically to the days of slavery” he is referred to in the Black community as “Uncle Tom.”
Thomas had grown up in Georgia facing a lot of discrimination during the Jim Crow Era. He eventually went to Yale Law School and became chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
