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Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Name Thomas County for Justice
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s not exactly in the vicinity of Pinpoint, Ga., birthplace of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. But it’s close.
While we’re in the business or renaming roads, schools, airports and other real estate, my recommendation to the Georgia General Assembly is that Thomas County in Southwest Georgia be renamed for the reknown pioneer Georgian, Clarence Thomas. It’s far too complicated to rename his birthplace, Chatham County. Deeds, contracts, records, etc.
The existing Thomas County is named for Jett Thomas whose claim to fame is that he was an officer in the War of 1812 and later oversaw construction of the State Capitol in Milledgeville and the first building at the University of Georgia. Thousands of later Georgians had similar accomplishments. Thomas, however, is unique. A Georgian of national prominence, he’s an independent-thinking black conservative ridiculed by the left, initially as a cipher in the shadow of Justice Antoine Scalia. The current liberal take is that he’s the perpetually angry man settling old scores. He’s certainly neither and his contribution will stand on its own. He would have made a fine Chief Justice.
Georgia should take two steps to honor Thomas. One is to erect a monument in the Capitol vicinity, even though he never served in state government. The other is to redesignate Thomas County in honor of the life and accomplishments of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. In fact, the people of Thomas County should rise up and insist on it.
