Chief Justice Rehnquist Was Not A Good Man

In addition to being a hypocrite about drug use (Rehnquist did everything in his power to curtail the rights of drug defendants; he himself was a drug addict), he was also, according to the late Justice William Brennan's memos, a racist.

At conference Rehnquist referred to those illegal immigrants, shockingly, as "wetbacks." Marshall had heard his share of slurs over the years--much of his career, after all, was in the practice of NAACP law in the Deep South, below what he called the "Smith and Wesson line"" But to hear such an epithet in a conference of the U.S. Supreme Court was more than he could bear. Marshall exploded at Rehnquist, who lamely attempted to defend himself by saying in his part of the country the term wetbacks still had "currency," as Brennan recalled it. Marshall fumed that by the same reasoning, he'd long been called a nigger.

(Via the VC.)

Comments

[AntonK]

Well, that does it! He used the word "wetbacks." Inexcusable! Hang him!

Not that I condone that type of language, but if we're going to use such talk as the benchmark by which we judge people, than Mike, and everyone else here better be very, very careful about what they say, and covet closely what they may have said in the past.

Oh, and how about the vaunted Senator Robert Byrd?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Byrd

[steve]

Rehnquist was the worst thing to happen to the Supreme Court. Just read his opinions, which almost always opposed civil and constitutional rights. Using racist terms in conference is bad, but writing into law his cramped view of civil liberties was inexcusable.

[thomas]

Rehnquist was one of the worst but he has many challengers for title of the worst. He was merely a product of the other worst, Warren Burger! Burger made it his sole mission to undermine and destroy as much of the constitutional bulwark created by the omnipotent Earl Warren. Racist is not as good a definition of these terrible people as Elitist would be as the later is more appropriate. Not only are elitist racists by their very nature they harbor so many more despicable traits (i.e. they hate the poor, they dispise individuality and any other way of thought other than their own, etc.)
Rehnquist sold his soul to achieve whatever it was that he wanted to achieve. He is now serving his eternity in Hell where he belongs. Hopefully he too is having a pineappe shoved up his .... along side his contemporary Adolph Hitler.
More importantly, hopefully society and it's many leaders will strive to put the law back where it once resided with respect to all persons, their rights, and desires. It is every persons duty to do some part it making this happen. So hopefully you are working on your plan to do your's.

[Mike]

Oh, and how about the vaunted Senator Robert Byrd?

Maybe in the circles you're in, people who find a conservative to be morally repugnant will ignore the same flaws in a liberal. That's not how it works at C&F. So your Robert Byrd example does not impeach my post.

[Mike]

Not that I condone that type of language, but if we're going to use such talk as the benchmark by which we judge people, than Mike, and everyone else here better be very, very careful about what they say, and covet closely what they may have said in the past.

This is laughable. There's a difference between what, say, a drunk celebrity or college student (see Borat) says; and what a sober sitting Chief Justice on the United States Supreme Court says.

Are you such a party hack that you can't see such gradiations? Do you really think we should not expect more from the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court than we would expect of a college kid.

[thomas]

To clarify my position, I certainly don't condone stupidity from any party. Anymore, a Democrat and a Republican are pretty much indistinguishable from each other in their disregard for the constitution and a citizens rights. (see: AEDPA which was put through on the democrat's watch).
I can only hope that someone will someday take up and properly promote the Libertarian agenda so we can get back to respecting the individual's rights. Unfortunately, we will have to wait for severl other cronies to pass away first. what a shame.

[mythago]

Perhaps AntonK has to be very, very careful not to use racist terms like 'wetback' and so presumes everyone else does.