William H. Rehnquist: A Legacy of Bigotry

[Sandpiper]

No, I'm not engaging in hyperbole. Departing Chief Justice Rehnquist was a racist, who did his best to make sure that dark skinned Americans knew their place in the "land of the free."


As a Law Clerk to Justice Jackson in 1952, Rehnquist wrote this in a memo entitled "A Random Thought on the Segregation Cases" prior to the landmark Brown v Board of Education decision:

“I realize that it is an unpopular and unhumanitarian position for which I have been excoriated by ‘liberal’ colleagues, but I think Plessy v Ferguson was right and should be reaffirmed.”

“it’s about time the Supreme Court faced the fact that the white people of the South don’t like the colored people.”



From the Late 1950s to mid 1960s, Rehnquist was the Administrator of the Arizona Republican Party's "Operation Eagle Eye," a program where Republican Lawyers would go to predominantly minority polling centers to intimidate voters and suppress the minority vote.

For a first hand account of a Poll worker's run in with "Bill" and subsequently having him forcibly removed:

http://www.commondreams.org/views/120200-101.htm



Rehnquist's home at the time had a deed stating the house could not be sold to anyone not of the Caucasian race.

Upon moving in 1974, he purchased a home in Vermont that contained a covenant prohibiting the sale of the property "To any member of the Hebrew race."



While a member of the Supreme Court in 1980, Rehnquist made these thoughts known to the press regarding the case of United States v. Sioux Nations:

“We conquered them, why should we pay for their land?”



And perhaps the most telling of all, in 33 years on the Supreme Court, Rehnquist never hired a single African American Law Clerk or Aide.

[dr.zoidberg]

1. I've heard that he is considering retirement. n/t

[no_hypocrisy]

2. Funny you should mention this. Thurgood Marshall LOVED to tweak Rehnquist

when TM was on the Court with him. According to Woodward's The Brethren, Marshall always made Rehnquist squirm with his usual morning greeting of "How's it goin' Chiefie Baby?". Rehnquist hated the lack of deference especially from Marshall.

[StevieM]

3. Bump. People need to read this. (eom)

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