Anita Hill

[Gerry Clinchy]

NY Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/20/us...html?th&emc=th

20 years ago I wasn't paying much attention to politics, so don't remember the details of Hill's testimony; nor did I form an opinion on whether it was true or not.

However, why would Hill make this private message public? She could have just let it lay to see if there was another follow-up contact. The article says that she thought it might be a prankster. There was no threat implied (that I can see) in the message. Yet Hill thought it should be turned over to the FBI.

“I thought it was certainly inappropriate,” Ms. Hill said. “It came in at 7:30 a.m. on my office phone from somebody I didn’t know, and she is asking for an apology. It was not invited. There was no background for it.”

In a statement conveyed through a publicist, Ms. Thomas confirmed leaving the message, which she portrayed as a peacemaking gesture. She did not explain its timing.

“I did place a call to Ms. Hill at her office extending an olive branch to her after all these years, in hopes that we could ultimately get past what happened so long ago,” she said. “That offer still stands. I would be very happy to meet and talk with her if she would be willing to do the same. Certainly no offense was ever intended.”

If Hill thought the message impugned her integrity, it was private, and would never have impacted her reputation had it remained private. Why did Hill feel compelled to play the tape for news media?

[menmon]

NY Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/20/us...html?th&emc=th

20 years ago I wasn't paying much attention to politics, so don't remember the details of Hill's testimony; nor did I form an opinion on whether it was true or not.

However, why would Hill make this private message public? She could have just let it lay to see if there was another follow-up contact. The article says that she thought it might be a prankster. There was no threat implied (that I can see) in the message. Yet Hill thought it should be turned over to the FBI.



If Hill thought the message impugned her integrity, it was private, and would never have impacted her reputation had it remained private. Why did Hill feel compelled to play the tape for news media?

The bigger question is why did the woman leave the message?

[Gerry Clinchy]

The bigger question is why did the woman leave the message?

Did you read the article which quoted the message? The message seems self-explanatory.

If you are asking, did Mrs. Thomas plan on using an apology or explanation by Hill in some publicly beneficial way to Justice Thomas, then I can't answer that.

With no threat in the message, if Hill thought it could be a prankster, it would seem more logical to see if a follow-up to the message would occur before calling in the FBI.

[dnf777]

I'd apologize.

"I'm sorry you married a pig.....Bee-otch!"

Not sure if that's what she's looking for.

[road kill]

I'd apologize.

"I'm sorry you married a pig.....Bee-otch!"

Not sure if that's what she's looking for.

I believe you.



RK

[YardleyLabs]

It's interesting to wonder how Mrs. Thomas would have felt about a telephone message from Anita Hill suggesting, after all these years, that it would be a good thing if Justice Thomas would finally clear the air by apologizing for his inappropriate sexual harassment. In both cases, the messages could be considered inappropriate because they represent accusations that the other person committed perjury in testimony before Congress.

[sandyg]

TLB that the two main libs on this forum immediately come to the defense of Anita Hill, just like they came to the defense of the rape accuser in the Duke Lacrosse team case of 2006. They refuse to let facts and common sense stand in their way.

TLB = typical liberal behavior

[YardleyLabs]

TLB that the two main libs on this forum immediately come to the defense of Anita Hill, just like they came to the defense of the rape accuser in the Duke Lacrosse team case of 2006. They refuse to let facts and common sense stand in their way.

TLB = typical liberal behavior

Interesting observation. Where did either Dave or I come to the defense of the accuser in the Duke lacrosse team scandal (hint: I've already done the search)? Does that mean that comments such as yours, with no basis whatsoever in fact, should be labeled TCB - typical conservative behavior? BTW, did you even watch the hearings?

[Gerry Clinchy]

It's interesting to wonder how Mrs. Thomas would have felt about a telephone message from Anita Hill suggesting, after all these years, that it would be a good thing if Justice Thomas would finally clear the air by apologizing for his inappropriate sexual harassment. In both cases, the messages could be considered inappropriate because they represent accusations that the other person committed perjury in testimony before Congress.

Offhand, I don't think that Mrs. Thomas would have called in the FBI and played the voice mail for the media.

Being a woman, and trying to assess another woman's reactions ... in the case of either phone call the recipient might be really dissed about the caller assuming their "guilt" in the matter. Why would Ms. Hill want to resurrect this old unpleasantness by bringing the media into it?

[BonMallari]

You just have to believe that given the opportunity Mrs Thomas would like nothing better than to open a large can of whoop azz on Ms Hill...like most things today everyone has some sort of agenda, those two will be mortal enemies to their dying days..