To the Daily:

I would like to address Chris Koslowski’s column in which he praised Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, claiming he is a “supporter of individual rights and equality” (A just defense of free speech, 02/09/2010). If this were true, Thomas wouldn’t have supported bans on abortion or upheld a law banning sodomy. He also wouldn’t have supported President George W. Bush’s vision of presidential power, in which the most basic rights of people all over the world were crudely violated.

Koslowski also spends a significant amount of time defending the Court’s recent decision that allows corporations to spend freely on political issues. Sadly, a majority of justices supported this attack on the democratic process. Justice Thomas was the only one involved in a dissent that also pushed for the removal of acts that require sponsors of political advertising to disclose who paid for them. In essence, he doesn’t want transparency.

Even worse, Thomas blamed this on gay activists in California who opposed Proposal 8, which banned same-sex marriage. Not even Justices Antonin Scalia or Samuel Alito were willing to sign on to his homophobic rhetoric this time.

Koslowski also needs a quick history lesson. There has been tension between the executive and judicial branches since the creation of our country. For President Barack Obama to stand up and denounce a decision isn’t showing disrespect or attacking the Court’s legitimacy, it’s simply stating his opinion. Don’t be so offended that the President doesn’t agree with a decision that will hurt the political power of the individual citizen.

Lastly, Koslowski writes that the country is victimized by a “president with a seemingly deficient understanding of the Supreme Court’s responsibilities and traditions.” When Koslowski becomes a constitutional law professor at the University of Chicago Law School, which Obama was, then I will respect his opinion as much as I currently respect our president’s.

Adam Deutsch
LSA Junior