Virginia Thomas appears to be looking for some publicity

[angelmom]

No. Is there something in the recording that proves the speaker is Ms. Thomas? I'm not sure how one does that over the phone.

You should. She identifies herself clearly (not proof, but she's not hiding her identity) and leaves a very non-threatening message. Out of the blue and a little strange, yes, but scary...not in the slightest. Not even for someone who is fearful of being threatened.

After this long, unless she is regularly being stalked, I cannot even begin to imagine this message being upsetting in any way.

 

[miimaa]

Ms. Hill did not contact the FBI... campus security did.

When Hill heard the voicemail, she contacted Brandeis' public safety office, which in turn informed the FBI.

IMO V.Thomas had absolutely NO BUSINESS contacting A.Hill. Maybe she was drunk that day. Now really -- if V.Thomas believes that her husband did nothing wrong and A.Hill lied why would she call and ask for an apology? A normal person in that situation wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole. Frankly if I were Ms. Hill and V.Thomas called me I would be livid.

 

[miimaa]

There is a book about this called "Strange Justice". The Time magazine review here
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,981809-1,00.html

 

[Nova]

You should. She identifies herself clearly (not proof, but she's not hiding her identity) and leaves a very non-threatening message. Out of the blue and a little strange, yes, but scary...not in the slightest. Not even for someone who is fearful of being threatened.

After this long, unless she is regularly being stalked, I cannot even begin to imagine this message being upsetting in any way.

I certainly don't know the parties here and I am only speculating. But Anita Hill has been the target of ire far out of proportion to her testimony, which taken by itself, was rather mild.

I'm not sure we can fairly judge what might seem threatening to her, or know what her normal procedures may be with regard to phone calls from strangers.

In fairness to her, she didn't call in the FBI or Interpol, she didn't call a press conference. She just turned the tape over to campus security. At most colleges, campus security isn't exactly a "crack" police force.

There's been no suggestion that now that she knows the call was genuine, she has any intention of claiming harassment.

What may seem an overreaction may just be standard operating procedure for her after all these years.

Frankly, I think Mrs. Thomas' call was intended to reach the press, since the call was made within hours of news stories being released that suggest she has had a conflict-of-interest problem. (This is not to say she committed a crime. It was just a p.r. move, IMHO.)

 

[believe09]

Somewhat closing the loop here, Ms. Hill's book is published:

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/29384784/detail.html?hpt=us_bn4

"BOSTON -- In 1991, more than 20 million people were glued to their television sets for the explosive and controversial confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. A young female attorney, Anita Hill, had accused Thomas of sexual harassment. ​

In her now-famous testimony, Hill graphically detailed her allegations of sexual harassment that she says occurred when she worked for Thomas as his aide in the 1980s at the Department of Education. ​

Senators on both sides of the aisle spoke out in support of Thomas and Hill. The debate was angry and intense, and prompted a public referendum on sexual harassment and gender inequality.​

Twenty years later, Hill is a professor at Brandeis University teaching classes on race and gender equality."


​

 

[animlzrule]

I remember those hearings, and what a slime Thomas was (and most likely still is). Anita Hill was very brave to take him on under these circumstances. Glad to see she has built an admirable career for herself.

 

[Snick1946]

I do not have a link to it but there was an article online the other day about fifty members of Congress asking that Thomas be investigated for failure to declare income from his wife's political activities; he also has not recused himself from cases her political group has a vested interest in.

IMHO, Thomas was not qualified by background or temperment for the court. Bush Sr appointed him because it was for Thurgood Marshall's seat and Thomas was the only black conservative judge they could find. I know of no other court member who has had so many questions arise about his conduct.