A few emailers have lamented that Clarence Thomas used the somewhat condescending term “uncommonly silly” to refer to a law that invaded privacy and ruined people’s lives. Perhaps there’s another explanation. The phrase “uncommonly silly” was used by Justices Stewart and Black in their dissent to the Griswold decision on contraception (paragraph 105):
Since 1879 Connecticut has had on its books a law which forbids the use of contraceptives by anyone. I think this is an uncommonly silly law. As a practical matter, the law is obviously unenforceable, except in the oblique context of the present case. As a philosophical matter, I believe the use of contraceptives in the relationship of marriage should be left to personal and private choice, based upon each individual’s moral, ethical, and religious beliefs. As a matter of social policy, I think professional counsel about methods of birth control should be available to all, so that each individual’s choice can be meaningfully made. But we are not asked in this case to say whether we think this law is unwise, or even asinine. We are asked to hold that it violates the United States Constitution. And that I cannot do.
So that reference appeared to fly well over the heads of most of the media, me included.
ANTI-SEMITISM WATCH: Here’s an email sent by a British pathologist, turning down an Israeli PhD student for a place at Oxford University:
“Thank you for contacting me, but I don’t think this would work. I have a huge problem with the way that the Israelis take the moral high ground from their appalling treatment in the Holocaust, and then inflict gross human rights abuses on the Palestinians because they [the Palestinians] wish to live in their own country. I am sure that you are perfectly nice at a personal level, but no way would I take on somebody who had served in the Israeli army. As you may be aware, I am not the only UK scientist with these views but I’m sure you will find another lab if you look around.”
Charming, huh?
SUPPORTING IRAN: Pejman links to a moving open letter from one Iranian exile to the democrats at home.
The Dish 