People have castigated Justice Clarence Thomas because he has asked no questions in court for two years, or roughly 730 "media years." He last asked a question from the bench on Feb. 22, 2006--when Rumsfeld was still running the war with optimism and Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were rumored to be planning to wed--i.e., ancient times. This post is intended to defend his position. Justice Thomas, unlike many people who talk when they have nothing to say, spares us that situation. After all, he gets paid the same amount whether he asks questions or not, so there's no money in it for him as he has actually reminded us.
"Silence is golden" as the old saw goes, so why talk without remuneration? Justice Thomas makes money giving lecturers on the lecture tour, so why spoil the suspense of what you will say when there's cash on the barrel head by blabbering gratis? He got a cool million and a half for the book he wrote, which proves his silence strategy pay$ off.
And what would he say? Don't we know already? ("I'll have what Scalia's having?") He's written a book in which he appears to very bitter about his upbringing and his schooling, and if he were to prattle on about that we wouldn't want to hear it anyhoo, so he's saved us the annoyance. Remember the saing "Better to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt"? It may come from this Bible verse at Proverbs 17:28 : Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise:
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Everyone knows Calvin Coolidge because he was silent Cal. Thomas will gain notoriety for being Silent Clarence. Can you recall any characteristic of Justice Harold Burton?
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