Justice Clarence Thomas Reflects on the Declaration of Independence's Enduring Truths

On April 15, Justice Clarence Thomas delivered a lecture at the University of Texas at Austin in honor of the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. He shared his personal reflections on its enduring principles.

Justice Thomas highlighted the Declaration's second paragraph, which proclaims:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights…."

He described these truths as articles of faith that shaped his youth, stating they were impervious to bigotry or discrimination. According to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, "self-evident" means "obviously true, and requiring no proof, argument or explanation."

Justice Thomas explained that these principles—whether divine or worldly in origin—were never questioned. They were the foundation of belief, akin to "the Holy Grail, the North Star, the rock—immovable and unquestioned."

Despite systemic inequalities, he noted that those around him, including his family and community, held firm to the belief that "in God's eyes and under our Constitution, we are equal." This conviction was shared by his educators, including nuns who were Irish immigrants, and reinforced in homes, schools, and churches.

Justice Thomas emphasized that equality was inherent and derived from God, not from human institutions. He recalled that even without formal education, older generations understood that these God-given or natural rights transcended governmental authority. In a segregated society where discrimination was palpable, he stressed that rights and dignity were not granted by oppressive systems but by divine origin.

His grandfather, though not a literate man, often spoke of rights and obligations as emanating from God, not from the architects of segregation. Justice Thomas underscored that while men were flawed and not angels, they were subject to antecedent rights that could not be diminished. Life, liberty, and property, he noted, were sacrosanct and universally recognized as such.

He lamented the tendency to overcomplicate the Declaration's truths, stating that intellectuals often obscure these principles with esoteric philosophy or academic debate. Even supporters, he argued, sometimes discuss them as if they were mere academic playthings, stripping them of their spirit and power.

Justice Thomas' speech has received widespread attention for its poignant reminder of the Declaration's foundational role in American identity and its call to uphold its principles without dilution.