Posted on 06/02/2009 3:45:41 PM PDT by mgstarr
Justice Thomas -- who otherwise never misses court -- skipped a SCOTUS session to speak at the graduation of his travel companions.
High school seniors Terrence Stephens and Jason Ankrah, star football players at Quince Orchard High School in Gaithersburg, Md., were sitting on a plane returning from a recruitment session at the University of Nebraska when they struck up a conversation with the man sitting next to them.
Their seat-mate just happened to be a major Cornhuskers fan.
When they started chatting, Stephens and Ankrah didn't have a clue they were holding court with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
"I was amazed this guy knew so much about us as football players and as people," said Stephens. "That was shocking. I felt honored to be known by someone of his caliber. He was just a regular old guy, sitting in coach, which really shocked me."
By the time the plane landed, the students had figured out who Thomas was, and they promptly told their principal they wanted to invite Thomas to give the keynote speech at their high school graduation. Of course, Principal Carole Working didn't exactly think Thomas would take them up on it. But he showed up at the high school on Monday.
"These young men had no idea who I was as I formed my first impression. I was just another stranger to them. They were wonderful ambassadors for your school and for their fellow students," said Thomas at the Quince Orchard graduation ceremony.
When Stephens and Ankrah arrived on-stage to receive their diplomas, they were both embraced by Justice Thomas.
Ankrah will be playing football for Nebraska next year, but Stephens will be attending Stanford. The justice said he doesn't have any hard feelings over that.
that is so cool
Class act.
What a great story.
NBC actually reported this? Wow. Some story editor is going to get fired.
Justice Thomas is a great American.
I’ll take a Thomas over a Sotomayor
Attending Stanford is just wrong and Nebraska isn’t much better.
GO HUSKIES
Clarence Thomas is a class individual.
Great story. NBC still sucks though.
Great story!!!
someone must have been sleeping at the news desk to let that one through
WOW! What an amazing story! Clarence Thomas is a sincerely GREAT MAN. Apparently he is humble (or cheap), too. LOL!
Riding coach? I try NOT to ride coach and I’m just a peon. It is so uncomfortable there. I guess I could stand it for a short four hour flight, but for a 13-hour flight coach is just intolerable.
At least they didn't go to Big 10 school. That would be a waste of talent.
Wow! A positive story about Justice Thomas from the MSM!
I’m shocked.
A wonderful heartlifting story.
You gave me a good laugh with the “GO HUSKIES”. Hey, at least you have dedication. Just like the Detroit Lions, no where to go but up. Have you seen this?...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI_xCBAv2rk
GO DUCKS!
GO BEAVERS!
*A real Supreme Court Justice bump*
You’re a great man, Mr Justice Thomas . . .
but a Cornhusker????
Say it isn’t so
GOOSEBUMPS !
Way more class than Zero ever had or has.
probably the last no-bias/hit-piece reporting was when 60 Minutes’ gave Justice Thomas his own segment. Even I couldn’t believe it.
At least he’s not a former democrat :-)
Sounds like a compelling life story.
Slumming in coach class and speaking with peasants? What kind of elitist DC insider does that?
Go Beavers? Okay, you are alright dirtman! You still in Corvallis?
Go HUSKERS!
Even liberal reporters who dislike the legal opinions of Justice Thomas admit that he is, far and away, the nicest person on the Court. He reportedly will chat for hours with visiting relatives of journalists, clerks, etc.
Ill take a Thomas over a Sotomayor
I'm sure there will be a followup story about how Thomas' conservative rulings hurt the students even as he befriends them.
The man is treasure. (I gotta start flying more — might get lucky.)
I did too. In his book he said that he and his wife travel the country in the summer in their travel trailer. wouldn't it be cool to find yourself parked next to him at some campsite in maybe North Dakota, or wherever and share some conversation around a campfire?????????
” He was just a regular old guy, sitting in coach, which really shocked me.”
What a class act
What a testament to this wonderful American’s character and humility.
This is one great grad story!!
red uniforms at both schools
That’s the word.
This man is a Patriot and a Class Act. His Conservative roots are showing.
Maybe a conversation on race a la Jonah Goldberg will bring some fairness to Justice Thomas as well. He deserves it.
Wish we had a couple more like him on the Supreme Court.
What a heartwarming story.
Wasn’t Justice Thomas the one who coined “the dirty little secret about freedom means you are on your own”???
Justice Thomas flies coach, while Obama takes the missus to the Big Apple for a date at a cost of hundreds of thousands to the taxpayer.
What a difference!
I just love Clarence Thomas. There is so much to admire about him.
>>What kind of elitist DC insider does that?
Thomas doesn’t get invited to the swank Georgetown cocktail parties, I hear...not that he cares.
Early in our nation's history, Martha Washington was heard to comment that Georgetown was "a dirty hole." Generations later, another lovely First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy, said "it still is."
I don't think things have changed very much.
I would choose Clarence Thomas over Sotomayor as well. He is respectable.
I never went to U of O or OSU. I am just a proud member of the Society of Native Oregon Born (SNOB) and root for the Ducks or Beavers or Trail Blazers.
Great report, Justice Thomas is a super role model.
Unlike another guy who needs a G-V to take his wife out for a date, along with two other aircraft and two helicopters. A G-V like this one:

He a Husker's fan, who regularly attends the games. He's gotta be cool.
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