The Ninth Circle of Hell

In Dante’s Inferno, each downward circle of hell represents worse and worse sins, till we get to the bottom: Traitors. Traitors to family, traitors to country, but the very lowest were traitors to benefactors.

Consider the following: Clarence Thomas has declared that he wants to make liberals’ lives miserable. He wants to overturn same-sex marriages, the legality of gay (and some straight) sex, and access to contraceptives, all that were championed by liberals. One noteworthy omission from his list of cases he’d like overturned was Loving v. Virginia, that legalized interracial marriage, that was also championed by liberals. Why? It’s pretty evident, isn’t it? Justice Thomas’ wife is white. Justice Thomas has reaped the benefits of liberals’ blood, sweat and tears to end Jim Crow and miscegenation laws so that he can enjoy the life he does. He’s benefited from the work of liberals, but now wants to make their lives hell.

If the Inferno were to be written today, I’d have some casting notes for Dante.