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GINNI: Good morning,
Anita Hill.
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It's Ginni Thomas,
and I just wanted
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to reach across the airwaves
and the years
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and ask you
to consider something.
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I would love you to consider
an apology sometime
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and some full explanation
of why you did
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what you did
with my husband.
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So, give it
some thought.
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I certainly pray about this
and hope that one day
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you'll help us understand
why you did what you did.
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Okay.
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Have a good day.
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JOE: Can you
tell the committee
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what was the most
embarrassing
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of all the incidences
that you have alleged?
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ANITA: I think the one that
was the most embarrassing
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was his discussion
of pornography
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involving these women
with large breasts
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engaged
in a variety of sex
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with different people
or animals.
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That was the thing that made
me feel the most humiliated.
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He got up from the table,
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looked at the can
and asked
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"Who has put pubic hair
on my coke?"
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On other occasions,
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he referred
to the size of his own penis
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as being larger
than normal.
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I was threatened,
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that sexual violence
threatens my job.
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Bomb threats to my house,
packages that were viable.
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This is where I got
the voicemail message
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from Ginni Thomas.
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But it was still quite
shocking to come
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and actually sit
at my desk
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and be at the phone
and hear this voice.
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You know, I, uh,
frankly thought
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this has got to be
somebody impersonating her.
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But either way
I thought,
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whether it's her
or someone impersonating her,
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this is an important call.
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After all, I thought,
you know,
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if this is someone
really trying to get
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a witness to change
her sworn testimony,
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we ought to know
about it
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and we ought to know
who's doing it.
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And I am
very proud indeed
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to nominate him
for this position
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and I trust
that the senate
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will confirm
this able man promptly.
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I expected to be a part
of the vetting process.
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When I heard
about the nomination,
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it was the summer time
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and it was a typical
hot summer in Oklahoma.
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The school session was out.
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The FBI and the background
checks were very extensive.
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You know,
anybody and everybody,
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especially who's ever worked
with a person will get a call.
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And that's what
I expected to happen.
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Once I got the call
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specifically directed at me
from the Senate itself,
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once that call came,
I knew what I had to do.
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We understand that you
experienced sexual harassment
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at the hands
of Clarence Thomas.
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That was what I answered.
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More specifically
about the behavior.
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Pressuring for dates,
the sex talk in the workplace,
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the feeling that my job
was really in jeopardy.
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But that was also, uh,
what I said, you know,
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I really would like to have
a chance to do a statement
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in my own words.
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I don't want this to be
a political witch hunt.
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And I sent it in believing
that it would be confidential,
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but believing
that the senators
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would take it
into account.
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I suspected that there
would be other women.
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And that they needed to--
to really fully investigate it
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and not just rely
on my statement.
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And so I sent it in
with my name
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and it was leaked.
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Good evening,
from Congress
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to the White House
to the workplace,
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the sexual
harassment storm
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around Clarence Thomas
is intensifying.
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The battle over his
Supreme Court nomination
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has now triggered
a nationwide debate
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about sexual harassment
on the job.
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We are outraged that the senate
is not taking seriously,
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uh, these allegations of sexual
harassment of a black woman.
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Most of us
don't understand,
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uh, what
sexual harassment is.
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And if you're sexual harassed,
you ought to get mad about it
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and you ought to do
something about it
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and you ought
to complain.
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Instead of hanging around
a long time
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and then all of a sudden
calling up anonymously and say,
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"Oh, I want to complain."
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I still think they should
investigate further
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just because he's gonna be
a Supreme Court justice
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and he's gonna be
making decisions
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that's gonna affect
the entire country.
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[ applause ]
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I felt that as a citizen,
as an individual
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who had information
that it was my obligation
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when approached
to come forward
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and I did that.
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Mrs. Hill, by coming forward,
have you been a victim twice?
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You know, I hate to use
those kinds of terms.
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Reliving
this experience has--
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I mean, it has been
really bad for me.
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I mean, it's--
I can't even describe.
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It was bad enough
to experience it once.
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It is an unpleasant issue.
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It's an ugly issue.
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And people don't want
to deal with it generally
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and in particular
in this case.
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Until I wrote that statement
to the Senate,
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I really hadn't
allowed myself
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to sit down
and put together
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all the details
of what had happened.
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And how awful it was
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and how painful it was
for me to have to leave work
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that I loved
in order to escape it.
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No comment.
Thank you.
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I don't have any comments,
thank you.
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I really just want to go in
to teach my class.
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I can talk to you
about contracts
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if anybody's interested.
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Even after it was leaked,
no one on that committee--
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They had voted it out.
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They were not interested
in hearing from me.
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But they started
hearing from the public.
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Stop Thomas now!
Stop Thomas now!
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Stop Thomas now!
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Stop Thomas now!
Stop Thomas now!
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And now we're going over
to tell the Senate
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that we are enraged.
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ANITA: Women like
Eleanor Holmes Norton
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and Patricia Schroeder
marched over to the Senate
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and got turned away
by the Sergeant at Arms,
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because they were out of order
going over to the Senate side.
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Um, that, the pressure
that they began to exert
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and then the public followed.
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And said, "You have
to reconvene the hearing."
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I think America's women
really want to see this body
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start doing something
for them than to them.
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To any victim
of sexual harassment
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or sexual abuse
or sexual violence
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either in the street
or even in their own home,
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the message is, nobody's
gonna take you seriously,
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not even
the United States Senate.
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ANITA: Once I did get
the phone call from Joe Biden
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and found out
that I was going to testify,
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that I was gonna be
subpoenaed,
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I was trying to figure out
what I was going to do.
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[ chuckles ]
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I had no idea
what I was gonna get into.
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As a private citizen,
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I was watching this
on television.
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I was watching it
in the newspapers.
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I was totally disconnected,
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I mean, literally in the middle of the country in Oklahoma
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from what was going on
in Washington, D.C.
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JOE: Sexual harassment
is a serious matter.
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This is a hearing convened
for a specific purpose.
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To air specific allegations
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against one
specific individual.
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Allegations which may be true
or may not be true.
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ANITA: I didn't expect
any part of the investigation
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of a Supreme Court nominee
to be partisan.
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00:11:01,108 --> 00:11:03,732
I assumed that everybody
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on the Senate
Judiciary Committee
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00:11:05,837 --> 00:11:08,737
wanted to make sure
that they were putting
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somebody who was
ultimately qualified
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and who was
of the highest integrity.
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JANE: She just had no idea
that she was walking
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into the political lions den
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and that supporters
of Justice Thomas
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would be out to shred
her credibility.
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JOE: Welcome, Professor Hill.
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JANE: It literally
didn't to occur to her
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that an opposition campaign
would be waged against her.
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00:12:00,616 --> 00:12:03,964
ANITA: Mr. Chairman,
Senator Thurmond,
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members of the Committee,
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my name is Anita F. Hill
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and I am a professor of law
at the University of Oklahoma.
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I was born on a farm
in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma.
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I am the youngest
of 13 children.
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My purpose was to
as clearly as possible
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tell the Senate about behavior
that I had experienced
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00:12:31,233 --> 00:12:33,200
at the hand
of Clarence Thomas.
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I couldn't say,
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"Oh well, I'm gonna prove
sexual harassment."
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I couldn't do that.
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00:12:38,723 --> 00:12:40,967
I could say,
"This is what I'm gonna do.
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I'm gonna tell
what happened to me."
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In 1981,
I was introduced
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to now Judge Thomas
by a mutual friend.
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00:12:50,735 --> 00:12:51,943
He was, in fact,
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00:12:52,150 --> 00:12:55,326
appointed as Assistant Secretary
of Education for Civil Rights.
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00:12:55,533 --> 00:12:57,949
He asked
if I would become his assistant
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00:12:58,156 --> 00:13:00,124
and I accepted that position.
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00:13:00,331 --> 00:13:03,679
After approximately
three months of working there
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00:13:03,852 --> 00:13:08,028
he asked me to go out socially
with him.
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00:13:08,857 --> 00:13:13,551
What happened next
and telling the world about it
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00:13:13,758 --> 00:13:15,864
are the two
most difficult things,
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00:13:16,071 --> 00:13:18,004
uh, experiences of my life.
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00:13:18,970 --> 00:13:22,629
It would have been more
comfortable to remain silent.
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00:13:23,423 --> 00:13:24,458
But when I was asked
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00:13:24,665 --> 00:13:27,427
by a representative
of this committee
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00:13:27,634 --> 00:13:30,533
to report my experience...
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00:13:32,466 --> 00:13:35,366
I felt that I had
to tell the truth.
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00:13:35,573 --> 00:13:37,506
I could not keep silent.
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00:13:38,748 --> 00:13:40,889
Can you tell me
what incidences occurred
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00:13:41,096 --> 00:13:42,166
of the ones
you've described to us
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00:13:42,373 --> 00:13:44,513
occurred in his office?
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00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:47,688
Well, I recall specifically
that the incident
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00:13:47,896 --> 00:13:49,276
about the coke can
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00:13:49,483 --> 00:13:52,866
occurred in his office
at the EEOC.
219
00:13:53,867 --> 00:13:55,662
JOE: And what was
that incident again?
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00:13:55,869 --> 00:13:58,320
The incident
with regard to the coke can
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00:13:58,527 --> 00:13:59,839
that's spelled out
in my statement.
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00:14:00,011 --> 00:14:01,288
JOE: Would you describe it
once again for me, please?
223
00:14:01,495 --> 00:14:06,707
The-- Um, incident involved
224
00:14:06,915 --> 00:14:10,642
his going to his desk,
getting up from a work table,
225
00:14:10,850 --> 00:14:15,958
going to his desk,
looking at this can and saying,
226
00:14:16,165 --> 00:14:20,066
"Who put pubic hair
on my coke?"
227
00:14:20,998 --> 00:14:24,656
JOE: Was anyone else
in his office at the time?
228
00:14:24,864 --> 00:14:26,106
No.
229
00:14:26,313 --> 00:14:28,833
Again, it's difficult,
but for the record,
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00:14:29,006 --> 00:14:31,180
what substance did he bring up
in this instance
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00:14:31,387 --> 00:14:33,458
at EEOC in his office?
232
00:14:33,665 --> 00:14:35,460
What was the content
of what he said?
233
00:14:35,667 --> 00:14:39,085
Well, this was a reference
to an individual
234
00:14:39,292 --> 00:14:43,986
who, um,
had a very large penis.
235
00:14:44,193 --> 00:14:50,061
And he used the name that he had
been referred to in the pro--
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00:14:50,268 --> 00:14:52,029
pornographic material.
237
00:14:52,236 --> 00:14:53,582
Um.
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00:14:55,515 --> 00:14:57,068
JOE: Do you recall
what it was?
239
00:14:57,275 --> 00:14:58,656
Yes, I do.
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00:14:58,863 --> 00:15:03,281
Um, the name that was referred
to was "Long Dong Silver."
241
00:15:03,488 --> 00:15:04,662
ANITA: I mean, it was awful.
242
00:15:04,869 --> 00:15:07,734
And it was, it was awful,
it was disappointing
243
00:15:07,941 --> 00:15:10,875
and I had to deal
with all those emotions
244
00:15:11,048 --> 00:15:13,982
and then try to stay focused
on why I was there.
245
00:15:14,189 --> 00:15:16,467
Why I knew I was there.
246
00:15:16,674 --> 00:15:19,711
The issues that you raised
about Judge Thomas,
247
00:15:19,919 --> 00:15:23,543
you referred to
as an ugly issue.
248
00:15:25,994 --> 00:15:29,445
Is that how you viewed
these conversations?
249
00:15:29,652 --> 00:15:30,930
Yes, they were very ugly.
250
00:15:31,137 --> 00:15:33,794
They were very dirty and the--
They were disgusting.
251
00:15:34,692 --> 00:15:38,903
Now, again, for the record,
did he just say...
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00:15:39,869 --> 00:15:42,562
"I have great physical
capabilities and attributes."
253
00:15:42,769 --> 00:15:44,115
Or was he more
graphic than--
254
00:15:44,322 --> 00:15:45,461
He was much more graphic.
255
00:15:45,668 --> 00:15:47,808
Can you tell us
what he said?
256
00:15:48,016 --> 00:15:52,330
Well, I can tell you that
he compared his penis size.
257
00:15:52,537 --> 00:15:58,060
Uh, he measured his penis
in terms of le-length,
258
00:15:58,267 --> 00:16:00,890
um, those kinds of comments.
259
00:16:01,063 --> 00:16:03,445
JILL: The spectacle
of those hearings,
260
00:16:03,652 --> 00:16:05,619
in some ways was created
261
00:16:05,826 --> 00:16:10,659
by the all white male
judiciary committee.
262
00:16:10,866 --> 00:16:13,282
Clumsily trying
to ask questions
263
00:16:13,489 --> 00:16:17,148
about what was then
not a familiar subject,
264
00:16:17,355 --> 00:16:18,701
sexual harassment.
265
00:16:18,908 --> 00:16:21,256
JANE: It was unusual
in how graphic
266
00:16:21,463 --> 00:16:23,568
the details were and strange.
267
00:16:23,775 --> 00:16:26,813
The whole country
was k-kind of going places
268
00:16:27,020 --> 00:16:29,264
that it hadn't been
together before.
269
00:16:29,471 --> 00:16:31,645
I can remember
in that hearing room
270
00:16:31,852 --> 00:16:36,236
which is like Rococo
and very beautiful
271
00:16:36,443 --> 00:16:40,551
and thinking when I heard
the words pubic hair
272
00:16:40,758 --> 00:16:47,523
said in this setting that just
seemed truly a bit surreal.
273
00:16:47,730 --> 00:16:53,667
But in order to speak
to the facts of who said what,
274
00:16:53,874 --> 00:16:57,913
you know, those details
did come pouring out.
275
00:16:58,879 --> 00:17:04,506
But they all looked rather
foolish talking about things
276
00:17:04,713 --> 00:17:10,029
like "Long Dong Silver"
and other matters.
277
00:17:10,201 --> 00:17:17,243
That the most embarrassing
question involved--
278
00:17:17,450 --> 00:17:19,762
This is not too bad,
women's large breasts.
279
00:17:19,969 --> 00:17:21,799
That's a word we use
all the time.
280
00:17:22,006 --> 00:17:26,493
That was the most
embarrassing aspect
281
00:17:26,700 --> 00:17:29,703
of what Judge Thomas
had said to you?
282
00:17:29,910 --> 00:17:34,467
No, the most embarrassing aspect
was his description
283
00:17:34,674 --> 00:17:39,058
of the acts of
these individuals, these women.
284
00:17:39,265 --> 00:17:40,714
Uh, the acts
285
00:17:40,921 --> 00:17:43,441
that those particular people
would engage in.
286
00:17:43,648 --> 00:17:46,858
It wasn't just the breasts,
it was--
287
00:17:47,066 --> 00:17:49,137
JILL: They thought that
the more they pressed
288
00:17:49,344 --> 00:17:53,624
on these details and got
Anita Hill to repeat them,
289
00:17:53,831 --> 00:17:58,077
the more absurd
and made up they would seem.
290
00:17:58,249 --> 00:18:01,459
I think they were trying
to trip her up because they,
291
00:18:01,666 --> 00:18:03,289
like, couldn't believe things
292
00:18:03,496 --> 00:18:06,913
like this would
or could be said.
293
00:18:07,120 --> 00:18:08,984
JANE: They were humiliating her a little bit too
294
00:18:09,157 --> 00:18:11,400
by making her go over this
again and again and again.
295
00:18:11,607 --> 00:18:13,506
And she was
an interesting witness.
296
00:18:13,713 --> 00:18:17,268
I mean she was
so calm and poised.
297
00:18:18,235 --> 00:18:20,823
I noticed there are a number of
people sitting behind you.
298
00:18:21,030 --> 00:18:22,308
Are any of them
your family members
299
00:18:22,515 --> 00:18:23,447
you'd like to introduce?
300
00:18:23,654 --> 00:18:24,689
ANITA: Well, actually,
301
00:18:24,896 --> 00:18:27,071
my family members
haven't arrived yet.
302
00:18:29,660 --> 00:18:31,558
Yes, they have.
They're outside the door.
303
00:18:31,765 --> 00:18:33,112
They weren't here
for my statement.
304
00:18:33,284 --> 00:18:35,735
JOE: Well, we will,
uh, make room for your family
305
00:18:35,942 --> 00:18:37,288
to be able to sit down.
306
00:18:37,495 --> 00:18:40,774
It's a very large family,
Senator.
307
00:18:47,574 --> 00:18:49,197
When they walked
through that door,
308
00:18:49,404 --> 00:18:54,236
I knew that I had what it would take to get through that day,
309
00:18:54,443 --> 00:18:56,169
however long it lasted.
310
00:18:57,860 --> 00:19:00,656
At the time
my parents were 79
311
00:19:00,863 --> 00:19:03,107
and lived
a pretty sheltered life.
312
00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:04,695
But it didn't matter.
313
00:19:04,902 --> 00:19:06,835
What really mattered
to them was that
314
00:19:07,042 --> 00:19:10,390
their daughter was going
to be questioned under oath.
315
00:19:11,219 --> 00:19:13,255
She had always told me
throughout my life
316
00:19:13,462 --> 00:19:14,912
that I was stubborn.
317
00:19:16,016 --> 00:19:19,606
And so,
I knew I was stubborn.
318
00:19:19,813 --> 00:19:21,746
Because she had told me
I was stubborn
319
00:19:21,953 --> 00:19:25,025
and at that point,
it paid to be stubborn.
320
00:19:25,233 --> 00:19:26,786
This is not too bad,
I can read it.
321
00:19:26,993 --> 00:19:30,548
Thomas liked to discuss
specific sex acts
322
00:19:30,755 --> 00:19:31,998
and frequency of sex.
323
00:19:32,205 --> 00:19:33,206
Close quote.
324
00:19:33,413 --> 00:19:36,244
Now, are you saying,
in response to my questions
325
00:19:36,451 --> 00:19:39,419
to why you didn't tell
the FBI
326
00:19:39,626 --> 00:19:41,904
about the size
of his private parts
327
00:19:42,111 --> 00:19:46,392
and his sexual prowess
and "Long John Silver"
328
00:19:46,599 --> 00:19:49,015
that that information
was comprehended
329
00:19:49,222 --> 00:19:50,258
within the statement,
330
00:19:50,465 --> 00:19:53,330
quote, Thomas liked
to discuss specific "sext" act--
331
00:19:53,537 --> 00:19:55,642
sex acts
and frequency of sex?
332
00:19:55,849 --> 00:19:56,885
I am not saying that
333
00:19:57,092 --> 00:19:58,714
that information
was included in that--
334
00:19:58,921 --> 00:20:02,753
ANITA: Senator Specter,
he took an adversarial role.
335
00:20:02,960 --> 00:20:07,965
It was clear that Specter had come in with a closed mind.
336
00:20:08,172 --> 00:20:10,036
He wasn't open
to hearing the facts.
337
00:20:10,243 --> 00:20:13,591
That was really,
uh, a real disappointment,
338
00:20:13,798 --> 00:20:15,421
I think, to people.
339
00:20:15,628 --> 00:20:16,767
They didn't understand.
340
00:20:16,974 --> 00:20:19,908
In fact, they thought
that I was on trial.
341
00:20:20,115 --> 00:20:25,120
But when you testified that,
as I wrote it down,
342
00:20:25,293 --> 00:20:29,400
quote, we ought to look
at pornographic movies together.
343
00:20:30,539 --> 00:20:32,852
That was an expression of
what was in your mind that he--
344
00:20:33,059 --> 00:20:35,786
That was the inference
that I drew, yes, when his--
345
00:20:35,993 --> 00:20:39,168
with his pre-pressing me
for social engagements, yes.
346
00:20:39,341 --> 00:20:42,517
That that was something
he might have wanted you to do,
347
00:20:42,724 --> 00:20:44,277
but the fact is flatly,
348
00:20:44,484 --> 00:20:47,798
he never asked you to look
at pornographic movies with him.
349
00:20:48,005 --> 00:20:50,732
With him,
no he did not.
350
00:20:50,939 --> 00:20:51,802
Well, I do think
they thought,
351
00:20:52,009 --> 00:20:53,252
maybe we can just wear
her down
352
00:20:53,424 --> 00:20:57,463
if we keep asking questions
and keep badgering.
353
00:20:57,670 --> 00:20:59,982
Maybe, you know,
she'll give us something
354
00:21:00,189 --> 00:21:02,364
that we'll be able
to take out
355
00:21:02,571 --> 00:21:04,297
and, you know,
use against her.
356
00:21:06,230 --> 00:21:07,473
CHARLES:
We all came together
357
00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:09,095
'cause we were
concerned about her.
358
00:21:09,302 --> 00:21:11,442
The reason I got involved,
it was pretty amazing.
359
00:21:11,649 --> 00:21:13,651
If you look around
Anita Hill,
360
00:21:13,858 --> 00:21:15,619
even if you look
at the photograph
361
00:21:15,826 --> 00:21:17,276
of those who volunteered
to help her,
362
00:21:17,448 --> 00:21:20,900
there were no black men
who supported her publicly.
363
00:21:21,107 --> 00:21:23,074
In fact, some had tried
to persuade her
364
00:21:23,282 --> 00:21:25,007
to not testify
against Clarence Thomas.
365
00:21:25,214 --> 00:21:26,595
You don't do that
to a brother.
366
00:21:26,802 --> 00:21:28,494
And she says, "What?
Look what happened to me."
367
00:21:28,701 --> 00:21:32,014
It was sort of a startling
revelation to me
368
00:21:32,221 --> 00:21:34,879
that here's a woman
who has been harassed
369
00:21:35,086 --> 00:21:36,122
much of her
professional life
370
00:21:36,329 --> 00:21:37,813
and has had
to keep it a secret
371
00:21:38,020 --> 00:21:40,402
like so many thousands of women
around the country.
372
00:21:40,609 --> 00:21:43,267
And I thought it was important
that I stood with her,
373
00:21:43,440 --> 00:21:44,855
that I wouldn't want it
to happen to my wife,
374
00:21:45,062 --> 00:21:46,166
uh, to my mother,
to my daughter.
375
00:21:46,374 --> 00:21:49,308
And so that to me
was an important step.
376
00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:52,621
When you're talking
about a handful of middle aged
377
00:21:52,828 --> 00:21:56,384
and older men
who just were uncomfortable
378
00:21:56,591 --> 00:21:58,317
with this subject matter.
379
00:21:58,489 --> 00:22:01,112
Ted Kennedy, his own life
was so compromise,
380
00:22:01,320 --> 00:22:03,080
that he could
barely speak up.
381
00:22:03,287 --> 00:22:05,047
I mean, and there were
Saturday Night Live skits
382
00:22:05,254 --> 00:22:07,049
about him with a paper bag
on this head.
383
00:22:07,256 --> 00:22:10,363
The Democrats really
didn't rescue Anita Hill
384
00:22:10,570 --> 00:22:11,985
as they could have.
385
00:22:12,192 --> 00:22:16,473
And the Republicans were busy
basically disemboweling her.
386
00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:20,891
There you have
the Chairman of the EEOC,
387
00:22:21,098 --> 00:22:23,618
the Nation's chief
law enforcement officer
388
00:22:23,825 --> 00:22:25,205
of sexual harassment.
389
00:22:25,413 --> 00:22:29,209
And here you have a lawyer
who's an expert in this field,
390
00:22:29,417 --> 00:22:32,454
later goes on
to teach civil rights
391
00:22:32,661 --> 00:22:35,250
and has a dedication
to making sure
392
00:22:35,423 --> 00:22:37,356
that women are not
discriminated against.
393
00:22:37,563 --> 00:22:42,430
How could he allow this kind of
reprehensible conduct to go on
394
00:22:42,637 --> 00:22:43,948
right in the headquarters
395
00:22:44,155 --> 00:22:46,157
without doing
something about it?
396
00:22:47,158 --> 00:22:51,922
Well, it was a very trying
397
00:22:52,129 --> 00:22:53,993
and difficult decision
for me
398
00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:56,961
not to say anything further.
399
00:22:57,168 --> 00:23:01,656
I can only say that
when I made the decision
400
00:23:01,863 --> 00:23:04,624
to just withdraw
from the situation
401
00:23:04,831 --> 00:23:08,110
and not press a claim
or charge against him,
402
00:23:08,317 --> 00:23:12,460
that I may have,
uh, shirked a duty,
403
00:23:12,667 --> 00:23:14,496
a responsibility
that I had.
404
00:23:20,468 --> 00:23:22,849
I remember at the time
405
00:23:23,056 --> 00:23:25,024
there were very few
of these cases
406
00:23:25,231 --> 00:23:28,096
that had been heard
by judges.
407
00:23:28,303 --> 00:23:31,133
Judges, even though
the laws weren't above,
408
00:23:31,340 --> 00:23:33,998
were very resistant to them.
409
00:23:34,205 --> 00:23:38,796
Most of us resisted
and gave every impression
410
00:23:39,003 --> 00:23:42,179
that these advances
were unwanted.
411
00:23:42,386 --> 00:23:47,495
But most of us
did not file a complaint
412
00:23:47,702 --> 00:23:50,014
against our harassers.
413
00:23:50,221 --> 00:23:53,949
We look for better work
most of the time.
414
00:23:54,156 --> 00:23:56,124
In trying to determine...
415
00:23:58,471 --> 00:24:03,442
whether you had telling
falsehoods or not...
416
00:24:05,616 --> 00:24:09,862
I've got to determine
what your motivation might be.
417
00:24:13,003 --> 00:24:15,074
Are you a scorned woman?
418
00:24:16,731 --> 00:24:18,215
No.
419
00:24:19,216 --> 00:24:22,357
Do you have
a martyr complex?
420
00:24:22,530 --> 00:24:24,186
No, I don't.
421
00:24:29,571 --> 00:24:32,850
Well, do you see
that coming out of this
422
00:24:33,057 --> 00:24:35,301
that you can be a hero...
423
00:24:36,509 --> 00:24:38,822
uh, in the civil rights
movement?
424
00:24:39,029 --> 00:24:41,341
I do not have
that kind of complex.
425
00:24:41,549 --> 00:24:44,621
I don't like all of
the attention that I'm getting.
426
00:24:44,828 --> 00:24:47,900
I don't-- I--I would not,
427
00:24:48,107 --> 00:24:50,178
even if I liked
the attention,
428
00:24:50,385 --> 00:24:54,009
I would not lie
to get attention.
429
00:24:55,321 --> 00:24:56,253
CHARLES:
And the impression is that,
430
00:24:56,460 --> 00:24:58,289
is he giving her a hard time?
431
00:24:58,497 --> 00:25:00,188
No, he was asking her
the questions
432
00:25:00,395 --> 00:25:03,087
that somebody sitting in
Alabama or Mississippi
433
00:25:03,294 --> 00:25:06,505
or South Carolina or Oklahoma
might want to hear.
434
00:25:06,712 --> 00:25:08,058
Why are you doing this?
435
00:25:08,265 --> 00:25:09,542
That's that was his question,
why are you doing this?
436
00:25:09,749 --> 00:25:11,130
Who are you?
437
00:25:11,337 --> 00:25:14,029
And that was her chance to say,
I'm none of those things.
438
00:25:14,236 --> 00:25:16,584
I'm a law professor,
I love my students,
439
00:25:16,791 --> 00:25:18,482
I want to teach them
the law.
440
00:25:19,414 --> 00:25:23,452
Did they ask you if you'd be
willing to take a polygraph?
441
00:25:23,625 --> 00:25:25,662
They asked if I would be
willing to take a polygraph.
442
00:25:25,869 --> 00:25:26,697
And what did you say?
443
00:25:26,904 --> 00:25:27,974
I answered yes.
444
00:25:28,181 --> 00:25:30,011
The issue
became my character
445
00:25:30,218 --> 00:25:32,220
as opposed to the character
of the nominee.
446
00:25:32,427 --> 00:25:34,636
When a student
happened to say
447
00:25:34,843 --> 00:25:38,744
that he saw pubic hairs
in an exam,
448
00:25:38,951 --> 00:25:40,746
that's just below the belt.
449
00:25:40,953 --> 00:25:42,713
JANE: They went
to the ends of the earth
450
00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:44,991
to find dirt on Anita Hill.
451
00:25:45,198 --> 00:25:47,131
I mean, they were digging
through students
452
00:25:47,338 --> 00:25:49,617
she'd had in-in law school
453
00:25:49,824 --> 00:25:51,204
and these were
these kids joking
454
00:25:51,411 --> 00:25:53,828
about how there might be pubes
in their term papers.
455
00:25:54,035 --> 00:25:55,761
Next thing they knew,
there were people calling
456
00:25:55,968 --> 00:25:58,039
from the US Senate
wanting affidavits
457
00:25:58,246 --> 00:26:00,075
so they could get
the alleged pube
458
00:26:00,282 --> 00:26:01,629
and put it
under a microscope.
459
00:26:01,836 --> 00:26:05,218
CHARLES: Miss Hill's
character and credibility
460
00:26:05,425 --> 00:26:07,393
has been assailed
from the beginning.
461
00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:10,361
It was my judgment,
given the accusations
462
00:26:10,569 --> 00:26:13,088
that had been made
over the last few days
463
00:26:13,295 --> 00:26:17,058
about fantasy, about grudges,
about being a martyr,
464
00:26:17,265 --> 00:26:19,957
about light skinned
versus black skinned women,
465
00:26:20,164 --> 00:26:22,477
that this has just gone
too far--
466
00:26:22,650 --> 00:26:24,479
We knew that
there's no saving this.
467
00:26:24,652 --> 00:26:26,205
This is just a charade.
468
00:26:26,412 --> 00:26:28,483
We weren't going to be able
to put on witnesses,
469
00:26:28,656 --> 00:26:30,347
we weren't going to be able
to do anything in the Senate.
470
00:26:30,554 --> 00:26:32,349
That's why we said,
let's go get a polygraph test.
471
00:26:32,556 --> 00:26:35,939
Let's have our hearing outside
and let the public know that.
472
00:26:36,767 --> 00:26:39,183
Are you lying to me
about the various topics
473
00:26:39,390 --> 00:26:40,737
that Clarence Thomas
mentioned to you
474
00:26:40,944 --> 00:26:43,567
regarding specific
sexual acts?
475
00:26:44,637 --> 00:26:45,500
Are you lying to me
476
00:26:45,673 --> 00:26:47,157
about Clarence Thomas
making reference,
477
00:26:47,364 --> 00:26:51,610
uh, references to you
about the size of his penis?
478
00:26:52,403 --> 00:26:54,613
And it was my opinion
that there was no indication
479
00:26:54,785 --> 00:26:57,685
of deception to any of
those relevant questions.
480
00:26:59,963 --> 00:27:02,206
CHARLES: I would call home
every night to check in.
481
00:27:02,413 --> 00:27:06,141
My daughter was
just 12 years old.
482
00:27:06,348 --> 00:27:07,556
They said she wanted
to talk to me.
483
00:27:07,729 --> 00:27:09,628
I said, "Rashida,
what are you doing up,
484
00:27:09,835 --> 00:27:12,561
uh, close to midnight
on the Sunday night?"
485
00:27:12,734 --> 00:27:14,218
She said, "Daddy,
I was watching the hearing."
486
00:27:14,425 --> 00:27:15,495
I said, "Rashida, you shouldn't
be watching this."
487
00:27:15,703 --> 00:27:16,738
"Well, I just wanted
to tell you."
488
00:27:16,945 --> 00:27:17,843
"Tell me what?"
489
00:27:18,050 --> 00:27:19,361
"I believe Anita."
490
00:27:19,568 --> 00:27:22,710
And that to me
brought it all home.
491
00:27:23,952 --> 00:27:25,091
I hope
we're not going to hear
492
00:27:25,298 --> 00:27:27,646
a lot more comments
about fantasy stories.
493
00:27:27,818 --> 00:27:31,132
Or how there've been attempts
in the eleventh hour
494
00:27:31,339 --> 00:27:34,722
to derail this,
uh, this nomination.
495
00:27:34,929 --> 00:27:39,796
I hope we can clear this room
of the dirt and innuendo
496
00:27:40,003 --> 00:27:42,143
and I hope
we're gonna be sensitive
497
00:27:42,350 --> 00:27:45,111
to the attempts of character
assassination on Professor Hill.
498
00:27:45,318 --> 00:27:46,665
They're unworthy.
499
00:27:47,735 --> 00:27:48,908
But let me tell ya,
500
00:27:49,115 --> 00:27:54,673
if what you say this man
said to you occurred,
501
00:27:54,845 --> 00:27:57,503
why in God's name,
502
00:27:57,710 --> 00:27:59,436
when he left
his position of power
503
00:27:59,643 --> 00:28:04,165
or status
or authority over you,
504
00:28:04,372 --> 00:28:08,100
and you left it in 1983,
505
00:28:08,307 --> 00:28:11,172
why in God's name
would you ever speak
506
00:28:11,379 --> 00:28:16,004
to a man like that
the rest of your life?
507
00:28:16,211 --> 00:28:18,420
That's a very good question.
508
00:28:19,249 --> 00:28:22,045
And I'm sure
that I cannot answer
509
00:28:22,252 --> 00:28:24,116
that to your satisfaction.
510
00:28:28,741 --> 00:28:31,330
I really loved the work
that I was doing
511
00:28:31,537 --> 00:28:34,574
and I loved the chance to work
on issues where there was--
512
00:28:34,782 --> 00:28:36,335
There were
age discrimination,
513
00:28:36,542 --> 00:28:38,509
tasteless or race
discrimination cases,
514
00:28:38,717 --> 00:28:41,340
gender in the employment
arena.
515
00:28:41,547 --> 00:28:44,481
And that's why
I went to the EEOC.
516
00:28:44,688 --> 00:28:47,726
At the time
that I moved to the EEOC,
517
00:28:47,898 --> 00:28:49,106
the behavior had stopped.
518
00:28:49,313 --> 00:28:50,625
And that's all I wanted.
519
00:28:51,488 --> 00:28:55,147
People misunderstand that
harassment is about the sex.
520
00:28:55,354 --> 00:29:00,083
It's really about control
and power and abusing it.
521
00:29:01,360 --> 00:29:03,707
Do you think
that he got some pleasure
522
00:29:03,880 --> 00:29:07,538
out of seeing you ill
at ease and vulnerable?
523
00:29:07,746 --> 00:29:09,230
I think so, yes.
524
00:29:10,472 --> 00:29:16,685
Was this feeling more so than
the feeling that you might--
525
00:29:16,858 --> 00:29:21,276
That he might be seeking
some type of dating
526
00:29:21,483 --> 00:29:23,900
or social relationship with?
527
00:29:24,107 --> 00:29:26,143
I think it was
a combination of factors.
528
00:29:26,350 --> 00:29:30,009
I think that he wanted
to see me vulnerable
529
00:29:30,216 --> 00:29:33,116
and that
if I were vulnerable,
530
00:29:33,323 --> 00:29:37,085
then he could extract from me
whatever he wanted.
531
00:29:37,292 --> 00:29:38,500
Whether it was sexual
or otherwise
532
00:29:38,707 --> 00:29:42,781
that I would be at his,
uh, under his control.
533
00:29:42,953 --> 00:29:46,474
I just answered the questions
and really said,
534
00:29:46,681 --> 00:29:48,510
you know,
it's not gonna last forever.
535
00:29:48,717 --> 00:29:53,032
ARLEN: You did not characterize
Judge Thomas's conduct
536
00:29:53,239 --> 00:29:54,482
as sexual harassment
537
00:29:54,689 --> 00:29:56,864
when you gave the statement
to the FBI, correct?
538
00:29:57,071 --> 00:30:02,352
Well, Senator, I guess
I'm not making myself clear.
539
00:30:02,559 --> 00:30:06,114
I was not raising
a legal claim
540
00:30:06,321 --> 00:30:08,599
in either of my statements.
541
00:30:08,807 --> 00:30:10,429
I was not raising
a legal claim.
542
00:30:10,636 --> 00:30:15,054
I was attempting
to inform about conduct.
543
00:30:15,261 --> 00:30:16,607
I did find it shocking.
544
00:30:16,815 --> 00:30:21,095
What I got was questions
that really weren't
545
00:30:21,302 --> 00:30:23,097
very well informed
546
00:30:23,304 --> 00:30:25,582
on the one hand
and then,
547
00:30:25,789 --> 00:30:28,412
questions that were hostile
on the other.
548
00:30:28,619 --> 00:30:34,660
So that you are
not now drawing a conclusion
549
00:30:34,867 --> 00:30:37,042
that Judge Thomas
sexually harassed you?
550
00:30:37,249 --> 00:30:39,320
Yes, I am drawing
that conclusion.
551
00:30:39,527 --> 00:30:40,700
LEN: Well, then, I don't
understand.
552
00:30:40,908 --> 00:30:43,600
- Pardon me?
- That I don't understand.
553
00:30:45,119 --> 00:30:47,638
Well, let me
try to explain again.
554
00:30:47,846 --> 00:30:50,849
I expected them
to be better informed.
555
00:30:51,021 --> 00:30:53,644
There were experts
who offered to testify
556
00:30:53,852 --> 00:30:56,302
about women's experiences
in the workplace
557
00:30:56,509 --> 00:30:58,201
who could have
helped the staffers
558
00:30:58,408 --> 00:30:59,961
prepare the senators.
559
00:31:00,168 --> 00:31:02,757
It seems to me
that the behavior
560
00:31:02,930 --> 00:31:03,965
has to be evaluated
561
00:31:04,172 --> 00:31:05,415
on it's own
562
00:31:05,622 --> 00:31:08,314
with regard to the fitness
of this individual
563
00:31:08,521 --> 00:31:12,008
to act
as an associate of justice.
564
00:31:12,215 --> 00:31:14,148
And the reasons
we're here
565
00:31:14,355 --> 00:31:16,288
is that it's very difficult
566
00:31:16,495 --> 00:31:17,634
for some
of our colleagues
567
00:31:17,841 --> 00:31:20,050
to deal with issues
of sexual harassment.
568
00:31:20,257 --> 00:31:23,916
Sexual harassment
is painful, it exists,
569
00:31:24,123 --> 00:31:26,332
it's real,
it's not imaginary.
570
00:31:26,539 --> 00:31:28,403
There's not only
a gender gap in our country,
571
00:31:28,610 --> 00:31:29,646
there's a gender chasm.
572
00:31:29,853 --> 00:31:33,408
Sexual harassment
is every bit as evil
573
00:31:33,615 --> 00:31:36,895
as any other type
of unethical conduct.
574
00:31:37,102 --> 00:31:40,174
Did you discuss it
with anybody at that time?
575
00:31:40,381 --> 00:31:42,590
Yes, I did.
576
00:31:44,281 --> 00:31:45,731
SUSAN: One thing
Anita told me
577
00:31:45,938 --> 00:31:49,562
that struck me particularly
and that I remember
578
00:31:49,769 --> 00:31:54,464
almost verbatim was that
Mr. Thomas had said to her,
579
00:31:54,671 --> 00:31:57,674
"You know
if you had witnesses,
580
00:31:57,881 --> 00:32:00,711
you'd have a perfect case
against me."
581
00:32:00,919 --> 00:32:04,301
Anita Hill told me
that she was upset
582
00:32:04,508 --> 00:32:05,682
because her boss
583
00:32:05,889 --> 00:32:07,822
was making sexual advances
towards her.
584
00:32:07,995 --> 00:32:11,722
I saw the news stories
about Anita Hill.
585
00:32:11,930 --> 00:32:15,174
And I instantly remembered
the fact that she had told me
586
00:32:15,381 --> 00:32:17,901
about her dealings
with Clarence Thomas.
587
00:32:18,074 --> 00:32:21,456
I remember saying to myself,
she's about to get creamed.
588
00:32:21,663 --> 00:32:23,424
I remember this because
I don't use creamed,
589
00:32:23,631 --> 00:32:24,804
it's not a word I use a lot.
590
00:32:25,012 --> 00:32:26,945
But it--that came out that way
in my own mind.
591
00:32:27,152 --> 00:32:28,429
She's about to get creamed
592
00:32:28,636 --> 00:32:31,777
and I feel really bad
for her.
593
00:32:31,984 --> 00:32:33,952
In the fall of 1982,
594
00:32:34,159 --> 00:32:36,955
Professor Hill shared with me
in confidence
595
00:32:37,162 --> 00:32:40,406
the fact that she considered
Judge Thomas's behavior
596
00:32:40,613 --> 00:32:43,892
toward her in the office
to be inappropriate.
597
00:32:44,065 --> 00:32:47,241
She did tell me
they were sexual in nature.
598
00:32:47,448 --> 00:32:49,243
I remember
talking to her by telephone
599
00:32:49,450 --> 00:32:50,520
while she was
in the hospital.
600
00:32:50,727 --> 00:32:52,660
And she explained to me
601
00:32:52,867 --> 00:32:56,008
that what she was suffering
from appeared to be job related,
602
00:32:56,215 --> 00:32:57,976
job stress related.
603
00:33:02,842 --> 00:33:04,361
And taking this phone call
from her.
604
00:33:04,568 --> 00:33:06,777
And she was
in a bad mood
605
00:33:06,985 --> 00:33:10,712
and prodding her to tell me
what was bothering her.
606
00:33:10,919 --> 00:33:13,474
Professor Hill
responded reluctantly
607
00:33:13,681 --> 00:33:16,787
and with obvious emotion
and embarrassment
608
00:33:16,995 --> 00:33:19,238
that she had been
sexually harassed
609
00:33:19,445 --> 00:33:22,000
by her supervisor
at the EEOC.
610
00:33:22,207 --> 00:33:23,380
It was so absurd,
611
00:33:23,587 --> 00:33:24,416
the idea that
612
00:33:24,623 --> 00:33:25,624
the head of the EEOC
613
00:33:25,831 --> 00:33:29,007
would engage
in sexual harassment.
614
00:33:29,214 --> 00:33:30,249
I'm not sure I know what--
615
00:33:30,456 --> 00:33:31,837
What is
and isn't sexual harassment,
616
00:33:32,044 --> 00:33:34,495
but the idea
that they would engage in
617
00:33:34,702 --> 00:33:39,086
what seemed like repeated,
unwanted advances--
618
00:33:39,293 --> 00:33:43,331
Um, was just so incredible.
619
00:33:43,538 --> 00:33:45,471
I wonder
how many tens of thousands,
620
00:33:45,678 --> 00:33:47,404
of millions of men
in this country,
621
00:33:47,611 --> 00:33:50,683
work for a boss who treats them
like a lackey,
622
00:33:50,890 --> 00:33:53,928
tells them to do certain things
and stay on the job.
623
00:33:54,101 --> 00:33:57,104
And we never ask why does
that man stay on the job?
624
00:33:57,311 --> 00:33:58,829
My mother told me,
625
00:33:59,037 --> 00:34:01,384
um, and I'm sure
Anita's mother told her
626
00:34:01,591 --> 00:34:05,112
when you leave, make sure
you leave friends behind
627
00:34:05,319 --> 00:34:08,563
because you don't know
who you may need later on.
628
00:34:08,770 --> 00:34:11,394
And so you at least
want to be cordial.
629
00:34:11,601 --> 00:34:13,706
I know I get Christmas cards
from people
630
00:34:13,913 --> 00:34:16,606
that I don't see from one end
of the year to the other
631
00:34:16,813 --> 00:34:19,678
and quite frankly,
do not wish to.
632
00:34:19,885 --> 00:34:23,061
And I also return their cards
633
00:34:23,233 --> 00:34:24,303
and will return their calls.
634
00:34:24,510 --> 00:34:28,066
And so you grit your teeth
and you do it.
635
00:34:28,238 --> 00:34:30,758
Did she ever indicate to you
636
00:34:30,965 --> 00:34:35,866
that she was a zealous
cause person?
637
00:34:36,074 --> 00:34:37,075
I am a--
638
00:34:37,247 --> 00:34:39,249
I am a corporate,
sort of a Wall Street lawyer,
639
00:34:39,456 --> 00:34:40,837
by profession and--
640
00:34:41,044 --> 00:34:42,183
And I would
consider myself
641
00:34:42,390 --> 00:34:45,807
a militant compared
to Anita Hill.
642
00:34:49,087 --> 00:34:51,399
If someone had asked me
a few weeks ago,
643
00:34:51,606 --> 00:34:53,539
I would say that
I could imagine
644
00:34:53,746 --> 00:34:55,541
Professor Hill coming
before this committee
645
00:34:55,748 --> 00:34:57,129
in a very different capacity
646
00:34:57,336 --> 00:34:59,476
as a judicial nominee herself.
647
00:34:59,683 --> 00:35:02,030
I think her opportunities
for that now have,
648
00:35:02,203 --> 00:35:03,687
uh, have been destroyed.
649
00:35:03,894 --> 00:35:05,724
I think
she paid a big price.
650
00:35:07,450 --> 00:35:09,452
JOHN: She said what she said.
651
00:35:09,659 --> 00:35:12,006
I and it turned out
three other people at least
652
00:35:12,179 --> 00:35:16,597
had heard the same story
seven years ago.
653
00:35:16,804 --> 00:35:20,739
And I couldn't figure
how anyone could reconcile it
654
00:35:20,946 --> 00:35:23,190
otherwise
than being the truth.
655
00:35:23,397 --> 00:35:27,504
Why would someone
make up this story
656
00:35:27,711 --> 00:35:29,817
in order to use it
seven years later?
657
00:35:30,024 --> 00:35:33,165
It just--
I couldn't understand it.
658
00:35:33,372 --> 00:35:36,134
This wasn't about the truth,
it was about winning.
659
00:35:36,306 --> 00:35:37,480
And that's it--
660
00:35:37,687 --> 00:35:39,482
Well, it's about politics
which is always true
661
00:35:39,689 --> 00:35:41,380
about Washington.
662
00:35:41,587 --> 00:35:43,624
Do you have anything
to gain by coming here?
663
00:35:43,831 --> 00:35:46,005
Has anybody promised you
anything by coming forth
664
00:35:46,213 --> 00:35:47,041
with this story now?
665
00:35:47,214 --> 00:35:48,560
I have not gained anything
666
00:35:48,767 --> 00:35:50,424
except for knowing
that I came forward
667
00:35:50,631 --> 00:35:52,771
and did,
uh, what I felt
668
00:35:52,978 --> 00:35:56,361
that I had an obligation to do
and that was to tell the truth.
669
00:35:56,568 --> 00:35:58,363
PATRICK:
And my last question.
670
00:35:58,570 --> 00:36:01,538
Would your life be simpler,
quieter
671
00:36:01,745 --> 00:36:04,369
and far more private
had you never come forth at all?
672
00:36:04,576 --> 00:36:05,542
Yes.
673
00:36:05,749 --> 00:36:07,889
Norman, Oklahoma
is a much simpler,
674
00:36:08,096 --> 00:36:11,721
quieter place
than this room today.
675
00:36:13,481 --> 00:36:16,519
Do you think
now having told your side
676
00:36:16,726 --> 00:36:18,417
and responded
to these questions that
677
00:36:18,624 --> 00:36:20,764
you reputation
from your standpoint
678
00:36:20,971 --> 00:36:23,698
could ever be fully restored?
679
00:36:23,905 --> 00:36:27,875
Not in the minds of many,
never and will not be.
680
00:36:28,082 --> 00:36:31,534
Again, I thank your family
and-- Yes?
681
00:36:31,741 --> 00:36:33,398
I would just like
to take this opportunity
682
00:36:33,605 --> 00:36:36,435
to thank the committee
for its time,
683
00:36:36,642 --> 00:36:37,954
its question
684
00:36:38,161 --> 00:36:39,783
and the effort that was
put into this investigation
685
00:36:39,990 --> 00:36:41,095
on my behalf.
Thank you.
686
00:36:41,268 --> 00:36:43,580
JOE: Thank you.
Adjourned till 9 o'clock.
687
00:36:51,450 --> 00:36:53,521
ANITA:
Everybody was exhausted
688
00:36:53,728 --> 00:36:56,835
and perplexed.
689
00:36:57,042 --> 00:36:59,665
There was a sigh of relief
having gone through
690
00:36:59,872 --> 00:37:02,427
those nine hours.
691
00:37:02,634 --> 00:37:04,843
But you knew
it wasn't over.
692
00:37:13,886 --> 00:37:14,956
JOE: Do you have anything
you'd like to say--
693
00:37:15,163 --> 00:37:17,304
Senator, I would like to start
by saying
694
00:37:17,511 --> 00:37:20,686
unequivocally,
uncategorically,
695
00:37:20,893 --> 00:37:24,552
that I deny each
and every single allegation
696
00:37:24,759 --> 00:37:26,174
against me today
697
00:37:26,347 --> 00:37:29,143
that suggested in any way
698
00:37:29,316 --> 00:37:34,182
that I had conversations
of a sexual nature
699
00:37:34,355 --> 00:37:37,772
or about pornographic material
with Anita Hill
700
00:37:37,979 --> 00:37:41,983
that I ever attempted
to date her,
701
00:37:42,190 --> 00:37:47,195
that I ever had any personal
sexual interest in her
702
00:37:47,368 --> 00:37:51,786
or that I in any way
ever harassed her.
703
00:37:53,788 --> 00:37:59,346
I think that
this today is a travesty.
704
00:37:59,553 --> 00:38:01,831
I think that
it is disgusting.
705
00:38:02,038 --> 00:38:04,868
I think that this hearing
706
00:38:06,698 --> 00:38:09,528
should never occur
in America.
707
00:38:09,735 --> 00:38:11,530
This is a circus.
708
00:38:11,737 --> 00:38:14,084
It's a national disgrace.
709
00:38:15,362 --> 00:38:17,433
And from my standpoint
710
00:38:17,640 --> 00:38:19,193
as a black American,
711
00:38:19,366 --> 00:38:20,298
as far as I'm concerned
712
00:38:20,470 --> 00:38:24,923
it is a high tech lynching
for uppity blacks
713
00:38:25,130 --> 00:38:28,616
who in any way deign
to think for themselves.
714
00:38:28,823 --> 00:38:32,137
To do for themselves,
to have different ideas.
715
00:38:32,344 --> 00:38:36,037
And it is a message,
that unless you kowtow
716
00:38:36,244 --> 00:38:37,625
to an old order,
717
00:38:37,832 --> 00:38:40,732
this is what will happen
to you.
718
00:38:40,939 --> 00:38:43,666
You will be lynched,
destroyed,
719
00:38:43,873 --> 00:38:50,155
caricatured
by a committee of the U.S.--
720
00:38:50,362 --> 00:38:54,090
U.S. Senate rather than
hung from a tree.
721
00:38:56,092 --> 00:39:00,130
The testimony turned
because Hatch basically had
722
00:39:00,338 --> 00:39:02,961
figured out that the thing
that would really get
723
00:39:03,168 --> 00:39:08,276
Justice Thomas's dander up
was to have him talk about race.
724
00:39:08,449 --> 00:39:11,245
Sort of pushed him
on the subject of race.
725
00:39:11,418 --> 00:39:16,699
ORRIN: You said
some of this language
726
00:39:16,906 --> 00:39:17,803
is stereo--
727
00:39:18,010 --> 00:39:19,149
Stereotyped language?
728
00:39:19,357 --> 00:39:20,254
- Senator--
- ORRIN: What does that mean?
729
00:39:20,427 --> 00:39:21,669
I don't understand.
730
00:39:21,876 --> 00:39:23,499
Language throughout
the history of this country
731
00:39:23,706 --> 00:39:25,121
and certainly
throughout my life.
732
00:39:25,328 --> 00:39:28,089
Language about
the sexual prowess of black men.
733
00:39:28,296 --> 00:39:30,678
Language about
the sex organs of black men
734
00:39:30,885 --> 00:39:32,508
and the sizes,
etcetera.
735
00:39:32,715 --> 00:39:36,028
That kind of language
has been used about black men
736
00:39:36,235 --> 00:39:38,686
as long as I've been
on the face of this earth.
737
00:39:38,893 --> 00:39:41,137
I hate the term
"the race card."
738
00:39:41,344 --> 00:39:42,966
It's sort of like,
739
00:39:43,173 --> 00:39:44,934
race and racism in America
is something--
740
00:39:45,141 --> 00:39:46,522
It's a playing card.
You just play it.
741
00:39:46,729 --> 00:39:50,767
That unnerves me
to no end, but--
742
00:39:50,974 --> 00:39:52,148
But that's what he did.
743
00:39:52,355 --> 00:39:54,495
Uh, you know, I mean--
I mean, look at that.
744
00:39:54,702 --> 00:39:55,600
"High tech lynching?"
745
00:39:55,807 --> 00:39:57,395
Come on, that's absurd.
746
00:39:57,567 --> 00:39:58,775
Right?
747
00:39:59,707 --> 00:40:02,538
That's just absurd
that could work.
748
00:40:02,745 --> 00:40:05,368
That you could make that claim
and everybody could back off.
749
00:40:06,404 --> 00:40:07,750
CHARLES:
They didn't challenge him
750
00:40:07,957 --> 00:40:08,889
when he said that.
751
00:40:09,096 --> 00:40:10,373
They didn't say,
"Wait a minute,
752
00:40:10,546 --> 00:40:12,927
what about the legal lynching
of the black woman,
753
00:40:13,134 --> 00:40:14,722
uh, who's a victim
of harassment
754
00:40:14,929 --> 00:40:17,000
that we heard
from witness upon witness"?
755
00:40:17,207 --> 00:40:18,761
Why didn't they call
all the other witnesses
756
00:40:18,968 --> 00:40:21,971
that were there
and that had testimony?
757
00:40:22,178 --> 00:40:24,180
They didn't want to
appear to be
758
00:40:24,387 --> 00:40:27,632
going after a black man
who said I didn't do it.
759
00:40:27,839 --> 00:40:30,151
And for them,
the case was closed.
760
00:40:30,358 --> 00:40:33,810
Think about the imagery of it,
I mean, it--
761
00:40:34,017 --> 00:40:36,468
This is a guy who's been groomed
by the White House
762
00:40:36,675 --> 00:40:39,126
and Republican leadership
763
00:40:39,333 --> 00:40:41,853
to take this job
in some respects.
764
00:40:42,060 --> 00:40:43,751
I mean,
how establishment can you be?
765
00:40:43,958 --> 00:40:45,891
You cannot be
any more established
766
00:40:46,098 --> 00:40:49,654
unless you are the President
of the United States.
767
00:40:49,861 --> 00:40:50,965
And yet you accuse--
768
00:40:51,172 --> 00:40:52,864
You accuse people
of lynching you?
769
00:40:53,071 --> 00:40:56,730
I think metaphorically,
770
00:40:56,937 --> 00:40:59,664
black people
who had in fact been lynched
771
00:40:59,871 --> 00:41:01,631
must have been rolling over
in their graves.
772
00:41:01,838 --> 00:41:05,946
I think it was
strategically brilliant.
773
00:41:06,153 --> 00:41:08,742
It compounded that it wasn't
just a woman and a man,
774
00:41:08,949 --> 00:41:11,192
but it was a black woman
and a black man.
775
00:41:11,399 --> 00:41:13,056
How did they deal
with the race issue
776
00:41:13,263 --> 00:41:14,575
in a way that made
a lot of sense?
777
00:41:14,782 --> 00:41:16,888
And for them, they just said
"Let's stay away from it."
778
00:41:17,095 --> 00:41:20,478
And at that point,
the whole--
779
00:41:20,650 --> 00:41:22,480
The whole storyline changed.
780
00:41:22,652 --> 00:41:24,033
And it was no longer--
781
00:41:24,240 --> 00:41:27,208
The issue was no longer
sexual harassment of Anita Hill
782
00:41:27,415 --> 00:41:28,347
so much as it was
783
00:41:28,555 --> 00:41:32,938
the racial victimization
of Clarence Thomas.
784
00:41:33,145 --> 00:41:34,906
As we say out
in the Wild West,
785
00:41:35,113 --> 00:41:37,874
this is an impossible thing.
786
00:41:38,081 --> 00:41:40,877
And now I really am getting
stuff over the transom
787
00:41:41,084 --> 00:41:43,639
about Professor Hill.
788
00:41:43,846 --> 00:41:45,744
I've got letters
hanging out my pocket,
789
00:41:45,951 --> 00:41:47,401
I've got faxes,
790
00:41:47,574 --> 00:41:51,060
I've got statements
from her former law professors,
791
00:41:51,267 --> 00:41:53,096
statements from people
that know her,
792
00:41:53,303 --> 00:41:55,064
statements
from Tulsa, Oklahoma,
793
00:41:55,271 --> 00:41:59,275
saying,
"Watch out for this woman."
794
00:41:59,482 --> 00:42:01,519
But nobody's got the guts
to say that
795
00:42:01,726 --> 00:42:06,316
because it gets all tangled up
in this sexual harassment crap.
796
00:42:08,422 --> 00:42:11,908
This entire proceeding
is ended.
797
00:42:16,292 --> 00:42:19,675
What bothered me
at the end of the hearings
798
00:42:19,882 --> 00:42:25,819
was official Washington said
that the truth was unknowable,
799
00:42:26,026 --> 00:42:28,891
that it was
the quintessential he said,
800
00:42:29,098 --> 00:42:32,619
she said story
and who will ever know?
801
00:42:32,826 --> 00:42:34,517
Like where the truth lies.
802
00:42:34,690 --> 00:42:37,313
And as a journalist,
803
00:42:37,520 --> 00:42:40,730
I feel strongly
if you dig into
804
00:42:40,937 --> 00:42:44,665
and behind
any story diligently
805
00:42:44,872 --> 00:42:46,874
the weight of evidence
806
00:42:47,081 --> 00:42:49,774
and the preponderance
of information
807
00:42:49,981 --> 00:42:51,396
does at the very least,
808
00:42:51,603 --> 00:42:55,607
help you get
to a more definitive answer.
809
00:42:55,814 --> 00:42:58,990
Joe Biden,
he really is in the end,
810
00:42:59,197 --> 00:43:01,993
responsible for not having
called the witnesses
811
00:43:02,200 --> 00:43:03,891
who could have corroborated
Anita Hill
812
00:43:04,098 --> 00:43:07,308
and I think that there were
a lot of facts here
813
00:43:07,515 --> 00:43:10,277
that a number of people
would rather not think about
814
00:43:10,484 --> 00:43:12,244
and they didn't want
the public to know.
815
00:43:12,451 --> 00:43:15,523
It was in the interest
of both the Republicans
816
00:43:15,696 --> 00:43:18,975
and the Democrats in some ways
conducting those hearing
817
00:43:19,182 --> 00:43:21,219
to bring the curtain down.
818
00:43:21,426 --> 00:43:28,019
Uh, just not have it
be center stage anymore.
819
00:43:28,226 --> 00:43:30,780
Live from New York,
it's Saturday Night!
820
00:43:30,987 --> 00:43:32,610
Professor Hill,
821
00:43:32,782 --> 00:43:35,164
I want to thank you
for your patience here today.
822
00:43:35,371 --> 00:43:39,444
You've shown remarkable courage
throughout your testimony.
823
00:43:39,651 --> 00:43:40,825
It couldn't have been easy
to sit here
824
00:43:41,032 --> 00:43:42,205
for the last seven hours
825
00:43:42,412 --> 00:43:45,346
and talk about
and talk about penis size.
826
00:43:45,553 --> 00:43:48,833
Or large breasted women
having sex with animals.
827
00:43:49,040 --> 00:43:52,560
Or pubic hairs
on soft drink cans.
828
00:44:00,603 --> 00:44:02,087
CHARLES: Then we parted company at the airport
829
00:44:02,294 --> 00:44:03,951
in Washington D.C.
and she went back to Oklahoma
830
00:44:04,158 --> 00:44:05,746
and I went back to Cambridge.
831
00:44:07,230 --> 00:44:09,336
There was a depression,
like what is she gonna do?
832
00:44:17,344 --> 00:44:18,828
ANITA:
I would not be honest
833
00:44:19,035 --> 00:44:24,178
if I didn't say that
the hearings changed my life.
834
00:44:24,385 --> 00:44:26,525
They changed
the trajectory of my life.
835
00:44:26,733 --> 00:44:30,495
They changed
how I'm perceived by the world
836
00:44:30,702 --> 00:44:33,256
and they changed
in some ways the way
837
00:44:33,463 --> 00:44:36,466
I perceived the world.
838
00:44:49,031 --> 00:44:50,066
I'm Ray Hill.
839
00:44:50,273 --> 00:44:52,310
I'd like to introduce
my sister Anita.
840
00:44:52,517 --> 00:44:54,139
She'll be m-making
a brief statement
841
00:44:54,346 --> 00:44:55,554
and taking no questions.
842
00:44:55,762 --> 00:44:59,110
I guess after this welcome
that I received today,
843
00:44:59,317 --> 00:45:02,216
I don't have to tell you
that it's good to be home.
844
00:45:02,423 --> 00:45:04,080
I missed all of you.
845
00:45:04,287 --> 00:45:07,532
[ applause ]
846
00:45:16,748 --> 00:45:20,545
You are all absolutely wonderful
and without your support,
847
00:45:20,752 --> 00:45:21,822
I could not have made it
848
00:45:22,029 --> 00:45:24,031
through these last 72 hours.
849
00:45:24,238 --> 00:45:26,482
I just kept
thinking about my friends,
850
00:45:26,689 --> 00:45:29,899
uh, my family and I include
the law school family
851
00:45:30,106 --> 00:45:32,522
in that back here
in Oklahoma.
852
00:45:32,730 --> 00:45:34,904
I was raised to do
what is right
853
00:45:35,111 --> 00:45:37,148
and can now explain
to my students
854
00:45:37,355 --> 00:45:40,185
first hand
that despite the high cost
855
00:45:40,392 --> 00:45:42,153
which may be involved,
856
00:45:42,360 --> 00:45:45,604
it is worth
having the truth emerged.
857
00:45:55,822 --> 00:45:59,722
What I hope and intend to do
over the next few days
858
00:45:59,895 --> 00:46:01,275
with your help and support
859
00:46:01,482 --> 00:46:04,554
is to get back
to my normal routine.
860
00:46:04,762 --> 00:46:09,387
I cannot wait to get back
in the classroom.
861
00:46:12,148 --> 00:46:14,047
Uh, I'm gonna
teach my class now,
862
00:46:14,254 --> 00:46:15,117
excuse me
and I don't know
863
00:46:15,324 --> 00:46:16,566
what the rest of the day
will be.
864
00:46:16,774 --> 00:46:18,396
I was
the first African-American
865
00:46:18,603 --> 00:46:20,363
tenured at the law school.
866
00:46:20,570 --> 00:46:22,607
I was very proud of that.
867
00:46:23,884 --> 00:46:25,437
But I was proud of my work
868
00:46:25,644 --> 00:46:27,681
and I worked
to be a good teacher.
869
00:46:27,854 --> 00:46:29,856
When I was
in that classroom space,
870
00:46:30,063 --> 00:46:31,823
it was wonderful.
871
00:46:47,425 --> 00:46:48,667
Good evening, I--
872
00:46:48,875 --> 00:46:51,049
FEMALE: After the vote,
did you think, "Darn it."
873
00:46:51,256 --> 00:46:52,671
I mean,
were you disappointed that--
874
00:46:52,879 --> 00:46:55,226
Well, I really don't want to
comment on the vote.
875
00:46:55,433 --> 00:46:57,642
I--after the vote,
I thought--
876
00:46:57,849 --> 00:46:59,886
I really wasn't focused
on the vote.
877
00:47:00,093 --> 00:47:01,197
I was
thinking about this week
878
00:47:01,404 --> 00:47:03,959
and I don't have
any comment on the vote.
879
00:47:04,166 --> 00:47:05,374
MALE: Did you discuss it
880
00:47:05,581 --> 00:47:06,478
with any of your law students
today, Professor?
881
00:47:06,685 --> 00:47:09,033
We talked about the process.
882
00:47:09,240 --> 00:47:12,312
Uh, we talked about,
uh, our government.
883
00:47:12,519 --> 00:47:15,902
We talked about
the hearings a little bit.
884
00:47:16,109 --> 00:47:17,662
Uh, and they're all curious
885
00:47:17,869 --> 00:47:20,734
and-and hopefully this will be
a learning experience for them.
886
00:47:20,907 --> 00:47:23,116
FEMALE: Do you have anything
to say to Justice Thomas,
887
00:47:23,323 --> 00:47:24,634
uh, at all?
You want to--
888
00:47:24,842 --> 00:47:27,292
I have no, comment on that,
really.
889
00:47:27,499 --> 00:47:31,676
When I came home
I very much hoped
890
00:47:31,883 --> 00:47:35,611
that I was going to be
able to resume life.
891
00:47:35,818 --> 00:47:37,095
I quickly learned
that I was going to
892
00:47:37,302 --> 00:47:38,925
have to accept
a new normal.
893
00:47:41,617 --> 00:47:43,377
I was confronted
on the streets,
894
00:47:43,584 --> 00:47:45,517
accused of lying
face to face.
895
00:47:45,724 --> 00:47:47,209
Some I didn't have
any way of knowing
896
00:47:47,416 --> 00:47:48,727
when it would happen.
897
00:47:52,904 --> 00:47:54,906
So, either
I was gonna be inside
898
00:47:55,113 --> 00:47:56,356
and hiding forever
899
00:47:56,563 --> 00:47:59,600
or I was just gonna go out
and deal with it.
900
00:48:01,016 --> 00:48:02,880
And I chose the latter.
901
00:48:09,921 --> 00:48:13,373
The state politicians,
who were Republicans,
902
00:48:13,580 --> 00:48:17,549
started trying
to get the school to fire me
903
00:48:17,756 --> 00:48:19,862
even though
I was tenured.
904
00:48:20,035 --> 00:48:24,453
And then my Dean well,
then, they took off after him.
905
00:48:24,660 --> 00:48:26,455
And they tried
to get him fired.
906
00:48:26,662 --> 00:48:29,354
Well, they tried
to close the law school.
907
00:48:29,561 --> 00:48:32,910
Was threatened
with just about everything.
908
00:48:33,082 --> 00:48:35,360
Death,
909
00:48:35,567 --> 00:48:39,468
sexual violence
bomb threats to the school,
910
00:48:39,675 --> 00:48:41,815
bomb threats to my house.
911
00:48:41,988 --> 00:48:46,268
Packages that were vile
or messages that were vile.
912
00:48:46,475 --> 00:48:49,443
I have a file cabinet
full of them.
913
00:48:51,549 --> 00:48:52,964
Women who have experienced
the same thing
914
00:48:53,171 --> 00:48:56,416
who have written
and said now for the first time
915
00:48:56,623 --> 00:48:57,900
they can talk about it.
916
00:48:58,073 --> 00:48:59,350
And that's important.
917
00:48:59,557 --> 00:49:02,249
What I hope
is that none of this
918
00:49:02,456 --> 00:49:05,563
will deter others
from coming forward.
919
00:49:05,770 --> 00:49:07,461
This is an important issue
920
00:49:07,668 --> 00:49:10,533
and the dialogue
should not stop here.
921
00:49:18,714 --> 00:49:20,888
For the good of everyone,
922
00:49:21,061 --> 00:49:25,376
it became apparent
that I needed to move on.
923
00:49:26,964 --> 00:49:31,520
This elusive quest for home
existed with my family.
924
00:49:35,006 --> 00:49:39,700
My grandparents
had set up a life in Arkansas,
925
00:49:39,907 --> 00:49:43,739
but there was an incident
that occurred.
926
00:49:43,946 --> 00:49:45,844
My grandfather
was threatened.
927
00:49:46,052 --> 00:49:50,435
He was warned
by a friendly white neighbor
928
00:49:50,642 --> 00:49:53,991
that there was a group of men
that wanted to lynch him.
929
00:49:55,889 --> 00:50:00,894
They left everything
and moved to Oklahoma.
930
00:50:03,207 --> 00:50:06,175
Oklahoma
was not the deep South.
931
00:50:06,382 --> 00:50:08,419
So there was a perception
932
00:50:08,626 --> 00:50:11,077
that there was much more
racial tolerance.
933
00:50:11,284 --> 00:50:14,045
My siblings started out
934
00:50:14,252 --> 00:50:16,668
in segregated schools.
935
00:50:16,875 --> 00:50:19,706
So, I saw
936
00:50:19,913 --> 00:50:24,607
some of both the segregation
of the past
937
00:50:25,953 --> 00:50:29,405
and the integration that was
going to be the future.
938
00:50:29,612 --> 00:50:32,719
My parents always
made sure that we,
939
00:50:32,926 --> 00:50:35,170
uh, we were aware
that there were things
940
00:50:35,377 --> 00:50:39,346
that we were not allowed
to do freely.
941
00:50:39,553 --> 00:50:40,899
So, it was a--
942
00:50:41,107 --> 00:50:44,041
It kind of an interesting
dance that they did.
943
00:50:44,248 --> 00:50:47,423
To be at once protective,
944
00:50:47,630 --> 00:50:50,495
but also to have
high expectations.
945
00:50:55,052 --> 00:50:57,433
They always said, you know,
you gotta be twice as good
946
00:50:57,640 --> 00:50:59,401
to get half as much.
947
00:51:00,609 --> 00:51:05,510
And they expected us
to be twice as good or more.
948
00:51:09,135 --> 00:51:11,240
In my home there was not
so much talk about
949
00:51:11,447 --> 00:51:12,828
fighting against the system
950
00:51:13,035 --> 00:51:16,832
as fighting to get
as much as you can out of it.
951
00:51:19,593 --> 00:51:22,079
My mother eventually
did have six daughters
952
00:51:22,251 --> 00:51:23,735
and seven sons.
953
00:51:23,942 --> 00:51:27,705
And six of her seven sons
went to the military
954
00:51:27,912 --> 00:51:30,466
before they went to college.
955
00:51:32,192 --> 00:51:33,849
There are a lot of people
encouraging you
956
00:51:34,056 --> 00:51:36,093
when you're
the youngest of 13.
957
00:51:36,265 --> 00:51:40,856
And that was great,
that was absolutely fantastic.
958
00:51:46,724 --> 00:51:48,519
Now this was
where our mailbox is.
959
00:51:48,726 --> 00:51:50,486
Ultimately
we got a little bit closer
960
00:51:50,693 --> 00:51:52,039
to the postal service.
961
00:51:52,212 --> 00:51:53,317
And the mailbox was here
962
00:51:53,524 --> 00:51:56,389
so we only had to walk
a quarter of a mile,
963
00:51:56,596 --> 00:51:58,736
or half a mile
to get to our mail.
964
00:52:07,848 --> 00:52:10,748
I was on the verge of this new chapter in my life,
965
00:52:10,955 --> 00:52:14,234
moving from Oklahoma
to Massachusetts
966
00:52:14,441 --> 00:52:15,477
which seemed
pretty much
967
00:52:15,684 --> 00:52:17,927
like a foreign place
at the time.
968
00:52:19,205 --> 00:52:21,828
So these letters
were coming in daily,
969
00:52:22,035 --> 00:52:24,417
there'd be trays of mail
coming in.
970
00:52:24,624 --> 00:52:26,177
And I started reading them,
971
00:52:26,384 --> 00:52:31,734
but I was so emotionally raw
that it was just impossible.
972
00:52:33,736 --> 00:52:35,876
Inside these file cabinets
are letters
973
00:52:36,083 --> 00:52:40,950
that I've received
over the last 19, 20 years.
974
00:52:41,848 --> 00:52:45,541
There're probably
at this point about 25,000.
975
00:52:45,748 --> 00:52:46,784
I guess it's human to say,
976
00:52:46,991 --> 00:52:49,752
well, why did this
happen to me?
977
00:52:49,959 --> 00:52:52,445
And they helped me understand
978
00:52:52,652 --> 00:52:53,687
why it was happening
979
00:52:53,894 --> 00:52:56,138
and that it really
was something
980
00:52:56,311 --> 00:52:58,244
that was bigger than me.
981
00:52:58,451 --> 00:53:00,073
I think we can--
982
00:53:00,246 --> 00:53:02,144
We can look at one,
983
00:53:02,317 --> 00:53:05,527
I have, for example
this one came in October.
984
00:53:05,734 --> 00:53:09,082
It's dated October 17th, 1991
985
00:53:09,255 --> 00:53:11,912
which was less than a week
after I testified.
986
00:53:12,119 --> 00:53:13,535
And it says,
"It's unfortunate
987
00:53:13,742 --> 00:53:15,882
that you had to be subjected
to scurrilous attacks.
988
00:53:16,089 --> 00:53:19,265
You and you alone
made the public cognoscente
989
00:53:19,472 --> 00:53:20,576
of the sexual harassment
990
00:53:20,783 --> 00:53:22,716
that is prevalent
in the workplace.
991
00:53:22,923 --> 00:53:24,477
For this,
the women of America
992
00:53:24,684 --> 00:53:26,203
will be eternally grateful.
993
00:53:26,410 --> 00:53:27,721
I and many like me
994
00:53:27,928 --> 00:53:30,207
sincerely hope that you will
have a very bright future
995
00:53:30,414 --> 00:53:32,381
which you richly deserve."
996
00:53:32,588 --> 00:53:34,141
And this is from a man.
997
00:53:41,666 --> 00:53:43,703
I made a deal with myself.
998
00:53:43,910 --> 00:53:46,706
I would go out and I'd talk
about sexual harassment,
999
00:53:46,913 --> 00:53:48,155
but for two years.
1000
00:53:48,328 --> 00:53:50,330
At the end of two years,
I mean, we'll fix this.
1001
00:53:50,537 --> 00:53:51,469
We'll have it done.
1002
00:53:51,676 --> 00:53:53,437
It'll be over
and I can go back
1003
00:53:53,644 --> 00:53:55,646
to my commercial law
and contracts
1004
00:53:55,853 --> 00:53:57,095
which was
what I was teaching.
1005
00:53:58,304 --> 00:53:59,374
We didn't fix it.
1006
00:53:59,581 --> 00:54:01,168
We made some strides.
1007
00:54:01,341 --> 00:54:02,722
But there were still
1008
00:54:02,929 --> 00:54:05,863
all these misunderstandings
out there.
1009
00:54:06,726 --> 00:54:08,693
What would you say
sustained you
1010
00:54:08,900 --> 00:54:10,937
in the aftermath
of that kind of scrutiny
1011
00:54:11,144 --> 00:54:13,319
including some
of the most vicious commentary
1012
00:54:13,526 --> 00:54:14,768
that I have ever read?
1013
00:54:14,975 --> 00:54:18,703
I don't think
that there has ever been
1014
00:54:18,910 --> 00:54:21,223
an attack on a witness
1015
00:54:22,120 --> 00:54:25,296
who really had
absolutely nothing to gain.
1016
00:54:25,503 --> 00:54:26,884
And someone said
1017
00:54:27,091 --> 00:54:28,472
it wasn't as though they were
going to give you the seat
1018
00:54:28,679 --> 00:54:29,749
if they didn't give it to him.
1019
00:54:30,612 --> 00:54:32,855
Uh, people think when
they think of those hearings
1020
00:54:33,062 --> 00:54:34,547
they think,
"Okay, he had a race
1021
00:54:34,754 --> 00:54:36,480
and she had a gender."
1022
00:54:36,687 --> 00:54:40,035
Um, but, you know,
it was the combination--
1023
00:54:43,452 --> 00:54:47,249
It was really the combination
of my race and gender.
1024
00:54:47,422 --> 00:54:49,286
And it changed the dynamics.
1025
00:54:49,493 --> 00:54:53,186
I remember one moment
when it was just overwhelming
1026
00:54:53,359 --> 00:54:56,293
I just remember
having some sort of meltdown
1027
00:54:56,500 --> 00:54:57,294
with my mother.
1028
00:54:57,501 --> 00:54:59,917
And then I realized
1029
00:55:00,124 --> 00:55:01,884
how I had been able
to get through the hearings.
1030
00:55:02,091 --> 00:55:04,542
Because she stopped me
1031
00:55:04,749 --> 00:55:06,406
and she said,
1032
00:55:06,613 --> 00:55:09,685
"You know who you are
1033
00:55:09,892 --> 00:55:12,309
and you know
what you can do.
1034
00:55:12,516 --> 00:55:15,760
And don't ever
doubt yourself."
1035
00:55:17,969 --> 00:55:22,249
Most of us have everything
we need to get through a crisis.
1036
00:55:22,422 --> 00:55:24,286
We just have to tap into it.
1037
00:55:25,460 --> 00:55:28,463
Ultimately I decided
that I would write the book
1038
00:55:28,670 --> 00:55:31,604
about the hearing
1039
00:55:31,811 --> 00:55:33,260
and then my life
really changed.
1040
00:55:33,433 --> 00:55:36,056
And I just said, you know,
I'm going to be a public voice
1041
00:55:36,263 --> 00:55:39,059
for gender
and equality.
1042
00:55:40,164 --> 00:55:42,546
The more I understood
about sexual harassment,
1043
00:55:42,753 --> 00:55:43,892
the more I understood
1044
00:55:44,099 --> 00:55:45,963
that it was
only part of the problem.
1045
00:55:46,170 --> 00:55:49,346
Sexual harassment
is just part of a larger issue
1046
00:55:49,553 --> 00:55:51,934
of gender and equality.
1047
00:55:52,141 --> 00:55:53,211
And I didn't know that
1048
00:55:53,419 --> 00:55:54,972
until I started hearing
from people.
1049
00:55:55,179 --> 00:55:57,457
And I am hearing
from a lot of men.
1050
00:55:57,664 --> 00:55:59,286
Men relating to it
1051
00:55:59,459 --> 00:56:00,667
in terms of their daughters.
1052
00:56:00,874 --> 00:56:03,152
These daughters
that they've raised
1053
00:56:03,360 --> 00:56:06,155
who now have all these
opportunities to achieve
1054
00:56:06,363 --> 00:56:07,156
and advance.
1055
00:56:08,123 --> 00:56:10,919
Those daughters
being harassed
1056
00:56:11,126 --> 00:56:13,370
really is something
that provokes them
1057
00:56:13,577 --> 00:56:15,510
to say, you know, enough.
1058
00:56:15,717 --> 00:56:17,408
We have to stop this.
1059
00:56:17,615 --> 00:56:24,104
The ability to use race
as a divisive tool politically.
1060
00:56:24,311 --> 00:56:27,522
And it's just like anything,
after a while,
1061
00:56:27,729 --> 00:56:29,006
it loses its impact.
1062
00:56:29,213 --> 00:56:32,078
Also, like if you look at
the Obama administration,
1063
00:56:32,285 --> 00:56:33,838
he comes in
and he's not playing
1064
00:56:34,045 --> 00:56:35,081
on people's fears.
1065
00:56:35,288 --> 00:56:36,082
He's saying,
"No, we're all different.
1066
00:56:36,289 --> 00:56:37,152
Let's unite."
1067
00:56:38,222 --> 00:56:39,188
ANITA: I wanted
to develop a course
1068
00:56:39,396 --> 00:56:40,535
that took advantage
of the energy
1069
00:56:40,742 --> 00:56:42,985
behind the Obama election.
1070
00:56:43,192 --> 00:56:45,229
That helped us
to think about
1071
00:56:45,436 --> 00:56:50,579
how his policies fit into
the social justice models.
1072
00:56:51,477 --> 00:56:54,894
This is so fulfilling,
you and the students,
1073
00:56:55,101 --> 00:56:56,792
things click.
1074
00:56:56,999 --> 00:56:59,623
And then you think,
this is a absolute,
1075
00:56:59,830 --> 00:57:01,866
most fulfilling thing in life.
1076
00:57:02,073 --> 00:57:04,351
And I always
thought of teaching
1077
00:57:04,524 --> 00:57:07,320
really as not only
teaching students
1078
00:57:07,493 --> 00:57:09,218
about where the law is,
1079
00:57:09,426 --> 00:57:11,531
but teaching students
about where it can be
1080
00:57:11,738 --> 00:57:13,775
and what it can do.
1081
00:57:15,293 --> 00:57:17,226
I've learned
an awful lot here
1082
00:57:17,434 --> 00:57:20,816
and it's been
a great experience.
1083
00:57:21,023 --> 00:57:23,336
And the things
that I'm able to do
1084
00:57:23,509 --> 00:57:26,028
with the issues
that I care about,
1085
00:57:26,235 --> 00:57:27,858
I think
I would never have been
1086
00:57:28,065 --> 00:57:31,240
able to do
at the law school in Oklahoma.
1087
00:57:31,448 --> 00:57:34,036
The pressure
to keep me quiet,
1088
00:57:34,243 --> 00:57:35,728
to keep me
out of the public eye
1089
00:57:35,935 --> 00:57:36,867
would have been so great
1090
00:57:37,074 --> 00:57:38,144
that I could
not have done
1091
00:57:38,351 --> 00:57:39,973
the kinds of things
that I've done.
1092
00:57:40,180 --> 00:57:42,251
What I was meant to do
with my life.
1093
00:57:44,081 --> 00:57:49,155
But I also knew that
if I am not public
1094
00:57:49,362 --> 00:57:53,746
then there will be
a sense of victory
1095
00:57:53,953 --> 00:57:56,300
that they will have over me.
1096
00:58:03,169 --> 00:58:05,033
The Oklahoma
legislature
1097
00:58:05,240 --> 00:58:08,070
extends its warmest welcome
and directs me
1098
00:58:08,277 --> 00:58:09,865
to give you this citation.
1099
00:58:10,072 --> 00:58:13,041
[ applause ]
1100
00:58:18,184 --> 00:58:22,602
At the ripe old age
of 3 years and 9 months
1101
00:58:22,809 --> 00:58:26,572
I was forced
to relinquish my position
1102
00:58:28,194 --> 00:58:30,679
of baby in the family
to our speaker
1103
00:58:30,886 --> 00:58:32,681
for this evening.
1104
00:58:32,888 --> 00:58:34,441
I present to you
this evening,
1105
00:58:34,614 --> 00:58:37,514
my parents baker's dozen
1106
00:58:39,412 --> 00:58:42,208
and my little sister
Anita Hill.
1107
00:58:45,936 --> 00:58:47,144
Thank you, sis,
1108
00:58:47,351 --> 00:58:50,596
and I am just thrilled
to be back in Oklahoma.
1109
00:58:52,080 --> 00:58:54,151
What do you think
of Clarence Thomas's
1110
00:58:54,358 --> 00:58:58,500
wife's phone call
to you recently?
1111
00:59:00,467 --> 00:59:02,677
At first, of course,
when I got the call
1112
00:59:02,884 --> 00:59:04,126
I thought
it was a prank.
1113
00:59:05,369 --> 00:59:06,646
And just a sort of a prank.
1114
00:59:06,853 --> 00:59:09,407
I couldn't believe it would be
actually Ginni Thomas
1115
00:59:09,615 --> 00:59:14,205
calling my office
on Saturday morning at 7:30.
1116
00:59:16,656 --> 00:59:20,039
I did not want the hearing.
1117
00:59:20,246 --> 00:59:22,662
I didn't want it
to become a punchline.
1118
00:59:22,869 --> 00:59:24,250
But I know
1119
00:59:24,457 --> 00:59:27,564
so many of you
are probably thinking about,
1120
00:59:27,736 --> 00:59:32,051
um, well, 1991.
1121
00:59:33,811 --> 00:59:38,057
It was in fact,
20 years ago.
1122
00:59:38,264 --> 00:59:39,852
Twenty years ago.
1123
00:59:40,059 --> 00:59:44,028
I can tell you
with absolute certainty
1124
00:59:44,235 --> 00:59:48,032
that testifying before
the Senate Judiciary Committee
1125
00:59:48,239 --> 00:59:51,380
was not
on my bucket list.
1126
00:59:53,693 --> 00:59:56,696
But it wasn't my testimony
that caused change.
1127
00:59:56,903 --> 00:59:58,974
What allowed us
to move forward,
1128
00:59:59,181 --> 01:00:01,839
what allowed record
numbers of women
1129
01:00:02,046 --> 01:00:04,739
to file complaints
against employers,
1130
01:00:04,946 --> 01:00:09,433
what allowed employers to change
their workplace policies,
1131
01:00:09,640 --> 01:00:13,471
what allowed the election
of record numbers of women
1132
01:00:13,679 --> 01:00:15,991
in the Congress
and in the Senate.
1133
01:00:17,993 --> 01:00:20,168
That was you.
1134
01:00:20,375 --> 01:00:24,172
That was your voice,
your voices.
1135
01:00:25,725 --> 01:00:27,347
Are you married now?
1136
01:00:27,554 --> 01:00:30,109
[ laughing ]
1137
01:00:32,456 --> 01:00:33,457
No.
1138
01:00:37,012 --> 01:00:38,462
Virtually.
1139
01:00:40,119 --> 01:00:42,811
Uh, I'm in a very, very good
relationship now
1140
01:00:43,018 --> 01:00:46,366
and, uh, it's very--
It's good.
1141
01:00:50,025 --> 01:00:52,165
CHUCK: I was a partner with,
1142
01:00:52,372 --> 01:00:54,996
I think 12 other guys
in a restaurant in Waltham
1143
01:00:55,203 --> 01:00:57,239
where Brandeis is.
1144
01:00:57,446 --> 01:00:59,448
And I was with
a couple of friends one night
1145
01:00:59,656 --> 01:01:01,278
and this woman
walked through the door.
1146
01:01:01,485 --> 01:01:02,762
And I said,
"I'd better make sure
1147
01:01:02,969 --> 01:01:04,350
that woman gets good service.
1148
01:01:04,557 --> 01:01:05,247
Excuse me."
1149
01:01:05,454 --> 01:01:08,354
And I walked over
and I said,
1150
01:01:08,561 --> 01:01:11,668
"If you need anything
I'll be right over here."
1151
01:01:11,875 --> 01:01:13,048
I walked over
1152
01:01:13,255 --> 01:01:14,671
and, uh, apparently
she didn't eat anything
1153
01:01:14,843 --> 01:01:17,812
because I looked up and she was,
like, walking out the door.
1154
01:01:18,019 --> 01:01:21,125
So I went to the door
and I said,
1155
01:01:21,332 --> 01:01:22,748
uh, "Please co-come back in
1156
01:01:22,955 --> 01:01:25,095
and let me buy you
a glass of wine."
1157
01:01:25,302 --> 01:01:26,579
And she said, "Yeah, sure."
1158
01:01:26,752 --> 01:01:28,788
And I can almost
see her eyes rolling.
1159
01:01:28,995 --> 01:01:30,134
And she left,
1160
01:01:30,341 --> 01:01:34,104
never to be seen again
until a year later.
1161
01:01:34,311 --> 01:01:36,382
Luckily I was
in the restaurant.
1162
01:01:36,589 --> 01:01:39,696
And she came in,
so I said to the manager,
1163
01:01:39,868 --> 01:01:43,872
"I'm going home to get
a great bottle of white wine
1164
01:01:44,079 --> 01:01:46,392
I just brought back
from France.
1165
01:01:46,599 --> 01:01:48,774
Don't let her go anywhere."
1166
01:01:49,878 --> 01:01:52,570
Went home, got the bottle,
came back, he put it on ice.
1167
01:01:52,778 --> 01:01:56,160
He wrapped the towel around it,
served it to her and her friend.
1168
01:01:56,367 --> 01:01:57,575
After dinner, I walked up
1169
01:01:57,783 --> 01:02:01,234
and the conversation
became lengthy.
1170
01:02:01,441 --> 01:02:05,100
That was 11 years ago,
11, 12 years ago.
1171
01:02:11,175 --> 01:02:12,867
What stood out
with Anita's family
1172
01:02:13,074 --> 01:02:15,317
is how close they are.
1173
01:02:15,524 --> 01:02:17,492
You can see the love there.
1174
01:02:20,495 --> 01:02:22,186
ANITA: Jeanna, yes,
1175
01:02:22,393 --> 01:02:24,706
that's my sister
Joanne's daughter.
1176
01:02:25,983 --> 01:02:30,539
Eric and Jeanna's brother Jerry brought her up the aisle.
1177
01:02:31,471 --> 01:02:33,957
Jeanna's father is deceased.
1178
01:02:34,164 --> 01:02:37,098
She had a picture of him
in her bouquet.
1179
01:02:43,932 --> 01:02:47,729
And I think we just all
had a great time.
1180
01:02:47,902 --> 01:02:52,699
Just to be with my family and extended family having fun.
1181
01:02:56,427 --> 01:02:58,775
That's a close, loving family.
1182
01:03:00,086 --> 01:03:01,501
She's lucky.
1183
01:03:16,931 --> 01:03:19,416
LETTY: I want to personally
thank you, Anita Hill.
1184
01:03:19,623 --> 01:03:21,418
Thank you for illuminating
1185
01:03:21,625 --> 01:03:24,697
the complexities
of female powerlessness
1186
01:03:24,870 --> 01:03:29,564
and for describing how cowed
and coerced a woman can feel
1187
01:03:29,771 --> 01:03:32,118
when she is hit upon
by a man
1188
01:03:32,325 --> 01:03:34,534
who controls
her economic destiny.
1189
01:03:34,741 --> 01:03:38,918
Twenty years ago you had
the courage to tell the truth
1190
01:03:39,125 --> 01:03:41,265
and do what women
rarely did then.
1191
01:03:41,472 --> 01:03:42,715
Make a scene.
1192
01:03:43,647 --> 01:03:47,168
But thanks to you, Anita,
we and our daughters
1193
01:03:47,375 --> 01:03:49,826
and our granddaughters
now feel empowered
1194
01:03:50,033 --> 01:03:54,623
to press the emergency button
and report offensive behavior.
1195
01:03:54,831 --> 01:03:57,730
When former congresswoman
Pat Schroeder
1196
01:03:57,903 --> 01:03:59,249
first ran for the house,
1197
01:03:59,456 --> 01:04:03,046
Pat was asked by one of
the good old boys on the Hill,
1198
01:04:03,253 --> 01:04:07,740
"How can you be a congresswoman
and a mother at the same time?"
1199
01:04:07,913 --> 01:04:09,500
And Pat famously answered,
1200
01:04:09,707 --> 01:04:13,573
"Because I have a brain
and a uterus and I use both."
1201
01:04:16,335 --> 01:04:18,475
ANITA:
This Hunter College event,
1202
01:04:18,682 --> 01:04:21,892
it was just
this great combination
1203
01:04:22,099 --> 01:04:25,240
of new generation women,
1204
01:04:25,447 --> 01:04:28,209
as well as women,
like Gloria Steinem.
1205
01:04:29,072 --> 01:04:32,213
LETTY: What does Anita Hill
mean to us today?
1206
01:04:32,420 --> 01:04:33,973
I remember
everybody was talking
1207
01:04:34,180 --> 01:04:36,286
about Anita Hill
and sexual harassment.
1208
01:04:36,493 --> 01:04:39,737
I grew up knowing
that it wasn't okay
1209
01:04:39,945 --> 01:04:42,361
and that if it did happen to me
and it did,
1210
01:04:42,568 --> 01:04:43,949
that it wouldn't be
my fault.
1211
01:04:44,156 --> 01:04:45,916
And that there was something
that I could do about it.
1212
01:04:46,123 --> 01:04:49,161
And if I can give that
to the next generation
1213
01:04:49,368 --> 01:04:51,094
when street harassment
happens to them,
1214
01:04:51,301 --> 01:04:52,164
that it's not okay.
1215
01:04:52,371 --> 01:04:53,993
Then that will be a win.
1216
01:04:54,200 --> 01:04:55,753
[ applause ]
1217
01:04:57,548 --> 01:04:59,550
Our work in the New York City
Public Schools
1218
01:04:59,757 --> 01:05:01,932
so that we can protect
all students
1219
01:05:02,139 --> 01:05:04,348
from sexual harassment
and gender based violence
1220
01:05:04,555 --> 01:05:06,730
is so critical,
uh, at this time.
1221
01:05:06,937 --> 01:05:09,319
And it wasn't until
as an adult
1222
01:05:09,526 --> 01:05:12,115
that I really realized
the shoulders
1223
01:05:12,322 --> 01:05:14,427
that we're standing on.
1224
01:05:15,325 --> 01:05:19,191
What she stood for in 1991
still resonates with all of us.
1225
01:05:19,398 --> 01:05:22,539
And that she stood up
not just for herself,
1226
01:05:22,746 --> 01:05:24,782
but for
my three granddaughters.
1227
01:05:24,990 --> 01:05:26,923
Ten, seven and three,
1228
01:05:27,095 --> 01:05:29,787
who are growing up in a world
where they know they are
1229
01:05:29,995 --> 01:05:33,067
and can be the best possible
that they can be
1230
01:05:33,274 --> 01:05:36,139
because Anita Hill stood up
in 1991.
1231
01:05:36,346 --> 01:05:40,626
Thank you, Professor Hill,
for opening doors for all of us.
1232
01:05:42,766 --> 01:05:45,251
And I wonder
if you could share the moment
1233
01:05:45,458 --> 01:05:48,461
that we'd realized
that this was something
1234
01:05:48,668 --> 01:05:52,603
beyond a single moment
of testimony.
1235
01:05:52,810 --> 01:05:56,849
I had lots of support
from, uh, women.
1236
01:05:57,712 --> 01:06:01,198
But John Frank was
an individual who volunteered.
1237
01:06:01,405 --> 01:06:03,166
He had been an expert
on the Supreme Court
1238
01:06:03,373 --> 01:06:05,513
and the confirmation process.
1239
01:06:05,720 --> 01:06:08,895
He came to me in tears,
literally in tears.
1240
01:06:09,068 --> 01:06:13,245
And he said, "I know
this is very hard for you.
1241
01:06:13,452 --> 01:06:15,281
But you have no idea
1242
01:06:15,488 --> 01:06:19,803
of how important this is
to our country."
1243
01:06:20,631 --> 01:06:22,979
And I was at that point
just trying to get through
1244
01:06:23,186 --> 01:06:24,566
the rest of the day.
1245
01:06:24,773 --> 01:06:28,985
Um, it was as though he had
looked into the future
1246
01:06:29,157 --> 01:06:31,677
and seen you today.
1247
01:06:33,265 --> 01:06:35,543
Having had to deal
with so much,
1248
01:06:35,750 --> 01:06:39,271
how do you,
um, deal with fear?
1249
01:06:39,478 --> 01:06:42,999
Not over it, not under it,
but through it?
1250
01:06:43,171 --> 01:06:45,346
Thank you. Thank you.
1251
01:06:48,073 --> 01:06:51,593
I know that there were times
when I was afraid.
1252
01:06:51,800 --> 01:06:53,147
And I knew
that there were times
1253
01:06:53,354 --> 01:06:55,011
when I'd,
you know, stepped out
1254
01:06:55,183 --> 01:06:58,531
and I didn't know what was
gonna happen to me next.
1255
01:06:58,738 --> 01:07:05,124
But everyday I woke up
knowing that the thing
1256
01:07:05,331 --> 01:07:06,919
that caused me
to be fearful,
1257
01:07:07,092 --> 01:07:10,543
that testimony
was the right thing to do.
1258
01:07:10,750 --> 01:07:14,409
Knowing that you have
that truth,
1259
01:07:14,616 --> 01:07:17,343
then that's really the way
to deal with it.
1260
01:07:17,550 --> 01:07:20,553
You don't have
to be alone.
1261
01:07:23,211 --> 01:07:24,523
PHOTOGRAPHER: Anita!
1262
01:07:24,730 --> 01:07:27,215
You don't have to be alone.
1263
01:07:27,422 --> 01:07:30,011
ANITA: Every year since
the hearings,
1264
01:07:30,184 --> 01:07:32,013
they have a gathering.
1265
01:07:32,186 --> 01:07:34,188
These women are on fire.
1266
01:07:34,395 --> 01:07:36,466
They care about each other.
1267
01:07:36,673 --> 01:07:38,088
They care about the work
they do.
1268
01:07:38,295 --> 01:07:42,437
They are enthusiastic
about gender equality.
1269
01:08:06,634 --> 01:08:08,567
Ladies and gentlemen,
please rise
1270
01:08:08,774 --> 01:08:11,880
and give Anita Hill
a big round of applause.
1271
01:08:19,336 --> 01:08:21,476
ANITA: People ask the question,
like, what about voice?
1272
01:08:21,683 --> 01:08:23,099
How can I have a voice?
1273
01:08:23,306 --> 01:08:26,654
I really found my voice
in 1991.
1274
01:08:26,861 --> 01:08:29,967
And having found it,
I won't lose it again.
1275
01:08:30,175 --> 01:08:33,350
And if we celebrate
Martin Luther King,
1276
01:08:33,557 --> 01:08:36,112
think about what he showed us
by example.
1277
01:08:36,319 --> 01:08:42,187
That dignity and courage
were more effective tools
1278
01:08:42,394 --> 01:08:44,706
than bullying
1279
01:08:44,913 --> 01:08:47,537
and making positive change
for this country.
1280
01:08:47,744 --> 01:08:49,746
I am here today
1281
01:08:49,953 --> 01:08:56,718
because so many people before me
struggled for my dignity,
1282
01:08:56,925 --> 01:09:00,412
for my freedom
and for justice.
1283
01:09:00,619 --> 01:09:03,725
And for that
I try to live each day
1284
01:09:03,932 --> 01:09:06,383
with a heart full of grace.
1285
01:09:06,590 --> 01:09:09,662
So when I say,
raise your voice,
1286
01:09:09,869 --> 01:09:14,115
I mean, raise your voice
where ever you find it.
1287
01:09:27,784 --> 01:09:29,682
TEACHER: You went to
the Anita Hill conference, yeah?
1288
01:09:29,889 --> 01:09:33,755
So, who here knows
about Anita Hill?
1289
01:09:37,000 --> 01:09:38,726
And what are some things
that we can do,
1290
01:09:38,933 --> 01:09:42,005
what have we learned
from workplace harassment.
1291
01:09:42,212 --> 01:09:43,731
I can only imagine
how difficult
1292
01:09:43,938 --> 01:09:46,665
it must have been
with her testifying
1293
01:09:46,872 --> 01:09:49,219
and it seemed so scary
and especially how I know,
1294
01:09:49,426 --> 01:09:52,015
um, in our society
there's a lot of victim blaming
1295
01:09:52,222 --> 01:09:53,672
and a lot of blaming
the person and people,
1296
01:09:53,879 --> 01:09:55,398
"What was she wearing
and how was she acting
1297
01:09:55,605 --> 01:09:57,331
and did she invite that?"
1298
01:09:57,538 --> 01:10:00,368
The parallel is learning
1299
01:10:00,575 --> 01:10:02,646
from Anita Hill's strength
to speak out.
1300
01:10:02,853 --> 01:10:06,443
People are behaving this way
because no one told them
1301
01:10:06,650 --> 01:10:07,858
it was wrong
in the first place.
1302
01:10:09,826 --> 01:10:11,276
So starting off
by telling them
1303
01:10:11,483 --> 01:10:13,243
it's wrong
from a younger age then,
1304
01:10:13,450 --> 01:10:16,212
we're grooming a new generation
and a new future.
1305
01:10:17,316 --> 01:10:20,285
ANITA:
What I am most encouraged by
1306
01:10:20,492 --> 01:10:23,840
is that
young people are engaged
1307
01:10:24,047 --> 01:10:25,221
and able to articulate
1308
01:10:25,428 --> 01:10:28,051
what they want
in terms of gender equality.
1309
01:10:28,258 --> 01:10:30,087
This is I feel like
especially from what you guys
1310
01:10:30,295 --> 01:10:32,228
wrote for what
sexual harassment is.
1311
01:10:32,400 --> 01:10:33,574
Maybe you've seen
it happen
1312
01:10:33,781 --> 01:10:35,610
or have experienced
it yourselves.
1313
01:10:35,817 --> 01:10:38,510
So, now we're gonna do
an activity called,
1314
01:10:38,717 --> 01:10:39,787
okay or not okay.
1315
01:10:39,994 --> 01:10:41,996
I got "Touched your butt
on the subway"
1316
01:10:42,203 --> 01:10:44,067
and I really think
that's not okay.
1317
01:10:44,274 --> 01:10:46,587
I was like a block away
from my house
1318
01:10:46,794 --> 01:10:50,107
and like four guys in a car
were like whistling
1319
01:10:50,315 --> 01:10:52,696
and putting their hands
out the window
1320
01:10:52,903 --> 01:10:54,353
and it scared me
half to death.
1321
01:10:56,113 --> 01:10:57,667
Everybody I know,
a lot of people
1322
01:10:57,874 --> 01:11:00,014
that are getting harassed
and they just give up
1323
01:11:00,221 --> 01:11:01,878
and they don't tell
their parents
1324
01:11:02,085 --> 01:11:04,052
because they feel that
they're gonna get in trouble.
1325
01:11:04,260 --> 01:11:05,606
They feel
that it's their fault
1326
01:11:05,813 --> 01:11:08,333
so they cut themselves,
a lot of people.
1327
01:11:08,540 --> 01:11:12,647
It happens to more people
than you think it happens to.
1328
01:11:12,854 --> 01:11:14,925
And that that's a really
important factor to remember
1329
01:11:15,132 --> 01:11:17,411
that you're not the only one
going through with it.
1330
01:11:17,618 --> 01:11:18,998
We shouldn't just
stand by each other
1331
01:11:19,205 --> 01:11:21,311
and watch each other
be harassed like this.
1332
01:11:21,518 --> 01:11:25,246
We need to help each other
and tell people what's going on.
1333
01:11:25,419 --> 01:11:27,766
Not enough people
are doing enough to stop it.
1334
01:11:27,973 --> 01:11:29,077
So if you can really like
1335
01:11:29,285 --> 01:11:30,838
either get
a guidance counselor in on it
1336
01:11:31,045 --> 01:11:33,910
or just you try and understand
or talking to them about it
1337
01:11:34,117 --> 01:11:35,843
I think would make
a big difference.
1338
01:11:36,050 --> 01:11:38,190
If something happens to you
or if someone's harassing you,
1339
01:11:38,363 --> 01:11:39,605
that's not your fault.
1340
01:11:39,812 --> 01:11:42,815
And I just want everyone
to know that it's not you.
1341
01:11:43,022 --> 01:11:44,230
Like you're fabulous,
you're amazing
1342
01:11:44,403 --> 01:11:46,647
and you didn't do anything
to attract that.
1343
01:11:46,854 --> 01:11:48,787
The world is yours.
1344
01:11:48,994 --> 01:11:53,170
As spokespeople for the kind of
change that you want.
1345
01:11:53,378 --> 01:11:56,139
And I think the audience
would agree with me
1346
01:11:56,346 --> 01:11:59,901
that these young women
are incredible,
1347
01:12:00,108 --> 01:12:02,421
wonderful spokespeople.
1348
01:12:06,874 --> 01:12:10,015
I was given hope
that I could retire now.
1349
01:12:11,154 --> 01:12:14,709
And the next generation
is in good hands.
1350
01:12:28,413 --> 01:12:32,589
We really have been
building of what on
1351
01:12:32,796 --> 01:12:37,974
an understanding
of what equality means.
1352
01:12:38,768 --> 01:12:41,080
Whether we fight
for gender equality
1353
01:12:41,287 --> 01:12:44,601
or racial equality
or equal rights,
1354
01:12:44,808 --> 01:12:47,604
uh, based on
sexual identity.
1355
01:12:47,811 --> 01:12:50,055
We have
a much better understanding
1356
01:12:50,262 --> 01:12:55,198
of what it takes to get there
in 2011 and 2012
1357
01:12:55,405 --> 01:12:57,373
than we had in 1991.
1358
01:13:00,410 --> 01:13:03,965
Despite all the inequalities
that exist in the world
1359
01:13:04,172 --> 01:13:06,416
I still believe
with all my heart
1360
01:13:06,623 --> 01:13:08,211
that we are
on the verge
1361
01:13:08,418 --> 01:13:11,732
of something monumental
and profound.
1362
01:13:12,629 --> 01:13:17,082
And I still want to be a part
of that change.
1363
01:13:17,289 --> 01:13:19,912
I hope that life's hardships
have taught you
1364
01:13:20,119 --> 01:13:21,742
to face every adversity
1365
01:13:21,949 --> 01:13:26,091
with honesty, dignity,
integrity and courage.
1366
01:13:26,298 --> 01:13:31,717
And I can attest that
honesty, dignity and courage
1367
01:13:31,924 --> 01:13:34,513
is what will be remembered.
1368
01:13:38,448 --> 01:13:42,694
Well, it hasn't every day and
every moment of it wonderful.
1369
01:13:42,901 --> 01:13:45,973
But in the end, you know,
1370
01:13:46,180 --> 01:13:48,424
I can't think of
any other way to do it.
1371
01:14:14,864 --> 01:14:16,935
People see me today
and they expect me
1372
01:14:17,142 --> 01:14:18,177
to have on that blue dress
1373
01:14:18,384 --> 01:14:20,283
'cause that's what
they remember.
1374
01:14:22,147 --> 01:14:24,632
Here-- Here they are.
How about this?
1375
01:14:24,839 --> 01:14:26,669
It's the blue dress.
Yeah.
1376
01:14:26,876 --> 01:14:30,949
I have not worn
this blue dress since 1991
1377
01:14:31,156 --> 01:14:32,640
when I took it off
at the hearings.
1378
01:14:32,847 --> 01:14:34,331
It went to the cleaners
1379
01:14:34,539 --> 01:14:37,127
and then it's been
in my closet since.
1380
01:14:37,334 --> 01:14:39,026
I didn't really have
that much time
1381
01:14:39,233 --> 01:14:40,821
to think about it, honestly.
1382
01:14:41,028 --> 01:14:43,513
But there's no formula
for what to wear
1383
01:14:43,720 --> 01:14:46,482
before a Senate Judiciary
hearing.
1384
01:14:47,413 --> 01:14:50,693
Someone told me that
they were in Ghana
1385
01:14:50,900 --> 01:14:52,246
after the hearing
1386
01:14:52,453 --> 01:14:56,871
and a tailor was designing
this dress for women there,
1387
01:14:57,078 --> 01:14:59,702
that women were
requesting that dress.
1388
01:14:59,909 --> 01:15:02,877
So, um, through
the magic of CNN
1389
01:15:03,084 --> 01:15:05,086
it became
a fashion statement.
1390
01:15:06,122 --> 01:15:08,469
As well,
maybe as a political statement.
1391
01:15:17,582 --> 01:15:21,275
[ applause and cheer ]
1392
01:15:26,073 --> 01:15:28,696
I'm so happy
we're doing this tonight.
1393
01:15:28,903 --> 01:15:31,906
Anita Hill, thank you so much
for being here tonight.
1394
01:15:33,218 --> 01:15:35,116
ANIKA: Good morning,
Anita Hill.
1395
01:15:35,323 --> 01:15:37,533
This here's Sojourner Truth.
1396
01:15:39,017 --> 01:15:40,570
There's so much racket.
1397
01:15:40,777 --> 01:15:44,022
There must be something
outta kilter, Anita Hill.
1398
01:15:44,229 --> 01:15:46,611
But what's all this here
talking about?
1399
01:15:46,818 --> 01:15:47,991
Just thought
I'd reach out to ask you
1400
01:15:48,198 --> 01:15:50,787
across the airwaves
and the years, Anita Hill,
1401
01:15:50,994 --> 01:15:53,238
and ask you
to consider something.
1402
01:15:53,445 --> 01:15:56,966
Anita Hill,
please don't tell nobody,
1403
01:15:57,173 --> 01:16:01,902
no how, nowhere, never,
no way that you're sorry.
1404
01:16:02,109 --> 01:16:05,837
Anita Hill, please don't you
apologize, child,
1405
01:16:06,044 --> 01:16:09,806
because for one thing,
you told the truth.
1406
01:16:10,013 --> 01:16:12,395
Don't you just love
that play on my name?
102669
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