By Peter Heck

Black lives matter ”“ unless they are black men who have endured discrimination both before and during the modern civil rights movement, managed to overcome racism and mistreatment, suffered through absurd allegations of sexual harassment that were drummed up and given embarrassing national media coverage by white men, managed to become the most powerful black political figure in America, author over 500 Supreme Court opinions, and through it all maintain a quiet dignity that is almost unparalleled in our history.

By now, most are aware that the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History will be including items like shoes and a game-worn jersey of national anthem protestor Colin Kaepernick in their Black Lives Matter exhibit. To me, that isn’t the issue. A museum of African American history, if it’s going to exist separately and segregated from the Museum of American History, would logically include key figures in movements (like Black Lives Matter) that chronicle the experiences of significant numbers of black Americans.

The sin of this museum isn’t one of including Kaepernick, but of doing so while omitting Thomas ”“ objectively a far more influential and consequential figure in the history of African Americans. This Smithsonian slight should be enough to spur marching in the streets.Â It should prompt investigative reporting to uncover and expose the corrupt degenerates responsible for this racist error.Â It should generate a national outcry about the preposterous witch-hunt that continues against this black man because he dared to leave the liberal thought plantation years ago.Â Because Clarence Thomas is a black conservative, white liberals that control the sophisticated parts of our culture like media and academia have determined he isn’t “truly black,”Â and therefore is unworthy of proper distinction.

Make sure you follow that ”“ arrogant lily-white liberals use their privileged position of influence to prevent the appropriate veneration and recognition of a black man simply because he won’t think like they tell him he should.Â This is why the left’s complaints about “racial justice” are so tired and meaningless. It isn’t about celebrating racial diversity to the left; it’s about advancing liberal politics under a faÃ§ade of poll-tested terminology. If you doubt that, explain this:

“Justice Thomas is the longest-serving black justice in our history, he’s amassed over 500 opinions,” said Mark Paoletta, a longtime friend who helped shepherd his nomination as a White House lawyer. “And yet you would learn nothing of that in this museum, and that’s a shame.”

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What the museum does have is a prominent display of Anita Hill, who accused Thomas of creating a hostile work environment while her supervisor at a federal agency. She outlined her allegations during Thomas’ 1991 confirmation hearings, and the candid discussion rocked the nation. The museum panel has a picture of Hill speaking, with the caption, “Her testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee provoked serious debates on sexual harassment, race loyalty, and gender roles.”

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Another section notes, “Outraged by Hill’s treatment by the all-male Senate committee, women’s groups organized campaigns to elect more women to public office.” The exhibit also includes a pink button from the era: “I believe Anita Hill.”Â But it contains no pictures, quotes or memorabilia from the justice himself.

That is the unconscionable reality of liberal cowards who feign interest in honoring black achievement and contribution to American society when the truth is that they are interested in honoring blacks who have pushed a liberal agenda.Â And if a black man dares to think differently than what Thomas calls the “old order” of white liberals, he is vilified, maligned, and excluded from the honor he has earned.

Until that historical and cultural malpractice receives its due outrage from you, don’t pretend you think that black lives matter.