European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 17, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday october 17, 1991 the stars and stripes b Page 3thomas ordeal Sparks . Debate americans dispute Impact on sexual harassment by Douglas j. Rowe the associated press americans differed sharply Over How Clarence Thomas confirmation to the supreme court might affect the nations awareness of sexual harassment. Some held out Hope his ordeal would make him a better judge. A if i were judge Thomas i would do All the Homework and i would make myself the Best judge Ever on that supreme court a said Irene French the mayor of Merriam Kan. A i think he can do  she was one of dozens of people interviewed tuesday night after the Senate a 52-48 vote to confirm Thomas. The vote followed three Days of hearings into allegations by Law professor Anita Hill a former employee that Thomas had sexually harassed her. Or. Frances Conley who sparked a National debate when she resigned from Stanford University a medical school in California citing years of sexual harassment from her male colleagues said the outcome will discourage women from complaining about sexual harassment. A a there a going to be tremendous backlash in the next few weeks a said the 50-year-old Conley who recently took Back her May resignation after colleagues convinced her things would not change without her help. A a women a issues in this regard Are going to again be trivialized to an incredible extent. Women Are going to again Retreat into. Silence a said Conley one of the. Nations first female brain surgeons. Robert bums a political science professor at South Dakota state University in Brookings disagreed saying the confirmation hearings raised awareness of sexual harassment to a new level. A i think men will certainly be much More conscious of sexual harassment in the workplace and i would expect women to actually be More prepared to blow the whistle when sexual harassment in the workplace occurs a Burns said. Shirley Mays an assistant Law professor at capital University in Columbus Ohio is Black and opposed Thomas confirmation before the allegations surfaced. But she had mixed feelings about Thom ask Contention that the second round of hearings was racially motivated. A was a Black person and As a female in be been internally torn by the hearings a she said. A i recognize that sexual harassment is a heinous behaviour but 1 can to help feeling some unease that there May be racial undertones to the  Kansas gov. Joan Finney a Democrat in her first year in office feared the episode might cause lasting damage to the nation. A it leaves a distasteful impression in the minds of the electorate and May further discourage voter participation in the political process a she said. A i think this certainly is not to the Benefit of the political system because there is a Lack of participation  Carol Konek an associate Dean at Wichita state University in Kansas said a a it a a bitter Day. I would have hoped to be jubilant about having another Black Justice on the supreme  instead despite a Black and a woman on the Bench the court May be poised to attack women a rights and civil rights in a the most brutal assault we could Ever have imagined Quot she said. Still she tried to remain sanguine that Thomas Learned a lesson. A i Hope the suffering he has endured has helped him reconnect with the suffering of other americans Quot Konek said. Quot i Hope it has deepened his compassion or Given him compassion that he never exhibited toward anyone but himself during the  Alexander Williams sr., Maryland a attorney for Prince Georges county said he anticipated that Thomas would emerge from the process a Wiser Man. A Thomas is going to be a better judge a More Broad based judge because of the experience he has gone through a he said. A having been the victim of what he Calls racism is going to make him a Little More sensitive to the  Hopes others will feel free to speak out Norman okla. Apr Anita Hill said she hoped Clarence Thomas confirmation to the supreme court  Stop others from complaining about harassment in the workplace. A the Issue of sexual harassment is now part of a dialogue a Hill said tuesday night outside her Home with her Mother standing next to her. She would not comment specifically about the Senate vote. A i cannot Tell you How Many letters and cards i have received from people throughout the country who Are concerned about this a she said. A women men women who have experienced the same thing have written and said now for the first time they could talk about it. A and that a important. What i Hope is that none of this will deter others from coming Forward. This is an important Issue and the dialogue should not Stop  Hill 35, testified before the Senate judiciary committee and a National television audience that she was sexually harassed by Thomas when she worked for him at the department of education and the equal employment Opportunity commission. Thomas vehemently denied the allegations. Late tuesday Hill was asked outside her Home whether if she had it to do again she would have testified against Thomas. At first Hill said she  say. Then she added a right now my gut reaction is that it was the right thing to do. And even looking at How hard it was i would do it again because it was the right thing. A a in a not sure i could live with myself if i had answered those questions the Senate staff questions any differently a i  sleep probably As Well As i can sleep tonight. Earlier tuesday Hill returned to her classroom at the University of Oklahoma Law school teaching classes in contracts and commercial Law. The last class ended minutes before the Senate approved Thomas nomination. At the end of the school Day Hill was whisked out a Side door of the Law school classroom. She said she Hadnot seen the debate and repeatedly said a no comments to reporters questions As she left the building. Tuesday was Hills first Day Back in the classroom since her trip to Washington. She said she Felt Fine. A crowd of students gathered in the lobby to watch As Hill entered the classroom surrounded by reporters and photographers. Students inside the room promptly and quietly opened their books As the door was closed and class began. Aside from the reporters and photographers it was seemingly business As usual at the Law school. A television set was turned to the Senate debate but Only a few students watched. Todd Hicks one of the students in Hills first class said Hill made a Brief introduction and got right to the lesson. A she said a i done to think  Ever leave me alone a then told us she missed us a Hicks said. A she was not herself that was obvious. It was like she Hadnot prepared As much like shed been away for a  i Ltd its a University of Oklahoma Security official escorts Anita Hill to class on tuesday in Norman. David Swank Dean of the Law school said he has talked briefly with Hill since her return Only to say hello. He said Hill and the school Are trying to return to Normal although admitting that the National spotlight was on the school tuesday. A group calling itself the civilized american students of Law put out fliers on various tables in the Law school to show support for Thomas. Meanwhile the president of the University of Oklahoma in Tulsa rejected a state legislators suggestion that Hill be ousted. A there is no basis in Law or policy for even discussion of taking actions against professor Hill a president Richard Van Horn said tuesday. State rep. Leonard Sullivan a Republican had offered in a letter monday to Lead a fund raising Effort to a buy out or otherwise remove professor Hill irom the Campus and hopefully our  a we must get this left Wing extremist influence off the Campus before it spreads further a Sullivan wrote to Van Horn. State sen. Cal Hobson one of three democratic state lawmakers who wrote letters supporting Hill called Sullivan a suggestion a repugnant to our Way of  Hobson suggested the University develop a a remedial course on the Constitution and limit enrolment to representative