Back in 1969, my mother was 19 and she wrote a letter to William O Douglas, who was the longest sitting Supreme Court Justice in US history.
She wrote to inquire about a summer internship, but incorrectly addressed it to the Department of Justice rather than the Supreme Court.
Today when going through a 30-year old storage locker, we found his response. The Justice had taken the time to personally write back in order to dunk on her: https://image.nostr.build/39fe9d516b21f5abb223c081ae23e17fc5d1ceb847bfe7d1f76bef2af05a5556.jpg
Political Class in a nutshell
I LOVE that I thought this was gonna be inspirational like “oh this happy accident led to my mother being literally on the Supreme Court”
Instead: https://i.nostr.build/a4xJ.gif
Yeah I tried to craft it the way we found it. Official envelope and letterhead from a Justice, and then a smackdown. XD
No nelson-haha.jpg printed out and paper clipped as page 2? 😁
I literally typed nelson-haha . jpg and it shows up as a failed media link 🤣
Bureaucracy is always an excuse.
Well, if he's so smart how come he's dead?
Wow. I love this. Sucks that he was so harsh, but so much about that letter indicates a radically different time in America.
Those burns sting a lot more when carefully written on a typewriter. Damn.
Typical asshole attorney response.
if it makes you feel better when i was in high school all the teachers were recommending me for all sorts of internships as i was the smartest student in the school and i was like fuck that shit - why work when i can relax :)
haha !
the Justice was based !
honestly though i'm surprised at your entitled attitude. an EX has recently written to me about how much i mean to her blah blah blah and i didn't bother replying. i don't think i even finished reading her letter - who cares ? yeah i was going to marry her but i changed my mind and she's history now. you should have been grateful the Justice replied to your mother - you sound like an arrogant brat.
Life lessons can be hard, that that's worth framing.
Taking time to write a letter back and dunk on a 19 year old is the mark of a very petty man
wow what an arse. poor thing your mom. This period in the 60's / 70's would be the uprise of women in the workforce pushing through incredible amount of challenges, just to be seen and heard - big props to your mom for having the guts to dream big and go after it. Her courage lives through you.
"Thank you for making it clear that an intership with you would have been hell. What a close shave. Thanks and GFY."
Judges can be like that. Always judging…
Oddbean new post about login | logout 
