He mounted his own defense by charging that the committee proceedings were high-tech lynching of uppity blacks.

Thomas denied her allegations categorically and denounced the hearings as a "high-tech lynching for uppity blacks who in any way deign to think for themselves."

He described the proceedings as a "high-tech lynching for those uppity blacks who dare to deviate from the old rules."

The Republicans were so determined to do their high-tech lynching that they engaged in wacky role reversals.

Here is Mr. Thomas responding by calling the hearings "a high-tech lynching for uppity blacks."

At the Thomas hearings, Republicans helped the nominee denounce what he called a "high-tech lynching," a startling image of racial oppression.

You must be perplexed about why one man's high-tech lynching is another's high-tech absolution.

Then he complained he was the target of a "high-tech lynching."

Thomas professed innocence, saying that he was the subject of a "high-tech lynching."

And so did Judge Thomas's outburst about "a high-tech lynching," which introduced race into the inflammable mix in a way that had previously been avoided.