Have you noticed the little commotion about Justice Antonin Scalia's choice of hat at President Obama's second inauguration? Some are saying that Scalia CHOSE to wear a hat resembling the hat Thomas More is wearing in the portrait Hans Holbein painted of him as Chancellor of England. They then believe that he wore the hat in protest of President Obama's anti-religious freedom policies like the HHS Contraception-Abortafacient-Sterilization Mandate! Since Thomas More died as a martyr standing up to Henry VIII they see a pointed historical and moral reference here.It is true that the hat does reference the Holbein portrait:
The hat is a custom-made replica of the hat depicted in Holbein’s famous portrait of St. Thomas More. It was a gift from the St. Thomas More Society of Richmond, Virginia. We presented it to him in November 2010 as a memento of his participation in our 27th annual Red Mass and dinner.
Although Justice Scalia has neither confirmed nor denied the reference and the symbolism of his St. Thomas More hat, it does seem more than a coincidence. What do you think?
Coincidence? No, indeed. He had to have that hat made. So thankful for Scalia.
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