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| | ::::::::: As to Bryan, I bet less than 30% of Americans even knew who he was when the [[Scopes trial]] began in 1925. And even if that percentage were higher, I don't see what relevance the average person's perception is. It's anti-intellectualism to emphasize perceptions of fame, not to mention its highly speculative nature.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 21:37, 15 February 2009 (EST) | | ::::::::: As to Bryan, I bet less than 30% of Americans even knew who he was when the [[Scopes trial]] began in 1925. And even if that percentage were higher, I don't see what relevance the average person's perception is. It's anti-intellectualism to emphasize perceptions of fame, not to mention its highly speculative nature.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 21:37, 15 February 2009 (EST) |
| | ::::::::::Bryan was the most famous Democrat in America in 1925. Every voter knew who he was--and loved or hated him. People listened to him. He was more central in the 1920s than, say, Barry Goldwater in the 1960s or Al Gore today. He is the reason the Scopes trial got all that attention.[[User:RJJensen|RJJensen]] 23:28, 15 February 2009 (EST) | | ::::::::::Bryan was the most famous Democrat in America in 1925. Every voter knew who he was--and loved or hated him. People listened to him. He was more central in the 1920s than, say, Barry Goldwater in the 1960s or Al Gore today. He is the reason the Scopes trial got all that attention.[[User:RJJensen|RJJensen]] 23:28, 15 February 2009 (EST) |
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| | + | :::::::::: Andy, perhaps you could explain what you understand by "fame"? I'm using, per the Oxford dictionary[http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/fame?view=uk], as ''the state of being famous'', with "famous" defined[http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/famous?view=uk] as ''known about by many people''. Alternatively, perhaps you could give an example of someone an encyclopaedia might have who was ''not'' known by many people, and explain how the encyclopaedia would even know of this person if he was not well known. [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 03:30, 16 February 2009 (EST) |
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| | :::::::Bryan and Darrow were at opposite ends on religion. They were close on politics: both were very liberal supporters of big government. They both relentlessly attacked conservatives on economic issues. Bryan was politically powerful in 1925 and had a strong base in The South, which always voted for him by huge landslides.[[User:RJJensen|RJJensen]] 09:55, 15 February 2009 (EST) | | :::::::Bryan and Darrow were at opposite ends on religion. They were close on politics: both were very liberal supporters of big government. They both relentlessly attacked conservatives on economic issues. Bryan was politically powerful in 1925 and had a strong base in The South, which always voted for him by huge landslides.[[User:RJJensen|RJJensen]] 09:55, 15 February 2009 (EST) |
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| | :::::::: OK, Bryan did advocate soft money going back to 1896. I don't think anyone is claiming he (or Darrow) was a conservative. But just as atheists, Muslims, and Jewish people voted Democratic in high percentages in 2008, it would be misleading to characterize the three groups as political allies.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 10:05, 15 February 2009 (EST) | | :::::::: OK, Bryan did advocate soft money going back to 1896. I don't think anyone is claiming he (or Darrow) was a conservative. But just as atheists, Muslims, and Jewish people voted Democratic in high percentages in 2008, it would be misleading to characterize the three groups as political allies.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 10:05, 15 February 2009 (EST) |