Witnessing with Candycanes

[Aster Breo]

According to the wiki, the ACLU promised to defend any accused of breaking tennessee's anti evolution law, which was not being enforced at the time.  The trial was staged for publicity for the town.  

I don't know about the Scopes trial, but it is not unusual for watershed political events to have been planned -- by somebody -- even when they appear to be spontaneous.  

Several years ago, I had the professional need to study social justice movements (specifically in the US) and how they were constructed.  In every case I found, there was very careful planning and some pretty impressive foresight involved. For example, and IIRC (we all know my memory sucks, so I might be misremembering, of course), Rosa Parks refusing to move to the back of the bus -- one of the "sparks" of the U.S. civil rights movement. She had been recruited (after another woman who volunteered to be arrested in the same situation was "disqualified" because of something in her background, again IIRC).  Ms. Parks was thought to be sympathetic and was willing to be arrested for the cause.  Turns out to have been a brilliant political move.  

There are other examples from the U.S. civil rights movement, but I don't remember specifics.  TBH, I'm in awe of the people who conceived of, planned, implemented, and participated in that movement.  They were incredibly brave and visionary.

My point is that it wouldn't surprise me if the Scopes trial was triggered intentionally.

[Juni]

For example, and IIRC (we all know my memory sucks, so I might be misremembering, of course), Rosa Parks refusing to move to the back of the bus -- one of the "sparks" of the U.S. civil rights movement. She had been recruited (after another woman who volunteered to be arrested in the same situation was "disqualified" because of something in her background, again IIRC).  Ms. Parks was thought to be sympathetic and was willing to be arrested for the cause.  Turns out to have been a brilliant political move.

 
I don't recall whether someone else had been intended to do it, but I do know that Parks planned the bus and the driver- she and her family had had run-ins with him before, and actively avoided taking that particular bus until it was useful.

Rosa Parks was also a lifelong activist, before and after the bus, something that's widely overlooked in US education.

[mlr52]

I don't recall whether someone else had been intended to do it, but I do know that Parks planned the bus and the driver- she and her family had had run-ins with him before, and actively avoided taking that particular bus until it was useful.

Rosa Parks was also a lifelong activist, before and after the bus, something that's widely overlooked in US education.

 
There was a canidate but she had a police record.  And yes Rosa Parks protest, and the bus boycott was well planned.